Samurai Shodown

"Forget Mortal Kombat, this game is the true gem of Genesis 2-D fighters!"

For a casual fighting gamer like myself, I grew up comparing games to the Street Fighter series. Now, whether that was just uneducated of me, or just me really enjoying that series (which I did), I do not know, but when I popped this game into my Genesis, I was in for a huge surprise.

I had never really given the fighting genre much thought before playing this game, since all I knew was SFII and SFII Turbo (both of which I still love to play), but after playing this game and seeing how incredibly good, yet different, it was, I was hooked. This game really was the beginning of my fighting obsession, and with good reason. As soon as I saw Tam Tam smack down on my little fighter with his massive sword, I knew I would love the game. Yes, that is part of what made this game so different, and intriguing: the weapons! Each fighter was different, true, but that mainly stemmed from their styles of fighting, which resulted from their choice of weapons! And then, you have the fighters who also had pets, and don’t forget my favorite ninja! Well, it is easy for me to get carried away. So before I do, let’s cut to the chase!

Gameplay: 8/10 Yet another brilliantly done fighter. The controls in this game are relatively simple, and the combinations are very nice, and surprisingly similar to the Street Fighter, quarter circle, half circle controls. Then, add to this the great 6-button controller and you have all of your needs right there at your fingertips. Yes, this game really does lose something without the 6-button controller, but still, the controls leave NOTHING to be desired. They are smooth, responsive, and very well thought out. Still, this game has nothing truly revolutionary, outside of the weapons in combat, so that limits its score. Overall, this game is incredible, both to play and in its addictive quality.

Graphics: 10/10 All I can say is, “wow, this game has outstanding graphics.” Any game that can go as fast as this one does with fighters as large as this one has and has animations as smooth and flawless as this game DESERVES a 10 for graphics. It is quite remarkable how well every character in this game is animated, even including Nakoruru’s hawk or Galford’s dog. The entire game seems as smooth as silk, and not a frame passed when I did not love the true 2-d nature of the combat. Unlike some of the other genesis titles that tried to implement more of a 3-dimensional feel, this game revels in its 2-d nature, and I love every second of it.

Sound: 8/10 What does it say for the game that every sound effect is crisp, clean, and original? From the sounds of the swords clanging, or just one sound slicing through an opponent, this game delivers accurate, and on-time sounds that tell you what is going on with style. Like other fighters in this genre, each character also delivers their combos or special attacks with unique sounds too, and of course, you grow to fear some sounds, just as you grow to love them (when they come from your fighter). Then, add to this the very detailed and great sounding musical background tracks and you cannot help but enjoy yourself. At no point do my ears scream at me to hit the mute button, despite the manner in which many tracks are looped over and over again. Like with the SF series, you grow to love the tracks, and I know I can hum along with quite a few. In general, this game leaves very little to be desired in the sound department.

Overall: 9/10 Though I am normally a RPG person, this is one of the few games that really did attract me to the fighting genre. While I have spent lots of time and effort on this game to constantly get better, I still can find a challenge in it. This is a clear mark of a good game to me. It has a little to be asked on the sound side, since even I can only stand looped tracks so much, but still, it handles like a dream, and it is incredibly fun to play, especially against friends. What else would you want to do then unleash a gigantic clone barrage on your opponent as Hanzo, or how about sick your dog on them and watch them get torn to shreds? This game is great, both for fun, and for venting, so I suggest you get it right now, somehow. You will not be disappointed.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/16/01, Updated 10/16/01