Samurai Shodown

ACA Neo Geo Samurai Shodown
Developer(s)	SNK
Publisher(s)	Hamster Corporation
Year released	2016
System(s)	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, iOS, Android

Japanese title	サムライスピリッツ (Samurai Spirits)
Genre(s)	Fighting
Players	1-2
Modes	Single player, multiplayer
Rating(s)	RSAC: V3S/N1L1 (1)

Samurai Shodown
Developer(s)	SNK
Publisher(s)	SNK
Year released	1993
System(s)	Arcade, Neo Geo, Neo Geo CD, SNES, Game Boy, Sega Genesis, Sega CD, Sega Game Gear, 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, Wii
Followed by	Samurai Shodown II
Series	Samurai Shodown,; ACA Neo Geo

Table of Contents

Gameplay

Remakes & Compilations

Appendices

Secrets and codes
Achievements and trophies
- I, II, III, IV, V, V Special, VI, 2019

Characters

This is the first game in the Samurai Shodown series. For other games in the series see the Samurai Shodown category.

Links

For the 1998 Neo Geo Pocket game, see Samurai Shodown!. For the 2019 reboot, see Samurai Shodown (2019).

Samurai Shodown, known as Samurai Spirits (サムライスピリッツ) in Japan, is the first game in SNK's popular series of fighting games.

It is set in the late 18th century and all of its characters wield weapons. It also bears comparatively authentic music from the time period and a refined version of the camera zoom first found in Art of Fighting. True to its use of bladed weapons, the game also includes copious amounts of blood. Its overall aesthetic drew in the curious, and made SNK many fans.

Samurai Shodown quickly became renowned for its fast pace, focused more on quick, powerful strikes than combos. As to emphasize the distinction of this gameplay system, slow motion was added to intensify damage dealt from hard hits. Also during a match, a referee held flags representing each player (player 1 was white; player 2 red). When a player landed a successful hit, the referee would lift the corresponding flag, letting everyone watching know who dealt the blow. To lessen the repetition of fights, a delivery man running in the background threw items such as chicken (that healed) or bombs, which could significantly change the outcome of a play.