Prep your steel

SNK has announced that its incoming update, bringing a much-needed rollback netcode update to the sword-swingin' Samurai Shodown, has been met with an unfortunate delay, and is now expected to la??unch later this summer on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platf?orms.

"SNK has been hard at work on the rollback netcode update for Samurai Shodown, originally slated for a spring 2023 release," said the developer in a statement. "The 1st Community Beta Test offered us great insight as to what we needed to improve. However, as a res??ult of various setbacks and extenuating circumstances during development and in light of our ongoing efforts to further enhance player experience, we have made the decision to push back the official release of the update to late summer 2023."

"We deeply ap??ologize to our valued customers and passionate fans who have eagerly awaited t??his update, as well as for any disappointment this decision has caused."

//?twitter.com/SNKPofficial/statu?s/1664089380242223105?s=20

The studio notes that it intends to hold a second Community Beta Test at some point later in June, on order to further analyze data and fine-tune the new online experience. As I've noted before, Samurai Shodown is a great, highly unique fighter, which stands apart from its contemporaries due to its very specific and deliberate fighting style, which sees high damage landed in just a few hits. Hopefully, t?he ??update will help the game's passionate and dedicated community welcome a few newcomers.

Samurai Shodown is available now on PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. The update will not be applied to the Nintendo Swit??ch ??edition, however.

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Cult fighter to receive major upgrade

SNK's fab and precise fighting title Samurai Shodown is currently preparing to make a comeback, bolstered by the power of some slick new rollback netcode. The developer announced that it will hold an open beta in January 2023 to test the sword-slashing title's new function?ali??ty.

The beta test will be held on the Steam edition of Samurai Shodown. It will offer SNK the opportunity to fine-tune the stability of the fighter's online mechanics ahead of the official rollback rollout, currently scheduled for spring 2023. Rollback netcode will be applied to the PlayStation, PC, and Xbox ports of Samurai Shodown, th??ough the Nintendo Swit?ch and (inevitably) Stadia releases will be missing out.

The arrival of rollback netcode, albeit three years late, will be very welcome to SamSho's devoted community. The 20?19 reboot is unique among its fighting brethren, both in its visual design and its playstyle, and as such it deserves a new lease of life. Here's hoping that the update will help bring back some of those wandering ronins to a game that, frankly, deserves a better reputation within the fighting game community.

Samurai Shodown is avai??lable now on PS4, PC, Xbox One, an??d Nintendo Switch.

//twitter.com/SNKPofficial/status/1?595598325608218624?s=20&am?p;t=CtCKGc1TIrQFcSci7H8IWw

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Let's Get Ippon

SNK has announced the release date for the next team of DLC fighters headed toward its fab scrapper The King of Fighters XV �Team Samurai, consisting of Samurai Shodown stars Haohmaru, N?akoruru, and Darli Dagger, will be available to d??ownload on PC and console platforms from October 4.

The new faction is, obviously, something of a crossover affair, and will see the SamSho posse step up to the plate against KoF's finest. I'm not 100% sure how Queensbury Rules Darli's enormous saw-sword is in a fistfight, but given that the KoF krew have literal superpowers, we can probably let it slide. While Haohmaru and Nakoruru are series veterans, this is only Darli's second gaming appearance, having made her debut in the ace 2019 Samurai Shodown release.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxTHBgpCMfo

Team Samurai will represent the fourth batch of DLC characters to join KoF XV's enormous roster since the title's initial launch earlier this year. The next season, which will kick off in 2023, has already promised to bring about the return of some KoF veterans. These include Kyo Kusanagi's well-meaning protege Shingo Yabuki, and the honorable taekwondo expert and criminal reformer Kim Kaphwan. Given Street Fighter 6's imminent launch and its wickedly redesigned Juri, it?? looks like it is going to be a fine year for windy, billowing taekwondo pants.

The King of Fighters XV is available now on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox Series X platforms �Additionally, Samurai Shodown 2019 will receive a rollback netcode update next spring, which will hopefully bring about a resurgence of int??erest in the solid, if misunderstood, fighting titl??e.

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Alright for Fighting

It's fair to say that the Evolution Championship Series, more commonly known as "Evo," returned in grand style this weekend. Evo 2022 saw Guilty Gear Strive, Street Fighter V, DNF Duel, Dragon Ball FighterZ, The King of Fighters XV, MultiVersus, and many, many other scrapp??ers take to the stage and stream in global fashi?on, as players from all over the world gathered at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in their respective efforts to lay claim to being The Best of The Best.

And, against the backdrop of this utterly electrifying cacophony of violence, the biggest fighting game developers and publishers also took the opportunity to share with their fans exciting ??news, details, and updates pertaining?? to their current, upcoming, and (in some cases), former fighting game releases.

And?? so, for those of you who couldn't quite handle the red eyes of staying up until the wee hours of the morning, here's a brief rundown of all of the fighting game news from this year's tournament, which saw a veritable banquet of character reveals, tech upgrades, new releases, and obscure teasers to keep the fists 'n' feet flying well into 2023 and beyond.

//twitter??.com/EVO/status/15565480983??35424515?s=20&t=F83Jnv7lbN2zIK-WF8JZNg

Guilty Gear Strive:

Yo-yo master and all-around cutie-pie Bridget will return today, August 8, as the first season 2 DLC character. The crossplay beta is scheduled for September, wi?th a launch tentatively planned for late 2022.

Developer Arc System Works is currently looking into reducing both the lengthy load times and the particularly frustrating server connection times on startup. In addition, GG Strive has surpassed the one million sales mark. You can check out the roadmap for season 2 here.

Street Fighter:

Capcom dropped an official reveal for veteran troublemaker Juri and newcomer Kimberly, who are both getting into gear for 2023 release Street Fighter 6. Check out their new trailer right here. We will be?? looking at these characters later today.

SNK:

The legendary arcade developer perhaps had the biggest and most exciting bevy of updates for its Evo 2022 presentation. Regarding The King of Fighters XV, SNK confirmed a second season of DLC for 2023, revealing a new team of characters from Samurai Shodown. Speaking of which, it was also revealed that SamSho itself will be receiving a rollback netcode update in spring 2023, which will hopefully bre?athe new life into a great, undersung fighter.

SNK announced that is working on a brand new Fatal Dury/Garou title, but no other info was revealed.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OocpMVBLxlk

Tekken:

In a somewhat confusingly presented reveal at the end of the Evo 2022 Tekken 7 finals, Bandai Namco announced that the 3D fighter would be receiving a new tournament season in 2023, with a brand new balance update planned for August 17. A teaser, spotlighting a gorgeous new Kazuya Mishima model, seemed to be announcing... something. A lack of concrete confirmation, complete with a very confusing commentator response, has led to muddled community musings on whether this was Tekken 8, a Tekken 1 remaster, or something else entirely.

Dragon Ball FighterZ:

Not a whole lot to report for Arc Sy??stem Works' brilliant, long-life tag fighter. Fans did not go away empty-handed, however, as it was announced that rollback netcode would be heading to the anime fighter in the near future. The update ?will launch on PC, alongside all-new PS5 and Xbox Series X ports of the game, while PS4 and Xbox One fans should stay tuned for further announcements.

It was also announced that Lab Coat 21 is definitely the final DBFZ character. In addition, there will be no more balance updates going forward. DBFZ is, in essence, "complete".

Skullgirls: 2nd Encore:

Speaking on long-life fighters, Autumn Games' Skullgirls: 2nd Encore had a marvelous weekend, with lots of eyes on the stylish, enduring 2D fighter. Alongside new footage of the incoming Blach Dahlia, it was revealed that Skullgirls' all-powerful boss character, Marie, will finally be making her grand debut as a playable character on PC, console, and?? mobile platforms in 2023.

Melty Blood: Type Lumina:

Following the recent tease of new DLC characters Mash Kyrielight and Neco-Arc, Melty Blood director Kamone Serizawa released a six-minute video offering up further detail and explanation in regards to the Tsukihime fighter's upcoming mechanic changes, balance tw??eaks, and gameplay overhauls. These include a reworking of the Shield system, as well as changes to Dashes, Moon Drive, and combo mechanics. In addition, the dev team is looking into netcode improvements and an updated Replay function. You can check out the full video below.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef1aXVm8d8Q

MultiVersus:

At Evo 2022, Player First Games revealed a couple of neat tidbits for the upcoming platform fighter, announcing that Ranked Mode will officially launch in the delayed Season One update. In addition, two new DLC costumes were revealed, restyling LeBron and DC Comics hero Robin, and Bugs Bunny in his legendary Valkyrie costume from the award-winning short, What's Opera, Doc?

A rescheduled date for season one remains un??announced.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax:

The re-release of Atlus' very flashy anime fighter has received a rollback netcode update. It is available to download right now on PS4 and PC. This will come as a huge relief to P4A fans, as Atlus had previously seemed a little disinterested? in t??he idea of implementing the much-vaunted online technology.

//twitter.c?om/RareBreedMG/status/1555673768533536768???s=20&t=rTSxWFZ9uehgbzxSZo7dBw

Blazing Strike:

AkSys Games' retro-infused 2D fighter Blazing Strike has been hit with an unfortunate delay and will no longer meet its previously announced 2022?? street date.

"It’s gut-wrenching to admit but Blazing Strike‘s release date has been moved back to spring 2023," tweeted developer RareBreed Makes Games. "However this delay will help polish the game to ensure the best game experience possible (maybe with cross-play), so I really hope you guys stick arou?nd a little longer."

Blazing Strike will now l?aunch in spring 2023 on PlayStat??ion, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Arcade 1UP:

The retro arcade cab developer announced its newest incoming cabinet, which celebrates Capcom's legendary 2000 release Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes. The new cab, which will be able to pre-order from Arcade 1Up from September 8, will feature a grand total of eight M?arvel/Capcom fight??ers from the '90s and '00s.

Evo Japan will take place in Tokyo from March?? 31-April 2, 2023. Evo will return in summer 2023.

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Resharpen your blade...

SNK's 2019 release Samurai Shodown is a sharp-ass game �in both literal and metaphorical ways. The cult fighter successfully managed to reinvent itself for modern platforms, while retaining the very deliberate, intense, and high-damage combat style of the Neo Geo classics. Packed with interesting characters and powered by an easy-to-learn, difficult-to-master play style, Samurai Shodown is a?? unique fighter that? deserves to sit within the current zeitgeist.

And it looks like the cult title is getting the opportunity to take a second swing for the gold, as developer SNK has announced that it has teamed with studio Code Mystics for a new update that will implement brand new rollback netcode for the PlayStation, Xbox and PC editions of the period piece scrapper. While SamSho is a fine title from an aesthetic and gameplay standpoint, unfortunately, the online element leaves a lot to be desired. While, in 2022, you can still find people ??fighting the good fight, lag-free action is harder to come by �which is a no go in such a precise, high-damage fighter.

And so, for the dedicated Samurai Shodown community �and fighting game fans in general �the rollback netcode update will be a very welcome addition, along with a sign that SNK has not abandoned the title in favor of some of its more modern releases. In fact, it is believed that the new update should bring online fluidity in alignment with The King of Fighters XV, which has ve??ry solid online stability once its fights are under?way.

No specif?i?c release date was announced for the new update outside of the general window of spring 2023. Samurai Shodown is available now on PS4, Xbox, PC, Nintendo Switch, and Stadia. Once again, the netcode update is only coming to PlayStation, PC, and Xbox editions of the game.

Evo 2023 is currently underway. You can check out the full schedule right here.

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(Though her clothing probably could be, frankly)

Just look at her! Have you ever seen a crossover character so perfectly to the franchise in which they are making their grand appearance? Today sees Baiken �sultry samurai of Guilty Gear fame �lock swords with the stoic warriors of SNK's Samurai Shodown, and ?I'd be hard-pressed to think of a better-suited crossover in mod??ern gaming.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjNUqbAupAA

As you can see from the brand new trailer above, Baiken has taken to the Samurai Shodown style like a duck to water, with her ultra-cool look and deliberate swordswomanship perfectly fitting in alongside Haohmaru, Shiki, Galford, and the rest of the SamSho crew. Baiken mastery of damaging single sl??ashes, speed that belies her large frame, ??and an ice-cold killer instinct make her the perfect addition to SNK's tactical fighting title. Baiken arrives in-game today as the final character of season three, and perhaps the final character of the game period, making her debut a little bittersweet.

Samurai Shodown is an excellent title, with cool visuals, a distinct visual style, and ruthless gameplay that feels completely different from every other fighter on the market. While SNK did a fine job with the reboot, Samurai Shodown struggled to find its feet in the crazy competitive fighting game market. Epic Games Store exclusivity, a lack of cross-play, and netcode woes worked against the title's positives, such as free DLC for early adopters, a huge roster of characters, delightful presentation, and a wide range of platforms. For everything SNK did right with Samurai Shodown, it would slip elsewhere. Regardless, it is still a very fine release �one of the studio's best ever �and should it be entering its twilight phase, then this guest appearance is a more th?an fitting swansong.

You can find the full patch notes for today's update right here.

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Was there ever any doubt?

Delightful news this morning as a dropped trailer has quietly revealed that Guilty Gear's savvy samurai Baiken will be a guest DLC character in tactical slasher Samurai Shodown. Could there be anyone more befitting? While neither Arc System Works nor SNK have officially commented on the video, the trailer states that Baiken will be available to purchase on August 18, the latest contender in Samurai Shodown's third season of DLC warriors.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7hM2Et_Wlo

Many Guilty Gear fans had already predicted that it would be Baiken making the leap to the legendary SNK franchise, and who could blame them, really? With her stoic arrogance, powerful frame, and exquisite and deadly swordswomanship, Baiken was an absolute shoo-in for the guest spot. Baiken is a main dame when it comes to GG, and while I'm disappointed that this guest appearance might rule her out for showing up in Strive down the line, I'll be more than happy to fire up Samurai Shodown again for a bit of the old cut 'n' thrust. ?Welcome to the party, sister.

Samurai Shodown is available now on PS4, PC, ??Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nint??endo Switch, and Stadia. It's one of SNK's best-ever releases, compelling in its deliberate nature, and certainly deserves more time in the spotlight... if SNK could only see to tightening up those troublesome online woes.

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Former Samurai Showdown boss Shiro returns to the battle

SNK has released the first full gameplay trailer for the next DLC character headed to its claret-splattered fighter Samurai Shodown. Shiro Tokisada Amakusa will be the third fighter to arrive as part of SamSho's Season 3 pass, following on from recent returnees Cham Cham and Hibiki Takane.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdsS1aBMkYg

The arrival of Shiro has been foretold for some time, with Samurai Shodown's post-credits sequence featuring a teasing glimpse of an ominous glowing orb. This orb, or "gem", is the cornerstone of Shiro's attack pattern, and can be used as a projectile, a defensive tool, or even just a frustrating distraction, allowing Amakusa to get in and d??eal deadly damage. The gem also affords Shiro swift movement and teleportation abilities, making the religious revolutionary a terrifying opponent not only at all times, but also from any conceivable distance...

...I mean, he was a boss character, after all.

Shiro Tokisada Amakusa will be made available for purchase on all platforms June 14. The same day will also see Samurai Shodown end its one-year exclusivity deal with Epic Games Store, and thus will see SNK bring the brilliant fighter to the Steam platform. Given Shiro's importance in the narrative's modern timeline, it would be a snug assumption to suggest he may be Samurai Shodown's final native character. This is, of course, not including a still-unidentified Guilty Gear guest star, who will round out Seaso?n 3 later this ??year.

It's gotta be Baiken, right? Please let it be Baiken.

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You say you want a revolution...

Great news for fans of SNK's great 2019 fighter Samurai Shodown. The one-year exclusivity deal with Epic Games Store is coming to an end, which means that the tense fighting title will finally launch on th?e Steam platform June 19. In addition, that same day will see t?he launch of a brand new DLC character: The notorious Shiro Tokisada Amakusa.

Amakusa is a recurring villain in the SamSho universe, having featured in numerous iterations in the decades-long series. Amakusa is a loose interpretation of a legendary revolutionary who was executed in Japan in the late-1600s after leading a band of Catholic followers in an attempt to overthrow the Shogunate. The SamSho iteration of Amakusa started out as an evil, power-hungry monster, but the lore?? has since pushed a "dual-personality" slant, with two independent spirits battling for dominance of Amakusa's soul.

Shiro Tokisada Amakusa will be the third of Samurai Shodown's Season Pass 3 characters, following on from the recent releases of Cham Cham and Hibiki Takane. The fourth and final character will be a Guilty Gear guest star and is expected to arrive this summer. Samurai Shodown is a fine fighting title, unlike much else on the market.?? Hopefully the Steam rel??ease will open the reboot up to new players.

ã€SAMURAI SHODOWN】
Weapon-based fighter SAMURAI SHODOWN is coming to Steam on June 14th!#SNK #SamSho #Steam pic.twitter.com/d04POGyQsj

— SNK GLOBAL (@SNKPofficial) May 17, 2021

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Hibiki cuts loose, literally

The Last Blade 2's Hibiki Takane has always been an emotional sort. It's totally understandable, given the yo?ung swordswoman's exception??ally tough and violent childhood.

In her short video game career, Hibiki has been both a delicate flower and a throat-slitting executioner at one and the same time. Recognizing this, SNK has given her recent Samurai Shodown iteration a very novel twist, allowing the player to designate Hibiki's mood as they see fit, toggling Takane's mood between that of stoic, reluctant expertise, or vengeful, fiery-eyed fury — both of which I can relate to on any gi?ven day at Destructoid.

To choose Hibiki's mood, all players need do is hold down Light Attack whilst selecting Hibiki with Kick Attack on the character select screen. This "Alt. Hibiki" will have harsher special attack voice clips, a more sinister demeanor, and colder win poses and quotes. This neat feature is a great throwback to Hibiki's Last Blade 2 days, where Hibiki's arcade mode e??nding changed dependent on the? player's ferocity in battle. Good work, SNK.

Samurai Shodown is available now on PS4, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Switch, and Stadia. Hibiki Takane is available as part of Season 3's Character Pass, she will be followed by an unannounced third character and a mystery Guilty Gear guest star at a later date.

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Silent but Violent

Two of SNK's weapon-heavy fighters are getting set to lock horns next week, as Hibiki Takane prepares to cut a swathe of destruction through the roster of Samurai Shodown. The Last Blade's junior samurai will join the SamSho roster as a paid DLC  character April 28.

Making her debut in 1998 release The Last Blade 2, Hibiki is a young woman besieged by a spirit of artery-cutting vengeance. The daughter of one of Japan's most famed swordsmiths, Hibiki travels the country seeking the mysterious silver-haired man whose strange requests lead to he??r father's illness and untimely death. A mere 17 years of age, Hibiki has already chosen her path, and leaves a trail of bodies on its blood-stained cobblestones.

A quiet and reserved young woman, Hibiki fights with a very deliberate style. A master of "fast draw," Hibiki's blade remains sheathed almost constantly, only drawn at the precise moment of impact. This style gives Hibiki the terrifying aura of a coiled snake, perpetually waiting to strike with lightning in the blink of an eye. In my humble opinion, Hibiki is one of SNK's finest and best-designed characters, her return to the fighting world is very welc??ome.

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Cham Cham ready to rawr

Among the bevy of teases that came out of Saturday's Japan Fighting Game Roundtable event was the news that a mystery character from the wild world of Guilty Gear will be making a guest appearance in SNK's Samurai Shodown as part of the latter Season 3 DLC content.

While the GG guest star was not named, SamSho's propensity for bladed weapon-based battles leans heavily toward poster boys such as Ky Kiske or Sol Badguy. That said, almost everyone in Arc System Works' attractive franchise is armed in some form or fashion, so it's time for fans to place their bets. The guest star will join the Samurai Shodown roster alongside other crossover characters, such as Warden from Ubisoft's melee fighter For Honor, and Hibiki Takane from SNK's own The Last Blade.

SNK also took the time to release the first full trailer for Season 3's first DLC character, Cham Cham. Originally debuting in 1994's Samurai Shodown II, Cham Cham is the younger sister of Tam Tam, and is known for her infectious charisma, cat-like personality, and adeptness with a boomerang. Cham Cham will launch in-game on March 16 - which is incidentally the release date for Samurai Shodown on Xbox Series X.

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Who could it be?

SNK has teased one of the next DLC characters headed to its mythical fighter Samurai Shodown. While the publisher has not revealed the character's identity, we do know that the new warrior will show up in the season three character pass, and is a guest from SNK's own The Last Blade.

Speaking in a recent video, Samurai Shodown director Hayato Konya noted that the guest star was "someone the fans absolutely adore". Now, your mileage may vary, but I'm willing to take the bet that he's referring to the stoic swordswoman Hibiki Takane, who is probably best known for her appearance in the excellent 2001 crossover fighter Capcom Vs. SNK 2.

Of course, The Last Blade has plenty of excellent characters on its roster, but aside from Hibiki and Shiki - who is already on the Samurai Shodown roster - I'm hard pressed to think of a character ??with more crossover appeal, so if I was a betting man - and a?ssuming we aren't being trolled... Yep.

Samurai Shodown is available now on PS4, PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Stadia. It will also be maki?ng the jump to Xbox Series X later ?in 2020.

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Tales of Cold Steel

SNK has announced that its excellent one-on-one fighter Samurai Shodown will be making the leap ?to Xbox Series X this winter, bringing all of the steel-clashing, claret-spewing action of the 2019 release into a whole new generation.

Already available on PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, Samurai Shodown takes the very deliberately paced hand-to-hand action of the classic Neo-Geo series and dresses it up with an attractive modern?? sheen, accompanied by a varied ro?ster of classic, all-new, and even special guest characters.

Samurai Shodown has a distinct playstyle all of its own, and is very welcome as one of the first fighter to be announced for the Xbox series of next-gen consoles. Unfortunately, SNK has not confirmed cross-play as of yet, so we do not know if Xbox Series X players will be able to play with the established Xbox One ??player base, but here's hoping. We will update you if any new info is forthcoming.

Samurai Shodown is available now on PS4, PC, Xbox One, Stadia, and Nintendo Switch.?? It will launch on Xbox Series X at some ?point this winter.

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Sword and Sorcery forever

During this morning's Japanese Fighting Game Publisher's Roundtable stream, developer SNK announced that a third season of content is headed to its meticulous fighting title Samurai Shodown.

No further information was released outside of this simple statement, but from experience we can expect several new characters will be headed to the SamSho roster. Whether these characters will be newcomers such as Darli Dagger, returning stars such as Iroha, or more strange cross over selections like The Warden and the recently revealed Gongsun Li remains to be seen.

Samurai Shodown, now readily available on PC and consoles, has certainly succeeded in making a name for itself among modern audiences. Even if the footsie-heavy fighter isn't quite as popular as the Street Fighters and Tekkens of the world, it holds its own with a large and colourful cast of characters, an attractive period aesthetic, and a unique, almost balle??tic fighting style.

Samurai Shodown is a?vailable now on PS4, PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Swi??tch, and Stadia.

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Parasol Star

SNK has released a trailer for the next character headed to its human-chess fighting title Samurai Shodown. Hailing from Tencent mobile title Honor of Kings, the lovely ??Gongsun Li will be added to the roster, free of charg?e, on August 5.

The cheerful bunny gal steps outside of her MOBA comfort zone - where she is typically utilsed as a "Marksman" character to get up close and personal with Haohmaru, Galford, Darli and the rest of the Samurai Shodown crew. The trailer depicts a fighting style based around her attractive parasol, as w?ell as a range of sweeping, open-handed strikes.

I have to admit that Gongsun Li fits in quite well with the modern SamSho aesthetic, even if the character is relatively unknown in the west. Gongsun still seems a little more suited to the SNK style that previous DLC character The Warden, who crossed over from Ubisoft's multiplayer battler For Honor.

Samurai Shodown is available now on PS4, P??C, Xbox One, ?Nintendo Switch, and Stadia.

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That's one way to promo a game

Samurai Shodown has been on a roll since its?? June 2019 launch on PS4 and Xbox One.

Slowly but surely Japan got an arcade edition, on top of a Stadia port later that year and proper PC/Switch editions just last month. SNK has also slowly been increasing its DLC repertoire, adding in characters from past SamSho titles on top of a crossover with...Ubisoft's For Honor? Now, SNK has revealed that it is g??oing crossover-crazy once again.

Announced on Twitter following a huge day of Xbox Games Showcase news, SNK tweeted out a new silhouette tease for the upcoming add-on fighter. It'll hail from Honor of Kings by way of a promo with Tencent,? and will? be "completely free to own," seemingly separate from the seasonal DLC thus far.

For the uninitiated, Honor of Kings is a mobile MOBA that's big in China and was released overseas earlier this year. The roster list is huge, but dedicated fans might be able to narrow down the silhouette. Maybe Jing Ke?

SNK Global [Twitter]

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Who is next onto the battlefield?

SNK has announced that it will reveal the identity of Samurai Showdown's final season two DLC character tomorrow. The reveal will be? made during the New Game+ Expo presentation, which will see a selection of international publishers gather together to showcase various wares.

While no details or hints were offered pertaining to the mystery character's identity, SNK did release a silhouette of the incoming warrior, who looks to be particularly chonky. The new character will join fellow season two fighters Mina Majikina, Iroha, and Sogetsu Kazama.

I'm a little at a loss as to who this fighter could be. There is still a huge slew of SamSho characters unaccounted for, but SNK usually does a very good job with keeping telling details hidden during these silhouette teasers. Of course, it could be a whole new character entirely. But either way, we'll know soon enough. The New Game+ Expo presentation will broadcast Tuesday, June 23 at 08:00 PT / 11:00 ET / 16:00 BST and can be watched over on the New Game+ Twitch channel.

Samurai Shodown is available now on PS4,? PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Stadia.

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Get Your Ipp-on

SNK has announced that Digital Eclipse' Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection will be hitting PC and consoles in the very near future. Not only that, but Samurai Shodown (??2019) is finally getting is long-awaited PC port and will arrive on Epic Gam?es Store June 11.

The Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection is, as the name suggests, a compilation of the classic SamSho titles released for SNK's console throughout the '90s and into the early '00s. Included in the compendium are Samurai Shodown (1993), Samurai Shodown II (1994), Samurai Shodown III (1995), Samurai Shodown IV: Akamatsu's Revenge (1996), Samurai Shodown V (2003) and its expanded edition, Samurai Shodown V Special (2004).

But easily the most intriguing element is the inclusion of Samurai Shodown Perfect, a never-before-released revision of Samurai Shodown V that was originally destined to be the final Neo Geo rel??ease, but unfortunately never saw the light of day, becoming something of an urban legend among series fans.

The Neo Geo collection wil??l include online support, a museum chock-full of over 2000 marketing materials, and a soundtrack player. Additional features include dip-switch settings, English and Japanese language support, and screen filter options. This release seem?s a must-buy for SNK heads and fight fans everywhere.

Back in the present, the excellent Samurai Shodown (2019) will finally see the light of day on PC next month, following on from its previ??ous?? release on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. But I have to admit it's a bit of a rough deal for the long-waiting PC fanbase.

Launching as an EGS exclusive alongside its first two season passes, Samurai Shodown will retail for around $50, with PC fans obviously missing out on the "Free Season One" deal that PS4 owners were able to enjoy. All-in, to bring the PC edition of Samurai Shodown up to speed, PC owners will be asked to fork out around $90 for the bas??e game and both of its expansion packs.

Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection launches on PC via Epic Games Store June 11, and on Steam June 18. It will then follow on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch on July 28. Samurai Showdown (2019) launches on PC via Epic Games Store June 11, an??d is available right now o??n PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection launch dates [Gematsu]

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Welcome back, Master!

SNK has announced that its stoic fighter Samurai Shodown will welcome its newest roster addition next week. Iroha, previously revealed way back in January, wil??l be available for purchase on all platforms from ?May 13.

A Japanese crane who shape-shifts into human form for battle, Iroha was specifically designed with over-the-top sexuality as her number one priority. This is borne out through her subservient nature?, (calling the player "Master" at times), ridiculous anatomy, and infamous super move, where she strips off behind blinds to kill her opponent in artsy, silhouetted style.

Iroha is a very unique case in the world of SamSho, having been created entirely out of SNK's desire for the franchise to have a "fanservice" character. Unsurprisingly, since her debut in Samurai Shodown VI, Iroha has become something of a minor icon in Japan, crossing over into other franchises such as Queen's Blade and Lost Worlds. Iroha even received her very own mobile title, Maid by Iroha, in 2007.

Iroha will be maid made available for purchase on May 13 for around $6, or is included as part of Samurai Shodown's second character pass. Samurai Shodown is available now on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. A long-awaited PC port?? will arrive on Epic Games?? Store in the near future.

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Drink him in

SNK has announced that the Sogetsu Kazama will be the next DLC fighter joining the roster of its hit face-slasher Samurai Shodown. Sogetsu will be made ??available to purchase on April 1.

Originally debuting in 1996's Samurai Shodown IV, Sogetsu is the calmer sibling of the fiery Kazuki Kazama, as reflected in his mastery of water elements, as opposed to his younger brother's fiery nature. Sogetsu is capable of calling forth towering geys??ers, and can use his distracting projectiles to set opponents up for dangerous juggle attacks. A skilled swordsman to boot, Soge??tsu is a threat in both ranged and close-quarters battle.

Sogetsu Kazama launches on all platforms April 1 and can be purchased separately or arrives as part of the Samurai Shodown season pass. Samurai Shodown is available now on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, and will launch on PC via Epic Games Store this spring.

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Moar lyke 'Steam-u-right No-down'... Yeah?

It's been a bit of a wait for news about the PC port of 2019's excellent fighter Samurai Shodown, but SNK has finally announced that the sword 'n' sorcery fighter will be arriving on the platform this spring, and will launch on Epic Games Stor??e.

The news came as part of a spring 2020 "sizzle reel," featuring titles headed to Epic's retail platform, backed by that hippity-hop the kids like. Samurai Shodown appeared in the video alongside smaller releases such as Santa Ragione's Saturnalia, FJRD's Among Trees, and Devolver Digital's Sludge Life.

Amusingly, there still isn't an exact release date for SamSho's PC launch, but given we're already at the tail-end of March, we can expect to see its arrival in the very near future. In the meantime, Samurai Shodown is available now on? PS4, Xbox One and Nint??endo Switch.

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Especially if you're eligible for the pre-order bonus

My first thought when downloading Samurai Shodown, the soft-reboot of the mostly-2D fighting series on Switch, was "I had to delete Skullgirls to make room for this?" The game comes in at about 10GB, whic?h is larger than I would have assumed, and parting with gam??es I prefer in order to fit it on my dashboard hurt a little bit. I'm not normally that harsh, even in my own internal monologue, so I had to guess something else was making me crabby.

My guess is that on some level, I just wasn't ready to make room for another fighting game in my already crowded library. It's bloodier than Street Fighter, but not more bloody than Mortal Kombat. It's a 2D weapon-based fighter, but so is Blade Strangers, BlazBlue, and Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r]. In 2020, it's hard to see exactly what a thoroughly double-A, chunky-poly fighting game series like Samurai Shodown can hope do better than its competition. 

After putting ten-or-so hours into online multiplayer and then running through singleplayer with a few characters, I'm confident that I know the answer to that question. This new Samurai Shodown packs a wallop. In some ways, it reminds me Bushido Blade, the classic "One-Hit Kill" PS1 arena fighter from Square, than it does Smash or Street Fighter. A lot of enemies can take a quarter of your health with one hit from their he?avy attack. As soon as a new round s??tarts, every breath could be your last. I love that.

So, about those graphics: There is no arguing that they don't look too great when zoomed in on a character who isn't moving much, like on the character select screen. The good news is that as soon as the camera zooms out and things get moving, all is forgiven. The animati?on here ranges from good-to-superb, transforming awkward character models into vibrant smears, oozing with life as they shower bloody death upon their opponents.

While most jab and kick attacks are quick and forgettable, most characters have medium attacks that are as big as the heavy attacks in most fighting games. The h??eavy attacks feel more like specials with big dramatic wind-up and cool-down motions. You can almost feel the weight of the weapons in their hands as they cleave into the flesh of your opponents. If this sounds more like a horror game than a fighter, it's because that's how tense these showdowns can be. The difference is, if ?you play better than your competition, then you'll be their nightmare instead of the other way around. 

That said, death is always around the corner in Samurai Shodown, even for the best of players. Most big-damage moves leave you wide open if they whiff, so the smallest of miscalculations might be summarily punished. That goes double for the dodge maneuver, which can be a lifesaver if properly timed, or attempted suicide if th??rown out carelessly.

On top of all that, you also have to worry about getting disarmed. After building your rage meter, you can throw out a super attack that can do an added 50 percent damage on top of knocking your enemy's weapon right out of their?? hands. These moves are of?ten telegraphed, making them easy enough to avoid, but god help you if you stick out a predictable poke in the face of a skilled player who's experiencing maximum Rage.

As for Switch-specific pros and cons, the split Joy-Con play works great due to relaxed input sensitivity and the fact that none of your attacks are mapped to the shoulder? buttons. the bad news is, I've seen some frame-rate issues for a few characters pulling off big, flashy moves while their opponent is in the middle of something equally showy. It only lasted a few seconds, but if you're playing?? competitively, it could definitely mess with your timing. 

I'm not going to lie though, the main thing that threw me off here was the 2D art in the endings. It's very good, making me all the more hungry for a new Samurai Shodown game that plays like this one, but looks as good as Dragon Ball FighterZ or Guilty Gear. That dream is probably a ways off from becoming a reality, but the good news is that we also just got a new-ish game in the series that looks like Pocket Rumble, one of my other favorite fighters on Switch.

Anyone who pre-ordered Samurai Shodown for Switch gets Samurai Shodown! 2, a Neo Geo Pocket Color demake of Samurai Shodown 64: Warriors Rage. It's currently the only way to get the game on modern consoles, which makes this one of the best deals on the Switch right now, one that's more than worth soaking up while you wait to see who the next Smash DLC fighter will be. 

_{[These impressions are based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Keep an eye out for her

SNK will be getting the second season of its successful fighting title Samurai Shodown underway next week, launching the fi??rst DLC character of its second season pass, the spir?itual Mina Majikina.

Making her debut in 2003's Samurai Shodown V, Mina is one of the more modern characters to join the SamSho roster, having been designed as a lead character for a "new ?era" of titles. In a particularly dark backstory, Mina was raised from birth to be a demon exorcist, but while out on a mission her family and entire village were destroyed by the demonic being, Chample - that cute little critter she's carrying in the t??railer.

While the SSV ending implies that Mina kills Chample and then herself, it seems that we can simply ignore that bit of lore, as now Chample's demon form is kept sealed within his diminutive form, a pact that has cost Mina her right eye. Ironically, this vision impairment has helped hone Maji?kina's exquisit??e archery abilities in battle.

In battle, Mina is a spritely figure who wears down her opponent with her speed, agility, and ranged attacks. In a title such as Samurai Shodown, which features slow and deliberate strikes, a character as acrobatic as Miss Majikina can be tricky to pin down, frustrating opponents by always staying one step out-of-reach. Still, as demonstrated in this trailer, Mina's bladed bow allows the young gal t?o get up close and personal when need be.

Mina Majikina will be made available on February 26. Samurai Shodown is available now on PS4, Xbox One and Stadia, with a Nintendo Swi?tch port to follow on February 25.

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SNK is expecting the Switch version to make 'a big splash'

Samurai Shodown arrived back in June of 2019 and it's been tearing up the charts, both literally and figuratively. It was immediately welcomed with open arms into EVO 2019, and it did so well that it's coming back in 2020. It's great to see Shodown back in the fray.

Destructoid recently spoke to Samurai Shodown director Nobuyuki Kuroki to see how things are going, and where they might go with the impending Switch port (that already arrived last December in Japa??n) and beyond.

Destructoid: How has the reception to Samurai Shodown been on your end? It kind of came out of the gate swinging.

Nobuyuki Kuroki: We are all very excited about it! No matter how many times we de??sign a new game, comments from our players are always both encouraging and thought-provoking. I am elated when we receive positive feedback, and this will encourage me a lot in our future projects. We have updated the game several times since it was released. We believe that the fans can now enjoy a more balanced? game.

One of the few complaints about this iteration is the lack of solo content. Is that a concern for your team and something you'd look at changing in the future?

Indeed, we also think about adding solo content. Oda has the idea of adding Sudden Death Battle to the game. We might make it happen if time permits. If you check previous works of Samurai Shodown, you will find that we took t??he story seriously this time??.

I personally want to add more details to Yashamaru’s story. Yashamaru hopefully will grow into a main character in our future titles. However, the development team is working on the DLC characters of Samurai Shodown and King of Fighters 15, so it is unlikely that any sol????o content will be added in the future.

What made the Switch edition take longer to produce than the other versions?

The hardware specs of Switch differ greatly from the others, so it was necessary to do more research after the game on other platform was completed. We are sorry to keep our Switch users waiting, but we believe it will be a wonderful ga??me on Switch.

As a follow-up, how has your experience working with Switch hardware? Was it any easier or tougher to work with compared to others?

Since we use the Unreal Engine, it won’t take too long if we just need to output the data to Switch. But for us, the challenging point is making the game run at 60 FPS on the Switch.
Thanks to Safari Games, the company that oversaw the p?orting process, we were able to achieve our goal.

For this part of the work, I only gave?? some advice. Porting the game to the Switch takes a lot of work and it’s a tough job. So, we really appreciate how Safari Games has done their job so well.

So far, what has been the most successful platform in terms of sales for Samurai Shodown? Do you expect a big splash on Switch eventually?

We cannot disclose which pl?atform is selling the best. But we do expect a big splash on the Switch! I’ve also been playing online on the Switch during the weekend, so maybe you have fought against?? me once already! But I have to say that I hardly win.

Producer Yasuyuki Oda mentioned potential guest characters as DLC. How is that going and is that still a priority?

Sorry that we canno?t disclose anything yet at this moment. ??But we promise that all our DLC characters will be great fun. You won’t want to miss it!

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Maid to Order

It's been a good weekend for Samurai Shodown fans. First we got the trailer for lead character Haoahmaru's guest appearance in Soulcalibur VI, and now we get to see two more DLC characters heading to Samurai Shodown itself, arriving this yea??r as par??t of the fighter's second season pass.

The next DLC character to join the battle will be the previously-revealed Mina Najikina, who will be made available in-game in February. Originally debuting in Samurai Shodown V, Mina's longbow skills and fast, nimble movement give the agi?le archer a huge advantage in ranged battle.

It was then revealed that Sogetsu Kazama will also be making his return to the Samurai Shodown franchise. Debuting in Samurai Shodown IV, Sogetsu is the calmer sibling of the Kazama kin, and has the ability to call upon water elements in battle, making him the very antithesis of his hot-headed brother Kazuki.

Finally, we got to glimpse the third DLC character, Iroha, from Samurai Shodown VI. Iroha is a Japanese maid, able to slice an opponent to ribbons with her curved butterfly swords. Openly designed as a highly-sexualised fanservice character, (even playing subservient to the player themselves), Iroha is unsurprisingly popular, and has guest starred in other franchises, such as Queen's Blade.

No release window has been announced for Sogetsu and Iroha, although you can see both characters in the trailer below, courtesy of YouTube channel NeoGeoNow.

Samurai Shodown is available now on PS4 and Xbox On??e, and arrives ??on Nintendo Switch February 25.

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Cut and Run

It's been a long, long wait, but it seems that SNK's noble fighter Samurai Shodown is finally ready to venture west on Ni?ntendo Switch, following on from its release on PS4 and Xbox One last year.

According to a new listing on the online Nintendo store, the latest entry in this legendary series will release on Switch February 25, bringing with it all the claret-spewing, steel-clashing action of its previous ports. Customers who pre-order the new game will also bag themselves a digital copy of the great Neo Geo Pocket release Samurai Shodown! 2.

The Switch edition will retail for around $50 (currently $45 for a limited time), and will take up 9.4GB of card space. You can find out more details over on the official listings page.

Samurai Shodown launches on Nintend??o Switch February 25, and is available now on PS4 and Xbox One. A PC release is apparently still in the works, though things have been quiet on that front lately.

Samur??ai Shodown ??for Switch launches February 25 in west [Gematsu]

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A pillar of the community

SNK has dropped a trailer for the next DLC character headed to its dramatic fighting title Samurai Shodown, and while most of the SamSho roster are adept with ruthle??ss bladed weaponry, this next combatant is much more at home with a solid bit of garden decor.

Wan-fu, who made their series debut way back in 1994's Samurai Shodown II, is one of the franchise's lesser-kn??own characters, having only featured in a ?handful of series entries. A proponent of "power", this Chinese warrior is on a mission to find and defeat the strongest fighters in existence.

While Wan-fu has dabbled with a variety of different weaponry over the years, in this particular iteration of Samurai Shodown he is coming equipped with a huge, ornate, s??tone pillar. This obviously makes Wan-fu's?? fighting style somewhat deliberate in movement and speed, but also makes his attacks extremely damaging. Wan-fu will be made available to purchase in-game on December 18.

Samurai Shodown is available now on PS4 and Xbox One. A Nintendo Switch port will arrive ??in the west in early 2020, with a PC port also expected in the near future.

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Keep sharpening those swords

SNK has announced that the Nintendo Switch port of its rebooted fighter Samurai Shodown will arrive i?n the west early next year, following on from its Japanese release, which is scheduled for December 12.

While that news may be a little disappointing to fans eager to get their hands on the excellent new entry in the stalwart arcade series, the good news is that the western Switch release will offer the pre-order bonus of 1999's Neo Geo Pocket Color title Samurai Shodown! 2 (awesome clicky directional stick not included).

You can check out a new trailer for the Switch release below. Samurai Shodown is available now on PS4, Xbox One, and Stadia. A PC port is also expected at some point?? in the future.

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It's gettin' hot in here

SNK has released the newest character trailer for its bloody-but-noble fighting game Samurai Shodown. The new video announces the coming of Kazuki Kazama, who will be made available to download on Novem?ber 18.

Originally debuting in 1996's Samurai Shodown IV, Kazuki is a hot-blooded teen introduced as a new co-protagonist for the series. With a short temper and the attitude of reckless youth, Kazuki is a wild and unpredictable opponent. Matching Kazuki's hot-head are his incendiary pyrokinetic powers, allowing him to conjure up flames and fireball in battle. This manifests itself in counters and grab attacks, not dissimilar to SNK's King of Fighters character, Iori Yagami.

Kazuki Kazama will be made available to purchase on November 18, or comes as part of the previously released season pass. Samurai Shodown is available now on PS4 and Xbox. A Switch po??rt arrives in Japan on December 12, with a localisation and PC port to follow.

Samurai Shodown DLC character Kazuki Kazama [Gematsu]

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