2002 is the best King of Fighters in the series. Hands Down. Choose Your Fighter!
I play the KOF games for the storylines and their colorful characters. Which is why 2002 is such a GREAT game. It's one of the two KOF games that doesn't have a story and is just a "dreammatch". What sets 2002 apart from the rest of the KOFs is that it focuses on all the characters and makes each one of them very powerful. If this was 2003(horrible game, on it's own I give it a 3.5), which does have a storyline and weird gameplay mechanics, the experience would be different. KOF 2002 has the classic 3 on 3 team battles but adds something new with the HSDM, which is a fusion of the EX mode and stock mode from KOF 98(another dreammatch, and second best title in the series).
I just wish all characters got some new sprites like Kim. But it's alright. I hope SNK continues to bring out more KOF games like this.