Samurai Shodown (Crystal Dynamics 1993) A-
2/18/2002
This was one of the better fighting games spawned by the 2D fighter epidemic of the early 90s. Samurai Shodown has got to be one of the most beautiful games Iâve ever laid eyes on. The colors and rich and vivid, and the Street Fighter-style graphics look fantastic. There are 12 very interesting characters to choose from, and they all brandish swords or other sharp weapons. The game plays much like Street Fighter 2, with three kicks, three punches and an assortment of special moves. One unique feature is how the screen scales out when the fighters are spread apart, but this gimmick really doesnât add anything to the gameplay. The gorgeous backgrounds are Asian-inspired, and none of the voice dialogue has been translated, which is probably for the better. I had a great time playing this game. Thereâs some slow-down, but the action and animation is very entertaining. Unfortunately, the six-button controller is not supported, and you need to hold a shoulder button to activate your kicks. It works fine. Samurai Shodown impressed me. It made me wish ALL 3DO games were in 2D!