The game also features an extra journey mode which allows the player's favorite character to be buffed up with certain assets. Points earned in this mode can transfer to the Dreamcast port of The King of Fighters '98 to help boost characters and unlock gallery images.
King of Fighters R-2 brings back most of King of Fighters R-1's gameplay, bringing back Single Play and Team Play, and the VS. Mode using a link cable. The Making mode is a new mode which lets the player customize their fighter and send them on a quest to defeat Rugal Bernstein. Also the player can connect with the Dreamcast game King of Fighters '99 Dream Match. It has all the starting characters from King of Fighters R-1 except Chizuru Kagura and Kim Kaphwan, replacing them with Saisyu Kusanagi and Kasumi Todoh.