Samurai Shodown Reviews

Samurai Shodown is ranked in the 75th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8.5 / 10.0
Jun 30, 2019

Samurai Shodown may lack content yet its a stylish return for the series with its great art style and gameplay.

Review in Arabic | Read full review

85 / 100
Jul 1, 2019

Samurai Shodown is a great fighting game, with elaborated yet accessible mechanics. The story mode for each character is interesting, as is the variety of the fighters. The system of Ghosts' players is also worth mentioning. Unfortunately, there are some problems, like the online mode that can suffer from lag in many fights.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

85 / 100
Mar 12, 2020

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

8.5 / 10.0
Jul 4, 2019

Although a bit archaic on some of the single player content Samurai Shodown manages to successfully bring its style of combat to the current generation of consoles and deliver a technical fighter that is rare to find these days.

Read full review

4.2 / 5.0
Apr 9, 2021

Samurai Shodown on Xbox Series X is one for the fans or for those who enjoy games such as The King of Fighters or Metal Slug. While it doesn't offer next-gen glory on the XSX (e.g. all those bells and whistles of next-gen gaming), it does offer speed and gameplay that runs as 120 FPS that enhances the gameplay of this classic. For newcomers, controls are easy, however the gameplay might be a little tougher to master but nonetheless, it's a fun game and one that I'm sure fans will revisit many times.

Read full review

8.4 / 10.0
Jun 23, 2019

Samurai Shodown marks a good restart for the series, which through his competitive nature has not so much to offer for soloplayers, but could deliver some long term motivation thanks to the excellent fighting mechanics and the faithfully presentation. Fans of the series and friends of the tournament mentality should take a look at this title.

Review in German | Read full review

83 / 100
Jun 24, 2019

A game that screams old school fighting. Despite its short character roster, it offers an aesthetic and satisfying experience.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

8.3 / 10.0
Jul 22, 2019

A 2D revival in the modern age, fighting game fans will not want to miss out on Samurai Shodown.

Read full review

8.2 / 10.0
Jun 24, 2019

Archaic story mode and load times aside, Samurai Shodown succeeds as a fundamentals driven 2D fighting game.

Read full review

8.2 / 10.0
Jun 24, 2019

Samurai Shodown makes a fine comeback after a decade: refreshing and still exciting to play, it's the long-awaited title we hoped for.

Review in Italian | Read full review

MMOGames
TheDCD
Top Critic
8.2 / 10.0
Jun 27, 2019

While there are some things I wish could be fixed (again, where is Gen-an?!), Samurai Shodown gets a whole lot right. The gameplay feels just about perfect, and takes some time to master; the modes have a lot to offer, though story and online mode could use a slight bit of tweaking. The presentation can’t be beat when it comes to authenticity and it nails the old-school vibe of the original series.

Read full review

8.1 / 10.0
Jun 13, 2018

Samurai Shodown is a fun release that brings back memories of a simpler time in the fighting genre where focus laid squarely on technique and gamer ease-of-use. The inclusion of a variety of modes helps to beef up the fighting content and offer up good challenges for those seeking them. All of this makes the experience more engaging and entertaining.

Read full review

8.1 / 10.0
Nov 28, 2020

In sum, Samurai Shodown is back and the release for the Xbox Series X does very well for itself. Though a little scant on content compared to some others in the genre, this is still a great game for fans of the franchise or the genre.

Read full review

Metro GameCentral
Top Critic
8 / 10
Jun 27, 2019

More than just a successful reboot of a forgotten franchise, this is one of the most unique and entertaining new fighting games of recent years.

Read full review

GameSpot
Top Critic
8 / 10
Jun 26, 2019

Samurai Shodown's easy-to-learn controls and high-stakes combat deliver a terrific, strategic fighting game that stands out from the rest.

Read full review

Jun 24, 2019

SNK has a lot to celebrate with the release of Samurai Shodown as it’s a triumphant return to form for a series that hasn’t had a mainline release in over 15 years. Not only does it keep the calculated and punishing gameplay in tact, it manages to offer up a great tutorial that allows for newcomers to understand the nuance of its depth.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
Jun 24, 2019

Above all, Samurai Shodown proves that SNK still has its fighting spirit. King of Fighters XIV wasn't an accident and it seems like any future games won't be, either. Now we just need to get Capcom back on track.

Read full review

8 / 10
Jun 24, 2019

Samurai Showdown is a strong entry into the sea of fighters, showing a lot of love for the original series, while also being able to appeal to newcomers. A few niggles aside, people are going to be playing Sam Show for a long time. EVO just got more exciting to watch!

Read full review

Ollie Barder
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Mar 22, 2020

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.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
Jun 28, 2019

Samurai Shodown is a very different fighter to what you might be used to, but it offers a unique way to play, offering a different approach to the genre.

Read full review