Samurai Shodown has magnificent origin
The legendary fighting game series has impressive start with SNES adaptation
Fighting games were built a little differently back in the day. They were expected to be an exact copy of the arcade version they were borne from, they needed to play just as well as their arcade parents, and they needed to set up the next arcade version. The Samurai Shodown series was no stranger to these expectations. And it could reasonably meet them with the Neo Geo arcade system. But the debut 16-bit version of the beloved Sam Sho is a different tale of the tape.
Samurai Shodown tells the story of revenge wrought by the resurrected Amakusa in 1787 and 1788 as he sought to avenge his execution by the Shogunate in 1638. Amakusa made a deal with the demon lord Ambrosia and drew other fighters to him. Now-familiar faces dot the cast: Naokoruru and Haohmaru (from Capcom vs. SNK fame), Galford, Charlotte, Earthquake, and Jubei. It’s a fighting game with an interesting cast and story based on a few real figures in history, so it’s bound to draw interest.
However, what should really send you is the presentation. Samurai Shodown — as noted in our review of the 2019 remake (Editor’s note: See Issue 39 for the review) — is one of the most beautiful fighting game series ever created. And while we initially heaped that praise on the modern version, it also extends to the retro version as well. Beginning with the introductory screen, Samurai Shodown does not disappoint in the visuals. The lush, beautiful graphics go a long way in setting the scene of the violence and beauty of the Edo period of Japanese history. Similarly, the soundtrack doesn’t disappoint, either. Everything about the presentation is inviting if you’re into this sort of thing; spoiler alert, I am, which should be obvious by now within the context of Gaming Insurrection. It’s just that there is so much gorgeous to go around, and it should be praised because this is game graphics at its best, even in the 16-bit era.
Slightly less praiseworthy are the controls. Retro Samurai Shodown is notoriously hard to navigate, and that’s on full display here. Sometimes I could get moves off cleanly; sometimes I struggled just to get a common projectile motion to work. It’s easy to pick up, but there is struggle, and it’s worth considering if you can tolerate that enough to 
continue through the game. Also, realize now that in Arcade Mode, you’re going to fight everyone in the cast. There is no “let’s select six to eight opponents from this very full cast;” no, you’re fighting everyone before you even sniff Amakusa so you will get lots of practice with those hard movesets. However, it is broken up with progressively harder mini games, so this isn’t unfamiliar territory. The Countdown Mode, a sort of early survival mode, is a decent challenge that also gets progressively harder. There is replay value there, so that adds to the charm of an otherwise barebones game.
If you can move past the so hard it’s a good hurt mentality of the original Samurai Shodown, there is a crown jewel waiting to be played and dissected. The death poem that is the difficulty and controls in concert may be a detraction but know that it remains beautiful later down the fighting game road with improvements. It must start somewhere, and this is a good start.
to discern. Some items blend well, and some enemies look like they could be helpful items. It’s a shame considering the graphics are clean and deeply hued with a comic book ink feel. Chuck has a nice sprite and matches well with the concept as do the dinosaurs. However, while they look nice, nothing nice can be said about the soundtrack. It’s monotonous and boring, and there’s nothing that stands out. It’s boring and goofy, much like the gameplay and the concept, which does nothing to endear anyone looking for a nice solid early Super Nintendo or Genesis platformer.
are not easy, but once you’ve got the nuance it’s a whole new world of profits. The controls are simple to pick up and once you’ve built yourself up stamina-wise, the fruits of your labor are obvious. There’s something super satisfying about working the land, planting crops and caring for your animals in a day’s work and then reaping the benefits. There is planning involved also, which adds an extra layer of depth. Knowing how to spend your day wisely — whether it be tending to the farm or socializing in town — is important, and adds to the overall experience. 
but it’s a little catchy so it doesn’t necessarily grate the way you’d think hearing the same tune would for more than 20 minutes of farm work and socializing.
and his equally foolish partner Catwoman as they join forces to take over Gotham and wreak havoc. Because you are technically superior (and richer) than your foes, you have an arsenal at your disposal that helps you take out the criminal element that is doing the bidding of the meddlesome bird man and troublesome minx. Really, if you’ve watched the superb film, you shouldn’t be at a loss here as to what you need to do. It follows the plot exactly, including the encounters that Batman has with lesser henchmen. Being a game based on a movie property sometimes has its perks.
Batman is easy to guide around, though there are a few spots where the directions and what to do could be a little more clearly pointed out. However, Batman is fluid and moves quickly enough that getting around Gotham to take on the Penguin and Catwoman isn’t much of a problem.
Much like the graphics, the sound is also spot on and close to the movie’s backing tracks. Of course, there are a few appropriations because you’re not getting a full orchestra with composer Danny Elfman on the 
a great soundtrack and decent controls and not be so obnoxiously unplayable that legions of older gamers remember it with a certain hatred that burns deep within their soul to be passed down through generations to come. Cool Spot, licensed from Pepsi partner 
throughout 11 levels in cages. Why its friends are trapped, we’ll never know but it’s up to Spot to rescue them and lecture you about not drinking dark sodas. Spot’s traversal through these 11 levels is nothing short of amazing despite the rampant product placement. It’s surprisingly good, with solid controls that don’t make controlling Spot a chore, and competent simple mechanics that don’t get in the way: It’s mostly jumping and shooting magical sparks at enemies and barred gates. The life system — hilariously denoted by an ever-peeling and deteriorating picture of Spot — is more than generous and there are helper power ups galore to get through levels. The levels themselves have a lot of depth and are timed just right with enough time to explore or get the bare minimum experience in the search for Spot’s missing friend.