Samurai Shodown III (1995)

Developer: SNK
Publisher: SNK Playmore, D4, Sony Computer Entertainment, SNK
Platforms: Arcade, Neo Geo AES, PlayStation 3, Wii, PC (Microsoft Windows), Sega Saturn, PlayStation, PlayStation Portable
Genres: Fighting
Rating: 3.5 of 5, 28 player ratings
Where to get it: Website

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

More games like this

How it feels

A brooding, stripped-down weapon fighter where every clash feels heavy and consequential against a darker, more serious samurai backdrop.

darkintenseweightyhistoricalgrittydeliberatecompetitivetense

About

Samurai Shodown III was to be the start of a bold new direction for the franchise. The most obvious difference between this game and the others in the series is the notably darker aesthetic. The more light-hearted characters (Earthquake, Cham Cham, and Gen-an to name a few) from the previous games have been excised, and even the kabuki master, Kyoshiro Senryo, received a redesign, transforming him from a flamboyant stage performer into a grim-faced, muscular man. All of the characters have been completely redrawn. The animation is very smooth for all characters, another departure from the graphical style of the second game.

Screenshots

More games like this

More by SNK

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.