How Does the Ratio System Work in Capcom vs. SNK 2?

Every team in Capcom vs. SNK 2 shares four ratio points. You assign each of your fighters a ratio from 1 to 4, and the team's total may not exceed 4. A ratio 4 fighter is a one character army, with health and damage to match. A ratio 1 fighter is a lightweight: fast to build a team around, quick to fall. Between the extremes sit the classic shapes: 3 plus 1, 2 plus 2, or a trio at 2 plus 1 plus 1. The ratio is chosen per character when you build the team, which makes team construction itself a bet: depth against power, made before a punch is thrown.

In the first Capcom vs. SNK (2000), ratios were fixed: Capcom assigned every character a price, and you filled a four point team from their list, up to four characters. The sequel hands the pricing to the player and trims the maximum team to three. The design intent is visible in the change: a character's strength is no longer Capcom's official opinion, it is your wager, and a ratio 1 underdog pick backed by a ratio 3 anchor is a strategy the first game simply could not express.

For players who want none of it, the home versions also offer ratio free single and three on three modes. The system the game is remembered for, though, is the free one, and it works alongside the six grooves: ratio prices the bodies, groove picks the rulebook. The full story is on the history page.