Review - Samurai Shodown Anthology (Wii)

During the Street Fighter II mania of the 1990s, arcade maker SNK released a different kind of fighting game that came with unique mechanics, changing the way fighting games are played. The game was Samurai Shodown for the Neo Geo. Fifteen years and close to 20 games later, SNK Playmore released Samurai Shodown Anthology, a compilation of six Samurai Shodown games for the Nintendo Wii. Samurai Shodown Anthology features the best that the series has to offer. Is it worth your hard-earned cash? That’s what we aim to find out today.

SNK Playmore squeezed the following games in the Wii collection: Samurai Shodown, Samurai Shodown II, Samurai Shodown III, Samurai Shodown IV, Samurai Shodown V, and the rare Samurai Shodown VI. Alas, there’s no sign of Samurai Shodown RPG.

The Samurai Shodown series was responsible for pioneering several genre conventions that you might not be aware of: weapon-based fighting games, multi-tiered arenas (from Samurai Shodown 64, which isn’t included in the anthology), animal companions, and a specialized type of blocking where an attack is blocked at the last possible instant, causing the attacker to be stunned briefly. If you’ve played any of the games in the series, you’ll notice that the pace of the battles here are more methodical—just like those old Akira Kurosawa movies.

The Samurai Shodown games are also known for their difficulty and it carries over here. Don’t expect to finish the game if your main strategy would consist of mashing buttons and nothing else. Battles require strategy and deliberation, and would likely frustrate casual gamers. All the fighters are equally balanced, while the combat itself contains layers of intricacy that takes patience to learn. The games may have aged visually, but its workings are comparable to current fighting games. The Wii version has a tendency to slow down, particularly in Samurai Shodown IV, which makes the game almost unplayable because it messes with your timing and execution.

The Wii version can be played using the Classic Controller for that much-needed precision. If you insist on using waggle, you can test your gaming skills with an exclusive mini-game for just that. Chances are, you’ll be playing Samurai Shodown Anthology for quite a while. Mastery of one game would take a considerable amount of time. Multiply that by five (minus the unplayable part IV), and you’re set for months.

That is, of course, if you can stand the aged visuals. The 2D graphics might not be as attractive as it once was, but the artwork still manages to be pleasing. The character designs withstand the test of time and still manage to look impressive. Strangely, the overall look of the older games seems more pleasing to the eyes. Audio uses a mix of traditional Japanese tunes and chugging rock riffs, while throwing in the announcer’s occasional spoken phrase.

Samurai Shodown VI alone is already a great reason to own Samurai Shodown Anthology since it never made it to the U.S. before. Add four more working games and a package worth $30, and you’ve got yourself a steal. Samurai Shodown Anthology is a must-own for classic arcade fans, old-school Neo Geo devotees, and hardcore gamers in general. If you’re looking to complete your Samurai Shodown collection in one fell swoop, then get a copy of Samurai Shodown Anthology for the Wii.

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