The King of Fighters 2002 is the second plotless "dream match" in The King of Fighters series. This game features 39 normal characters and 5 hidden characters, some of whom have not appeared since KOF '98: Dream Match Never Ends . Additionally, five characters exclusive to the PS2, X-Box, or Dreamcast systems can be played, including Shingo Yabuki, King, Geese Howard, "Riot of the Blood" Iori, and Leopold Goenitz. Shingo and King are available on all non-Neo Geo systems, while Geese and the rest are exclusive to the PS2 and X-Box.
The gameplay system has also undergone changes. The striker system and four-character teams found in the last three KOF releases have been removed. Instead, the game features old-school three-man teams and the "Advanced system" from The King of Fighters '97 and KOF '98: Dream Match Never Ends .