Covering the Super Nintendo port of a Neo Geo fighting game probably isn't the greatest use of my time, but whatever. World Heroes 2 is damn good fun, and Saurus deserves commendation for their impressive work. Every character, every stage, and almost every move was squeezed into a 24-megabit cart. The port's additional features make up for the missing bonus rounds and not-so-amazing music. I also appreciate just how much of the arcade version's shenanigans were carried over. Dragon is still a cross-up machine. Failing to block J. Max's crouching jab could result in a fatal combo. Then there's Rasputin, who continues to bully the opposition with a Cossack dance mix-up. These and many other instances of the cheap stuff are probably why World Heroes 2 is lucky to appear on Mikado Game Center's stream more than a year, and they still run Fatal Fury Special tournaments like it's Street Fighter VI. I argue that it's all part of the charm.
If I have to describe World Heroes to you, then it's only because this write-up needed some filler. Doc Brown invents time travel, and the first thing he does with it is put a bunch of legendary figures in a fighting tournament. In other words, someone really wanted to see who would win in a fight between Ryoko Tani and Erik the Red. Names were changed to protect legacies and keep ADK from eating a dozen lawsuits. Exclusive to this entry is the deathmatch mode. Instead of a traditional best of three bout, fighters share a seesaw health meter. Each hit you land will increase your share of the meter, and the same goes for your opponent. Whomever loses the entirety of their health is knocked down. They have until the count of 10 to get up. The majority of arenas also feature traps such as landmines or spike-walls. Players looking for a gimmick-free fight can stick to the usual story and versus modes.
While this fighter has aged quite a lot, I think it's still very playable today. The 14 playable characters suit an extensive array of playstyles. There are plenty of unique moves to learn. Executing them is no trouble at all. Within seconds of choosing Muscle Power, I was nailing every standing 360 attempt. Reflecting fireballs with a well-timed block is a brilliant addition. Rather than eliminate zoning outright, it allows for potential. Several heroes can throw a slow projectile, move in to apply pressure, or see how their opponent reacts. Other unique characteristics make investing in a chosen fighter pretty rewarding. Ryoko has a roll for quickly getting into her opponent's business. Shura can't dash forward, but his back-dash is extremely quick. Even those who can't dash at all (M. Power & J. Max) have tools for closing distance. Though the game is still unbalanced as heck, a lot of work went into making everyone stand out.
Plus, learning and applying the bullshit is still a lot of fun, especially in deathmatch mode. One arena has bombs placed on both sides. They take a few seconds to respawn after exploding. Rather than wait for that to happen, I try to push my opponent to the other side, preferably using some block-string that they can't easily counter. Another cool trick is manipulating buzzsaws so that they hit the same person repeatedly. Not to mention, slamming a hapless warrior onto a landmine is too good. Again, nothing here can be considered tournament-friendly, and I don't mind one bit. This game works as pure dumb entertainment.
Even if we're not hurting for ways to play the arcade original in 2026, the Super Nintendo version is still a worthwhile venture. Besides playing remarkably well, it has an extremely useful feature. As soon as you start the game, run straight to the option menu and set the buttons to "SNES". This changes the number of attack buttons from two to four. Normally, if you wanted a light attack, you'd have to tap the button. Heavy attacks were performed by pressing the button down. Trust me, it's easier to have all four attacks readily available. One other notable addition is the speed setting. Compared to contemporaries like Hyper Fighting, World Heroes 2 has always been a little slow. This gives it a nice turbo boost.
As far as the enemy AI goes, I'd say that it's normal for 1994. Keep the difficulty setting at or slightly above 5 for a reasonably tough time. Don't even bother with 8. Instead of making the CPU an input-reading demon, Saurus tweaked the handicap, giving them ridiculous offense and defense. If you're seriously craving an unserious challenge, then just play the arcade game. Better yet, play Samurai Shodown 1. I still have nightmares about fighting CPU Nakoruru.
There's nothing else to throw in here, so yeah. More people should try World Heroes 2. It's not Perfect (ha ha ha...) but it does have plenty of fun stuff to check out.
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