#Samurai shodown ii cover art series#

This version did actually get a release in the United States, and can still be found in some game stores. When it did happen, it was a port of the Neo-Geo CD version for Windows-based PCs.

In spite of (or perhaps because of) its considerable popularity, the game went for several years without being released on any other system. At Game Rankings, it holds the overall rating at 92.50%. It also made GameSpot's list of The Greatest Games of All Time and EGM's List of Top Ten Cult Classics. At the height of its popularity, strategies, tricks and tactics were discussed and debated, and it is arguably one of the most heavily dissected fighting games ever made, with sizable documents being written to support or refute claims of one character's dominance over another's. Samurai Shodown II was even better-received than the original (though it did not sell as well in its home version), and is commonly regarded as one of SNK's finest games ever produced. There are also cameo appearances from other SNK characters, a hidden boss who would occasionally come out to challenge players, and several other treats for fans to uncover. Such a technique was later also used in Namco's Weaponlord and later popularized by Capcom's Street Fighter III. This game was also the first game to incorporate an offensive blocking technique or 'parry', via a command issued at the last second, a player would be able to deflect the incoming attack and leave their adversary open to attack by a split second. The overall gameplay was expanded to include several movement options, such as being able to roll forward and backward, ducking to avoid high attacks, or doing small hops to avoid low strikes.

#Samurai shodown ii cover art series#

Rashojin Mizuki, the first female final boss in the series and the only boss to have assistance from an animal.

His super move in the game is a comical version of Ryo's Ryuko Ranbu. Kuroko's movelist is interesting as he uses moves that are used by some of the characters in the game as well as characters from other SNK fighters such as Ryo Sakazaki.

Kuroko, the hidden boss of the game, is playable for the first time.

Nicotine Caffeine, an old, diminutive monk, and master of Haohmaru and Genjuro both.

Neinhalt Sieger, a knight from Prussia, who fights with a giant, gun-containing gauntlet.

Cham Cham, a young, catlike girl who was the younger sister of Tam Tam (who was excluded from the game).

Genjuro Kibagami, who was to become Haohmaru's greatest rival.

The cast of characters was expanded to include the following new additions: Following up on the extremely enthusiastic fan reception of the first SS game, SNK rebuilt the sequel from the ground up, including almost all of its predecessor's cast, adding several new characters, and refining the overall gameplay with more responsive control, more moves (particularly the use of the POW meter as a finishing-move meter), and a substantial number of Easter eggs.