KOF 2002

Kyo Kusanagi: Heir to the flame of the Kusanagi clan. His eternal mission is to seal the god Orochi, although he prefers to live his life as a student and fighter.

K' (K-Dash): A human modified by the NESTS cartel who grafted Kyo's DNA onto him. He controls fire with a special glove and now seeks to destroy those who created him.

Iori Yagami: Kyo's mortal rival. He possesses the purple flames due to his clan's blood pact with Orochi. He lives only to kill Kyo.

Ash Crimson: (Protagonist of the current saga in this game) A cynical young man who steals the sacred treasures of the clans (such as those of Chizuru and Iori) for his own purposes.

The Orochi Clan (The Celestial Villains) Yashiro, Shermie, and Chris: They look like a normal rock band, but they are three of Orochi's Heavenly Kings. Their goal is to awaken their god using the energy of the fighters.

Goenitz: The leader of the Heavenly Kings. He is a priest who controls the wind and was the one who took Heidern's eye and unleashed Orochi's power.

The NESTS Cartel (The Mad Scientists) Kula Diamond: Genetically engineered to control ice and eliminate K' (the traitor). In the end, she rebels and becomes his ally.

Angel: A NESTS assassin with superhuman muscle enhancements. She is cheerful but ruthless.

Nameless: A failed clone created by combining the genes of Kyo and K'. He survived only to see Isolde, a girl made of ice with whom he fell in love, and now uses a gauntlet containing her soul to fight.

The Bosses of NESTS Krizalid: A clone of K' who believes he is the original. He collects battle data from fighters to activate an army of Kyo clones.

Clone Zero: A traitorous NESTS commander who attempted to destroy the cartel's headquarters using a satellite cannon in order to rule the world himself.

Original Zero: The real Zero. An extremely loyal warrior to NESTS who cleans up the betrayal of his clone and tests the strength of the heroes on his airship.

Igniz: The supreme leader of NESTS. After

The powers and strength are so great that all the characters are so strong and have many powers.

Kyo Kusanagi boy

Benimaru Nikaido boy

Goro Daimon boy

Terry Bogard boy

Andy Bogard boy

Joe Higashi boy

Ryo higashi boy

Robert Garcia boy

Yuri Sakazaki girl

Leona Heidern girl

Ralph Jones boy

Clark Still boy

Athena Asamiya girl

Sie Kensou boy

Beam boy

King girl

Mai Shiranui girl

Kasumi Todoh girl

Kim Kaphwan boy

Chang Koehan boy

Choi Bounge boy

Iori Yagami boy

Mature girl

Vice girl

Ryuji Yamazaki boy

Blue Mary girl

Billy Kane boy

Yashiro Nanakase boy

Shermie girl

Chris boy

K' boy

Maxima boy

Whip girl

Vanessa girl

Seth boy

Ramón boy

Kula Diamond girl

Foxy girl

Angel girl

Heidern man

Takuma Sakazaki man

Chin Gentsai old

Jhun Hoon boy

Shingo Yabuki boy Lin boy

May Lee Jinju girl Hinako Shijo girl Li Xiangfei girl Kyo's 3 clones: Kusanagi (The KOF 2002 clone with red eyes)

Kyo-1

Kyo-2

The 3 Orochi (EX) versions: Orochi Yashiro (Awakened)

Orochi Shermie (Awakened)

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Orochi Chris (Awakened)

The exclusive character: Nameless (The replacement for K9999)

The 3 alternative classic versions (EX): EX Robert Garcia (With classic carrying moves)

EX Sie Kensou (With his classic clothes and psychic powers)

EX Takuma Sakazaki (With his classic moves from KOF '99-2001)

The 8 final and secret bosses: Krizalid (Boss of KOF '99)

Clone Zero (Boss of KOF 2000)

Original Zero (Boss of KOF 2001)

Igniz (Boss of KOF 2001)

Omega Rugal (Boss of KOF 2002)

Classic Teams (42 Characters) Team Japan: Kyo Kusanagi, Benimaru Nikaido, Goro Daimon. Wikipedia

Team Fatal Fury: Terry Bogard, Andy Bogard, Joe Higashi. Wikipedia

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Team Art of Fighting: Ryo Sakazaki, Robert Garcia, Takuma Sakazaki. Wikipedia

Team Ikari Warriors: Leona Heidern, Ralf Jones, Clark Still. Wikipedia

Team Psycho Soldier: Athena Asamiya, Sie Kensou, Chin Gentsai. Wikipedia

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Team Women Fighters: Mai Shiranui, Yuri Sakazaki, May Lee Jinju. Wikipedia

Team Korea: Kim Kaphwan, Chang Koehan, Choi Bounge. SNK Wiki - Fandom

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Team Yagami: Iori Yagami, Mature, Vice. Wikipedia

Team '97 Special: Ryuji Yamazaki, Blue Mary, Billy Kane. Wikipedia

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Team Orochi: Yashiro Nanakase, Shermie, Chris. Wikipedia

Team K': K', Maxima, Whip. Wikipedia

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Team Agents: Vanessa, Seth, Ramón. Wikipedia

Team NESTS: Kula Diamond, Foxy, Angel. Wikipedia

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Team Masters: Heidern, Takuma Sakazaki (repeated in this team), Chin Gentsai (repeated in this team). Wikipedia

Exclusive Teams from the Unlimited Match Version (12 Characters) Team Heidern (Edited): Heidern, Li Xiangfei, Hinako Shijou. Reddit

Team Kyo Clones: Kyo-1, Kyo-2, Kusanagi. YouTube

Team Anti-Kyokugen: Kasumi Todoh, Eiji Kisaragi, Malin.

Team Jhun: Jhun Hoon, Lin, Shingo Yabuki. KOF - Fandom

New and Solo Characters (2 Characters) Nameless: A completely new character exclusive to this version (replaces K9999 due to rights issues). KOF - Fandom

The King of Fighters 2002 lacks a canonical storyline. It's a "Dream Match" title that brings together fighters from previous installments, including characters who have fallen in battle. The game was developed by Eolith and SNK, and its sole purpose is to offer free-flowing battles without altering the official timeline. The "Dream Match" Concept: As a successor to KOF '98, the 2002 installment does not advance the saga's chronology. It ignores the events of KOF 2001 and brings together nearly 50 characters from different eras. This allows heroes and villains to compete together in the same tournament regardless of their fate in the original story. The Final Boss: Omega Rugal: Although the game lacks a deep narrative, the final boss is Omega Rugal. His presence is merely symbolic, providing closure and a classic challenge for the player, as this character officially died in KOF '95. Returns and Changes: This installment is notable for eliminating the "Strikers" (assistants) system and returning to direct three-on-three team battles. In addition to Rugal's return, it marked the temporary reappearance of iconic teams and characters beloved by fans from past sagas (such as the Orochi Saga and the NESTS Saga) who wouldn't chronologically fit into the tournament.