Samurai Shodown Reviews
Samurai Shodown is a breath of fresh air to the series, because of its choice to make the battles more of a duel and not a button mashing frenzy – and I respect that. With each character feeling different enough to make your mind race with possibilities of offensive and defensive strategies, it almost fails because of the timing system.
Samurai Shodown is a great fighter that looks beautiful, and deserves a much bigger audience than it has - but as of right now, there aren't enough players online to satisfy fighting game fans, and there isn't enough singleplayer content for more casual fans. The new characters that have been added since launch are great, but Samurai Shodown still feels like a game that needs an overhaul. I still have my fingers crossed that the future of Samurai Shodown and SNK will be bright, but I still have my doubts.
Despite its uneven online play and frustrating load times, Samurai Shodown is still a game that fans of the fighter genre won’t want to miss – so long as they have a few friends play against locally. With a colorful (though somewhat limited) cast of characters, a wealth of game modes, and some smart evolutions of its tried and true formula, it’s still one of the best games in the series to date. Here’s hoping the game’s PC community grows, and SNK can iron out the few kinks that hold Samurai Shodown back from being the brawler to beat.
Samurai Shodown continues in a long line of fantastic fighting games. While it may not have all the advancements of other fighting series, it continues to excel as an excellent addition to the franchise. After playing on my PC with my handy Xbox One controller, I decided that the next step is to play this on my AtGames Legends Ultimate cabinet. Playing an arcade fighting game on my own home arcade system is the icing on the cake. If you are looking for an excellent fighting game, with colorful characters, and fun environments then Samurai Shodown may be right up your alley.
An excellent fighting game fine-tuned for tense, thrilling bouts. While the fighting is always fun, its feature set is slim, with only a handful of modes that don't stray far from the core gameplay. If you're looking for a fight, you've found a good one, but don't expect a big story mode or much side content.
Samurai Shodown, the reboot, for the Nintendo Switch carries on the traditions from the game's original introduction. With plenty of battle mode options and a plethora of unique characters to choose from boredom shouldn't happen anytime soon. The game's mechanics focus more on timely execution of a move versus stringing together a complex set of combos. This mechanic alone opens up the doors for more players, even those who are "fighting game challenged"!
Overall, Samurai Shodown is very much true to its gaming lineage and works a lot better on the Switch than you would expect. So if you like quick paced fighting games with lots of vicious bladed weaponry and a surprising amount of tactics, then this is definitely worth a look.
Samurai Showdown for the Switch is a brilliant reboot of a terrific classic fighter. Its unique fighting mechanics persist, backed by a beautiful presentation upgrade. Still, its online community is lacking, and its uniqueness may be off-putting to many.
Samurai Shodown is a long-awaited comeback after a rather disappointing last part. SNK has tried to bring the franchise to the present day with a reboot, and we attest that it has succeeded and with a remarkable high result. There are some tthings left to polish, like a larger player base without relying on additional downloadable characters and more game modes, but if you were a fan of the series, you're in luck, Samurai Shodown has returned.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The first installment in 11 years shows why the series remains to this day, but also why it is eclipsed by greater fighting franchises.
Samurai Shodown is a fun game for the Nintendo Switch, but also seems to be a game that gets old quickly. In particular, the storylines of the various characters who run the same at certain moments can be a drawback. If you are looking for a fun, fast and at the same time slow fighting game that really gets you excited, this is a must buy for you.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
For those who game on the go, Samurai Shodown on Nintendo Switch is a weighty and undeniably fun-to-play fighter well deserving of your time
"You are already dead."
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Despite the DLC gripes and the heavy downgrade in visuals for this Switch port, Samurai Shodown really stands out from the crowd, and it's great to see the revival of a popular series return in such a good way on the gameplay front. It takes weapons-based combat and creates a smart system out of it, putting players on edge, and provides moments of pure bliss when bare knuckle comebacks are made. The strong Japanese style only adds to the appeal. It really could have done with a more fleshed out story mode, though.
Samurai Shodown is a good fighting game. It really is. But with the Switch version’s framerate issues, long loading times, and blurry visuals stacking on top of the existing lack of content and modes, however, its cost is a large pill to swallow. [OpenCritic note: Richard Seagrave separately reviewed the PS4 (8) and Switch (6) versions. Their scores have been averaged.]
2019's Samurai Shodown is finally available for the Switch, bringing one of the foundational Japanese fighting games to a brand-new audience.
It may have taken a long hiatus, but the return of Samurai Shodown was every bit as good as fans remembered the series to be when it released last year. Even without any new content or the inclusion of the season one characters in this latest port, this release of Samurai Shodown is still worth your attention thanks to the superb gameplay and the added portability that comes with the Nintendo Switch.
Strategic, diverse and well rounded, you will need to train up and get good quickly as you will be graciously rewarded for technically skilled play, and heavily punished for any mistakes.
Samurai Shodown for the Nintendo Switch is a solid fighting title for returning players and newcomers alike. While it does suffer visually, particularly in handheld mode, the gameplay remains stellar throughout.
Samurai Shodown is a fighter made for the old crowd, but it offers a unique experience to modern gamers. SNK has done an incredible job adapting the series to the Nintendo Switch. It's not perfect, but it does what it does incredibly well. If you think you would enjoy a fighting game that rewards patience, strategy, and timing, give this one a chance. You'll be rewarded with one of the most well-designed fighting games there is.