Absolutely right, a lot of 2D PS2 games are 480i only and the comps generally lack TATE. What annoys me is with the SNK releases, there's a few that do 240p (and a few progressive), but a lot are stuck with that ugly flicker. The two Fatal Fury comps are some that do 240p and they look amazing through component.
This is probably true as well, by the time PS2 was thick with 2D games, fighters (and a few shooters by CAVE etc) were pretty much the only contenders. There is the Vanillaware game(s)? too, but not much else original in pure 2D that I know of.

