In this case, SNK Playmore have callously destroyed the time-honoured manner in which the name of each instalment is followed by a particular year, going instead with unfamiliar, slightly scary Roman numerals. To top this off, the maligned Maximum Impact sequel has snatched the “2006” moniker in the USA, thus confusing and bewildering fans unable to accept this new twist in the series' lineage. As the Yorkshire News points out every Saturday morning, it is a perfect example of why change isn’t good.

Tongue out of cheek, though, because what we have here is a product that transcends such tittle-tattle, and is in fact arguably the best that the series has offered so far this decade. It is also likely to be the last direct conversion from Atomiswave arcade hardware, as Playmore appears to be switching to a dapper new Taito board in the near future. They bow out in confident, impressive aesthetical style, with graphics once again looking sharp (slightly redesigned sprites ahoy – yaaay!), and a choice score that sounds even better in its “Arrange” incarnation. Crucially, it is a game that has a broad appeal, meaning a KOF newcomer could easily enjoy it as a standalone title, much the same as old heads and completists will enjoy (or in some cases, slag off) the new tweaks and suchlike.

Unsurprisingly the game is once again a 2D scrapper held together by a bonkers plot about world domination/destruction. 3-on-3 tag-team brawling is where it's at, with one of the finest tagging systems yet seen in a fighter. KOF XI comes a-boasting a frankly silly 45+ playable characters. Many of these are unlockable via the Challenge mode, and by beating the game and its horrifyingly cheap mid and final bosses. Three new faces are drafted into the fray (Oswald, Momoko, Elisabeth), whilst some old favourites like Duck King make a welcome return. Save for the omission of series mainstays Chang and Choi, there will be little to upset folks in the selection available here. Better still, PS2 owners have the luxury of some exclusive characters, recognisable bods such as Geese and Robert that appear to have been dragged into the mix in Neo Geo Battle Coliseum form.

Rather than just a plain old swap between characters, XI incorporates a “Quick Shift” and “Save Shift” system, two special forms of tagging that require using segments of your “skill meter”, located above your Super meter (wait! Come back!).

The Quick Shift allows the newly tagged-in chap to continue dishing out the hiding, in chain fashion, meaning that depending on how many stocks you have left in your Skill Meter, tricksy players will find themselves in a position to utterly batter their opponent senseless in the most OTT scenes of carnage this side of Marvel vs Capcom 2. The Save Shift acts as a cross between a tag and a Striker, with the new character leaping from the wings to land a direct hit upon your foe. The Save Shift can be a useful yet risky tool, as it depletes your Skill stock by not one but two.

The Shift system alone would have done for most 2D fighters, however XI packs in even more to keep things nice and fresh. Super Moves are once again par for the course, and all of your old favourites are there, from Iori’s ultraviolent purple flames of death to Terry’s stupid-sounding Buster Wolf. This time, however, prior to the commencement of a bout you are asked to select a “Leader”, with this esteemed individual able to pull off a decimating, 2-bar Leader Desperation Move. Of course such an attack is much more powerful than a regular Super, so it is always worth remembering who your leader is, so you can go for, erm, maximum damage. “Dream Cancels” are also possible (Super into Leader Desperation Move), and tied fights are now decided by a “Judgement” system, which gauges your performance based upon how many flashy combos and moves you can come up with during your bout.

There is so much to play around with within the confines of normal play, that it would be easy to overlook the wealth of extras available in this generous PS2 translation. As well as Endless (i.e survival), Single, Arcade and the requisite Gallery, an incentives-based separate mode makes its KOF debut. There is also online functionality, but only for those lucky enough to live in Japan. Challenge Mode is based along similar lines to the task/mission-based modes in other titles such as Soul Calibur, Virtua Fighter Evo and Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. The player is dropped into 40 scenarios requiring specific actions to be carried out in order to progress. These range from simply finishing off an opponent with a Special Move, to dealing out the kind of combo you normally only see on them Appreciate DVDs. The mode is a nice addition, which will most definitely help improve your overall KOF experience (and expertise).

The King Of Fighters XI is as easy on the eye as any version yet, and benefits from a playability overhaul and the inclusion of a majestic tag battle system. It is as frustratingly difficult to beat as ever, thanks to the joypad-smashingly evil bosses, but remains compulsive and playable. It is, of course, a blast in VS mode. No one is sure where the series is headed next, particularly now that retro compilations of older Neo Geo games and online marketplace versions would seem to be more popular than the newer instalments and indeed the arcade versions themselves. This is a shame, as KOF XI has finally addressed some of the issues that the “fans” have harped on about for years, with Playmore finally delivering the flagship 2D mainstay goods.