Samurai Shodown II slices into Virtual Console next week
by Jason Dobson 
{ Aug 1st 2008 at 10:05AM }
It's usually not until we roll out of bed on Monday morning that we find out what retro itch the Wii's Virtual Console will scratch. However, SNK has let the sword out of the sheath a bit early, confirming that next week's retro throwback will include arcade favorite Samurai Shodown II. As great as SNK's 1994 2D fighter is, to say nothing about how much better it is than the original, it's starting to make less and less sense to pick up these Neo Geo titles piecemeal when SNK continues to bundle the games together at retail. It's hard to justify the digging through the couch for 900 Wii Points when we'll be able to pick up Samurai Shodown Anthology, which will include Samurai Shodown I-VI, on the Wii later this year for about $30.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
samfish @ Aug 1st 2008 10:12AM
Ys 1 & 2 is coming out next week, too.
http://gonintendo.com/?p=51257
Fernando Rocker @ Aug 1st 2008 10:18AM
Wow... very good news. =p
Fernando Rocker @ Aug 1st 2008 10:23AM
samfish
Did you saw the new images posted on NeoGaf of Fragile: Farewell Ruins of the Moon?
http://ga-forum.com/showpost.php?p=12217295&postcount=299
samfish @ Aug 1st 2008 10:29AM
Yeah, that looks really impressive. Especially compared to those older screens where it looked sub-PS2.
...too bad it's apparently a turn based RPG, though. That means it'll more likely than more bore the hell out of me :\
xFenixKnightx @ Aug 1st 2008 10:12AM
202MEGS!!! WOAH!!!
:P
No XBLA love with online and updated visuals? :(
Kevin @ Aug 1st 2008 10:45AM
Unfortunately it's been demonstrated over and over again that fighting games really don't work well online.
Some are ok, but anything that requires twitching won't. (Though SS2, if I remember right, doesn't have much twitching at all.)
xFenixKnightx @ Aug 1st 2008 11:23AM
SFII on XBLA plays just fine. I might get some lag on 1 match out of 10 or 12. Not bad considering the matches are quick anyway. SS2 is slow paced as well so there you have it, no problemo.
Only thing about SFII on XBLA that I hate is the matching system. I hate getting setup against someone that has 3000+ wins against my measly 40-something.
Jonah Falcon @ Aug 1st 2008 11:47AM
Samurai Shodown II *is* coming to XBLA.
http://www.gamestooge.com/2007/09/21/tgs-samurai-shodown-ii-to-xbla-virtual-console/
Miles @ Aug 1st 2008 4:16PM
Well I just finished playing Soul Calibur 4 on 360 and I don't have any problems. I'm gonna pop UMK3 in and SF2HF
on XBLA and feel the same way.
FOXHOUND @ Aug 1st 2008 10:31AM
I held off on purchasing the first one JUST to get this. I don't know how many quarters I funnelled into the MVS machines at the arcade trying to beat Mizuki.
moominsean @ Aug 1st 2008 10:42AM
the continual re-release of every snk/neo geo game over multiple formats and multiple systems has left my neo geo system almost completely without value. never seen a company whore out their game catalog with such avarice. not that it's all a bad thing.
at least i still have my neo geo gamepad, which if far better for fighting games than any other.
BPM [MSN: BPMdotEXE @ hotmail.com] @ Aug 1st 2008 1:09PM
Being the original carts, I'm sure they're worth a pretty penny to serious collectors (who're the only ones who would pay the crazy prices for some of these NeoGeo games).
Rereleases such as Virtual Console and the PS2/PSP/Wii compilation discs do nothing to tha value of the originals. They're just great for those who want to play the games without paying an arm and a leg (or to play it on a more recent system).
:P
richie579 @ Aug 1st 2008 10:46AM
202 megs....ahh, the ol days when NeoGeo was 700bux, and the carts were 200...the only way I'd see these around the way was behind the glass at Toys R Us, or with the local drug dealers.
John Z @ Aug 1st 2008 10:46AM
The excitement for this game that burns in my souls is not of great. Yet, I feel in my brainings that those of you who am liking games of this typical will find it to be a great victoly.
I love Engrish.
baby sea tuna @ Aug 1st 2008 10:54AM
Awesome! Now port it to a platform that I actually still want to purchase games for.
deaftly @ Aug 1st 2008 12:37PM
Haha, Agreed.
richie579 @ Aug 1st 2008 10:54AM
@ xFenixKnightx, I remember back in the day carts were measured in megabits instead of megabytes...if that holds true for SNK, SSII probably was around 25MB.
I DeX I @ Aug 1st 2008 11:03AM
Do we still not have Mega Man 2 and Super Mario All-Stars on the Virtual Console? I have not looked lately.
Shimrra @ Aug 1st 2008 11:07AM
This game brings back alot of great memories. One thing I still remember is paying 250 dollars when it first came out on the Neo Geo system. I am tempted to dig this and my whole neo geo system out from storage.
SaltyGary @ Aug 1st 2008 11:15AM
WTF with the XBLA version. I WANT IT NOW
Jonah Falcon @ Aug 1st 2008 11:49AM
The VC version always comes first because they're direct ports. They don't have to rework it for HD, Achievements, etc.
Jonah Falcon @ Aug 1st 2008 11:48AM
“What a nice person! You kindly give the palm to such a crock!”
“All creature will die and all the things will be broken. That’s the law of samurai.”
“Give you my knock for justice!”
Jhongerkong @ Aug 1st 2008 2:46PM
VICTOLY
Saria the Cat @ Aug 1st 2008 11:50AM
Dang, I read that as "Samurai Slicedown." WAY better title for the game.
teradon @ Aug 1st 2008 11:54AM
You know I'm just going to do myself a favor and patiently wait for the XBLA version to be released. The achievements were revealed a couple weeks ago so hopefully it comes out in September.
Kye - Me_DF @ Aug 1st 2008 12:25PM
Is that Mitsurugi?
glutto @ Aug 1st 2008 6:12PM
Haomaru!
Haomaru!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoiViuUapRQ
Arex @ Aug 1st 2008 12:45PM
I can see the value in releasing the titles singularly, but also selling them in a compilation for just a little bit more. If Samurai Shodown II (or any other iteration of the game) is all you want, why spend an extra $21 to get a bunch of games that you don't want and will likely never play?
Mr Khan @ Aug 1st 2008 1:51PM
My resentment for traditional fighters aside, i'm a sucker for Samurai Showdown
Hooray for VC
Monkeydog @ Aug 1st 2008 2:01PM
The VC isn't going to be completely mediocre this week? HURRAY.
Jhongerkong @ Aug 1st 2008 2:48PM
202 megs?! Thats like, almost half the Wii's storage!
[/sarcasm]
Cyber-Tyrant @ Aug 1st 2008 11:29PM
Awesome!
I've been waiting for SamShoII forever...
t_m @ Aug 2nd 2008 8:44AM
hasn't this been free on gametap for like the past year or so, plus a dozen or so other 2d fighters?
Or was that only number one?
If you are into 2d fighters then its well worth checking the free games list on gametap.