Mobygames (290)

Samurai Shodown

 

 

 In early feudal Japan, a man named Shiro Tokisada Amakusa preaches a heretic religion. Little does anyone know that Amakusa is really a servant of the evil Ambrosia, who had possessed and taken over Amakusa's body, as Ambrosia wishes to shroud the world into eternal darkness. Now, the player must select from out of 12 fierce warriors and plus 3 bonus characters in order to fight for the honor of defeating Amakusa once and for all, while fulfilling a specific mission for each and every warrior in the game.

The Genesis version of the game does not however include the Earthquake which has been removed due to its 16-bit memory capacity and technical size limitations.

Samurai Shodown 2

 

 

 In Samurai Shodown II players take on one of the roles of fifteen warriors, fighting their way through the land to defeat Rashojin Mizuki, who was thrown into the sea when she was a little girl and since then became a servant of the dark god Ambrosia.

This sequel to Samurai Shodown introduces five new playable characters: the warrior and Haohmaru's rival Genjuro Kibagami, the cat-like Cham-Cham (Tam-Tam's sister), the Prussian gun-wielding knight Neinhalt Sieger, the old monk Nicotine Caffeine, and the hidden boss and unlockable character Kuroko.

The game features special moves accessible by charging up a power meter, as well as other gameplay-related additions. Characters can now roll forward and backward, perform small jumps to evade low attacks, and duck to avoid high ones. There is also a parrying move that leaves the opponent vulnerable for a moment if executed at the right time.

Samurai Shodown 3

 

 The 12 samurai (and ninja) elite are back, this time to answer the threat of the demon Zankuro, Minazuki. The possessed swordsman has brutally slaughtered innocents in his path, yet could not raise his blade to the cries of an innocent baby. Vowing never to spill innocent blood again, he targets those who live by the way of the sword...but now the hunter becomes the hunted:

• Amakusa, Shiro Tokisada - The orb wielding Boss from Samurai Shodown I is now a contender in the race against Zankuro, his next religious sacrifice for enlightenment.


• Basara, Kubikiri - The embodiment of hate has risen Basara the Executioner from his grave for revenge against Zankuro for murdering his lover (and himself). Love is stronger than death.


• Gaira, Kafuin - A Buddhist monk with giant prayer beads as his weapon. He had an argument with his grandfather, the great Nicotine and was kicked out from the monastery. Wandering aimlessly, he witnesses the demon Zankuro spill innocent blood. The monk vows to teach the demon a thing or two on the teachings of Buddha...the hard way.


• Galford and Poppy - The American Ninja and his beloved dog seeks to defeat the demon Zankuro in the quest for justice for the deaths of refugees killed by Zankuro.


• Genjuro, Kibagami - Former colleague of Haohmaru, now rival. Genjuro the Assassin almost killed Haohmaru in a match for a scroll that would increase one's fighting skill, but instead got expelled from his fighting school. Flamed with vengeance, now he's has his sword aimed at Haohmaru's heart...history will not repeat itself.


• Haohmaru - Learns from a boy that a demon killed his parents, out of compassion Haohmaru takes the task to avenge the boy of his parents.


• Hanzo, Hattori - Darkness never sets in the eyes of the Ninja Hanzo and death is its only release. The stench of death by the demon Zankuro only draws him nearer, to what may be his ultimate release.


• Kyoshiro, Senryo - The famed Kabuki artist searches out his next dramatic play by defeating the demon Zankuro for his next best-selling kabuki play!


• Nakoruru - Sensing a disturbance in Mother Nature, Nakoruru with the help of Shikuruu the wolf and Mamahaha the falcon seeks out the demon Zankuro.


• Rimururu - Nakoruru's ice-wielding sister. Determined to protect her sister at all costs feels instead that the disturbance in nature is caused by Amakusa.


• Shizumaru, Hisame - A boy with an umbrella searching for his past. Remembers only the never-ending screams of his parents being murdered by a vile demon...maybe this is the demon he's been searching all this time at long last...


• Ukyo, Tachibana - The blue-haired master swordsman finds his sensei and students dead. He learns that the demon Zankuro is responsible and heads off for revenge. The female fans still await him from a distance...

The third series of Samurai Shodown introduces 2 different techniques for each character. The "Slash" techniques are the original moves of the most of the characters whereas the "Bust" techniques maybe the "darker" version of each character.

 

Samurai Shodown 4

 

 Bringing a new breath to SNK's swordsman fighting series, this 4th installment marks the return of 3 classic characters (Yagyu Jubei, Charlotte and Tam Tam, now with updated stuff), introduces 2 newcomers for the pantheon (the brothers Sogetsu Kazama and Kazuki Kazama) and brings some new backgrounds.

In spite of these little improvements, the game preserved (and improved a lot) many elements that did the previous one (Samurai Shodown III: Blades of Blood) a quite popular title, like the dodge move and the chance to choose between two versions of the fighter: the standard one and an alternative dark-styled one (SLASH and BUST, respectively).

With the intention to provide more action in the battles, the "No Contest" Moves were introduced: working in similar way (and under certain conditions) to the many games of Mortal Kombat Series, your fighter will execute an ultimate-slaughter move in a stunned opponent.

Samurai Shodown 5

 

 Seven years after the fourth game in the series, Samurai Shodown returns. In the game's time frame, this is the earliest game, hence the Japanese title Samurai Spirits Zero. It takes place in 1786 from January through the later summer. The game is therefore considered a prequel to the series.

The overall gameplay was slightly altered. It is a little faster, and the Slash/Bust system has been removed. Each character now has only one version, or the Bust mode is simply replaced by a new character of very similar setup. Combo slashes, sidestepping and fatalities have also vanished. The basic moves have been modeled after the first games in the series. They consist of three types of slashes, a single kick, and various dodge maneuvers similar to Samurai Shodown II.

There are 24 characters, a familiar cast with some new faces. Unlike the previous games, it is not possible to kill your opponent.