Originally released in Japanese arcades, Samurai Shodown Sen follows a young European girl named Suzu, rescued from a sinking ship off Japan's coast, adopted by the Amori Clan and raised as Princess Suzu. A decade later she saves Takechiyo, a self-proclaimed master of martial arts, after his ship sinks and he ends up washed on the beach; soon after this chance meeting, the tables turn when Princess Suzu mysteriously disappears and Takechiyo pledges to find his missing rescuer.
"We are ecstatic to have our first offering on Xbox 360 be the latest iteration of such a highly-regarded franchise,” said Jun Iwasaki, President of XSEED Games. “The Samurai Shodown series was a pioneer in the weapons-based fighting genre when it first took arcades by storm over a decade ago, and will now be bringing that same kind of innovative spirit as the series is reborn in 3D with online play."
“We are thrilled to partner with XSEED Games on Samurai Shodown as we have much respect and admiration for their approach to creatively marketing games in North America,” said Soichiro Hosoya, Company President of SNK PLAYMORE CORP. “Fans of the series will no doubt enjoy this next generation offering, so we look forward to working together to deliver a truly fun arcade fighting game that continues to deliver what the series has best been known for.”
Staying close to its roots, alongside Princess Suzu, Takechiyo and a host of new characters, a plethora of old favourites from the series have been faithfully incorporated, including Haohmaru, Galford, Hanzo Hattori, Nakoruru and Ukyo Tachibana- taking the warriors to over 20 in total. Players can become any one of these unique fighters via the Xbox Live online entertainment network, to battle friends to see who can reach the top of a worldwide online ranking system.
Each character has its own unique backstory and stats sheet, with each adopting varied, yet personalised sword styles, such as the Korean spear fighter Kim, along with contemporary, artistic techniques from J, the afro samurai and Gallows, the axe-wielding Viking.
Plus, the Power Slash lives on in Samurai Shodown Sen, allowing brutal vertical and horizontal slashes to enemies, while Rage Explosion increases attack power and Guard Shatter moves render opponents defenceless. Devastating damage can also be caused by a weapon attack followed by 'issen', a deadly finishing move.
A true classic, the Samurai Shodown series made its debut on the NEOGEO over 16 years ago, notching up over 10 instalments across a variety of formats, reinforcing the longevity and durability of the franchise. Samurai Shodown Sen marries the tradition of the series to the high definition of the Xbox 360, introducing new characters and fighting skills, while remaining loyal to existing favorites.
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