The first game in the series, released in 1999 for the Neo Geo Pocket Color handheld console, was the first crossover between SNK and Capcom.

Each version of the game has a different starting deck and different exclusive cards that can be obtained, but the gameplay remains the same, with card battles resembling a somewhat simplified version of Magic: The Gathering, in which a maximum of three "creatures" (i.e. fighters) are allowed in each player's field at any given moment and there is no mana to be spent to place them in the field (there are, however, Special Points, SP for short, which are gained as fighters are placed in the field and spent as the players use Action Cards—this game's equivalent of Enchantments—or combined attacks).

The game received an emulated re-release for Nintendo Switch in January 2022, which includes both versions and features the ability to battle and trade between them on a single system.

[3] This re-release was later included as part of the Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol.

This Japan-only sequel to SVC: Card Fighters' Clash was released as カードファイターズ2 in 2001 for the Neo Geo Pocket Color after Capcom vs. SNK 2.

In addition to the 240 character and 60 action cards from the first game, 124 new cards are added, adding cast from Garou: Mark of the Wolves, Samurai Shodown: Warriors Rage, The King of Fighters '99 and 2000 for SNK, and Project Justice, Mega Man Legends, Dino Crisis and Onimusha for Capcom, while also including 40 Reaction cards that can be used during the opponent's attack.

In addition, there are key features: Almost immediately after the American NDS version was released, an unavoidable bug was discovered in the game.