Which is better, THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION or THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH?

On Steam reviews THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH scores higher (96.6% positive) than THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION (92.2% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.

Should I play THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION or THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH first?

If you want chronology, THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION (2014) came out before THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH (2015). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.

THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION vs THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH

THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION and THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH both land in Action on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Action games on Steam. THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION (2014) is 1 year older than THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH (2015). THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH scores higher on Steam reviews (96.6% positive) than THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION (92.2% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.

Which should you pick?

Choose THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION

Choose THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION if you want the Shared/Split Screen PvP and PvP side of the pairing. THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION launched in 2014.

Choose THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH

Choose THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH if you want the Shared/Split Screen Co-op and Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 96.6% positive across 985 reviews.

Both THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION and THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH sit in Action on Steam and both list Multi-player and Steam Leaderboards, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.

THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION vs THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH — Steam metadata comparison
	THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION	THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH
Released	2014	2015
Genres	Action	Action
Platforms	Windows	Windows
Steam Deck	Deck Verified	Deck Verified
Price	14.99 USD	14.99 USD
Steam reviews	92.2% positive (689 reviews)	96.6% positive (985 reviews)
Multiplayer	Multi-player	Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op
Developers	SNK CORPORATION, Code Mystics	SNK CORPORATION, Code Mystics

Side by side

Both are Action games on Steam.
THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION (2014) is 1 year older than THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH (2015).
THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH scores higher on Steam reviews (96.6% positive) than THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION (92.2% positive).
THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION (14.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH has co-op; THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 ULTIMATE MATCH FINAL EDITION does not.
Both are Deck Verified.