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Unlike the noble warriors that inspired the Samurai Shodown series, Samurai Shodown Anthology lacks honor. The straightforward presentation of these fighting games, devoid of user-friendly features or bonus content, may satiate the desires of long-time fans, but won't be a draw to anyone with less than a wholehearted interest in the series.
Samurai Shodown, released for the Neo-Geo in 1993, was no Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat in terms of mainstream popularity, but it drew enough of a following to warrant five numbered sequels over the next dozen years and was even named Electronic Gaming Monthly's Game of the Year in 1994. Those are all included in the game, but spinoffs and modifications such as Samurai Shodown RPG and Samurai Shodown V Special didn't make the cut.
Primarily, Samurai Showdown is a game of hand-held weaponry. While a player of Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter would be foolish to rely on anything but the legs, the characters in Samurai Shodown find the most success with upper body attacks. A well-placed strong slice can deplete almost half of an opponent's energy, so the wisest players time their thrusts carefully.
That's not to say there aren't any special moves. Characters pack the usual fireballs, flashy sword attacks, and flying kicks along with some more eccentric abilities. Kyoshiro, for instance, can spawn a giant frog that eats up his opponent. Several characters can also summon animals. Properly timed, these moves can throw a player off his or her game, wearing down energy or setting up a devastating single attack.
As with many other fighting games, the complexities grow should the player demand it. The second game in the series added more technique to blocking, where proper timing creates an opportunity to counterattack. Samurai Shodown III allowed players to select a Slice or Bust system, offering a choice between good and evil characters with slightly different special moves. The fifth game dropped these frills in favor of a simpler experience, and Samurai Shodown VI went off the deep end with nine customization options for each character.
These surface differences, along with the usual tweaks of speed and visuals, are enough to distinguish each iteration, but like any fighting game, they're more similar than they are different. Players are likely to find the version they like best and stick with it rather than playing every title.
The lack of online play means a second Samurai Shodown fan is practically a system requirement. There's plenty of challenge in fighting the AI — each game's difficultly can be turned up or down to extremes — but there's little thrill in it. That tension of hanging on to a sliver of health can be exciting with a fellow human, but against the computer it's just stressful.
The problem is, as a simple collection of games, Samurai Shodown Anthology never makes a case for its own existence. Nowhere on the game disc does it explain why the series is important and what it has to offer. An ideal feature would have been some sort of in-depth training that illustrates the intricacies of combat and how it changed from one game to the next. Instead, there's a boilerplate practice mode in which players can fight against a dummy opponent.
Most of the narrative is in Japanese, leaving most American players in the dark. Judging from the visuals and small snippets of English, there appears to be quite a back story for the series, along with a narrative that weaves its way through each game for every character. SNK shouldn't mess with the original games, but the door was wide open for a special feature on the origins and fates of these warriors.
There's only one special feature to speak of and it's barely worth mentioning. Players can control four of the game's animal characters in a game of grab-the-fruit by tilting the Wii remote. Of any motion control add-on, this might be the most insulting.
And while we're griping, let's address the lack of GameCube controller support in the Wii version of this collection. A Wii remote and Nunchuk combo will suffice, but it's awkward playing a fighting game with a separate controller in each hand. Holding the Wii remote alone horizontally won't do because the player has to hit some attack buttons with their left hand. Buying this game without a Classic Controller is not advised.
Actually, buying this game at all isn't a good idea unless you're okay with the bare-bones package. As a collection of Samurai Shodown games, it is what it is. As an anthology, it's a shame.
Fun Factor: The games are enjoyable for what they are: 90s head-to-head fighting with a focus on weapons.
Game Length: An uninterested player could see everything in a matter of minutes. Fans could play indefinitely.
Difficulty: On the easiest setting, the hardest enemies will require dozens of tries for anyone but expert players.
On the Negative Side: Special features are virtually non-existent. Once-exotic characters and aesthetics aren't so special anymore.
Bang for Your Buck: It's a collection of old games that aren't easily accessed outside of illegal emulation. Maybe that's worth something.
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