Looking for a samurai-themed fighting game? Published by Netflix, Inc. (yes, THAT one streaming service), Samurai Shodown is an action-heavy fighting game that also features an online mode where you can test your skills against real players.
Samurai Shodown is the newest instalment to the series’ long list of games—dating as far back as 1993. It’s a reboot of the original and can be played via consoles, PCs, and mobile devices.
In this guide, we’ll show you everything you have to know as a beginner—including several helpful tips to help you get better at the game!
The Basics Of Samurai Shodown
Being a samurai isn’t easy, and so is controlling one. This game is centred around you playing as different characters to either reach the end of their story or test your mettle against real opponents.
To help you understand the basics, here’s every mechanic that you must master in order to progress smoothly and unlock every content in Samurai Shodown.
Combat
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
The combat system in Samurai Shodown is very dynamic. It’s what makes it action-packed and enticing for fighting game veterans, albeit punishing for newbies who don’t bother learning combos or how each button works.
Here’s a list of some of the more important and notable moves that you can do in Samurai Shodown:
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
Samurai Shodown has a single-player story mode that sees you exploring the country of Japan and fighting different CPU-controlled enemies from different regions.
The further you go in the story, the better the CPU opponents are. The final battle will even feature a boss that has two phases and tons of HP, so watch out for that!
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
While it’s not as fleshed out as some other fighting games like Tekken or Mortal Kombat, Samurai Shodown does feature individual character arcs for each of its characters.
For example, every character has different interactions with other fighters and a unique ending that showcases their personal goals and motivation.
Online Battle
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
Samurai Shodown also has an Online Battle mode (let’s be honest, what kind of fighting game doesn’t?), where you can battle other players and show off your skills.
Here, you can either pick Casual Match which is more or less a recorded sparring with other players, or Ranked Match where your wins and losses have designated point increases and deductions.
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
Winning Ranked matches is what boosts your place in the Leaderboard. The more you play, the higher you can get but do keep in mind to practice your main characters so that you don’t lose too often.
Just like how it is for all other fighting games, getting good at Online Battle should be your endgame.
After all, Samurai Shodown is more of a competitive endeavour instead of a casual one. It has a story mode, but it’s not an RPG by any means!
Practice
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
In the Practice mode, you will be able to battle a CPU-controlled character that can either stay still or attack depending on your input so you can practice your moves.
This is where you should spend most of your time as a beginner, as you’ll need to practice all the basic combat mechanics until you can string combos and defend yourself consistently.
You can also revisit the tutorial here. Don’t hesitate to do so if you need a refresher!
Gallery
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
The Gallery is where you can view all of the collectable content that you’ve gathered while playing, such as in-game cutscenes, artwork, and music.
You can obtain most of the content here by playing through the Story, which is why it is always a good idea to clear Story stages whenever you can.
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
Aiming to collect all of the Gallery items is a pretty good objective to have, as you’ll have to fight a lot of CPU-controlled opponents just to get to them.
In a nutshell, you’ll potentially get better in the process of collecting these artworks, music, and movies, so feel free to have a go at it!
Seven Best Tips For Beginners In Samurai Shodown
As a very competitive game that revolves around fighting, Samurai Shodown predictably has a lot of areas that beginners must improve on if they want to get more wins under their belt.
Here are several key pieces of information that’ll help you do exactly that, so follow these tips consistently and never stray from the samurai path!
TIP #1: Play And Replay The Tutorial To Learn The Mechanics
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
While it might be tedious to some players, completing the tutorial is a sure-fire way to get the basics right and not get embarrassed during your first few fights.
Here, you’ll learn every single thing that you can do with your character—from movement to attacking, defending, and using special moves.
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
Even if you’re a fighting game prodigy, there’s absolutely no reason why you should skip the tutorial.
Samurai Shodown is just as complicated as other fighting games, and you’d be handicapping yourself unnecessarily if you dive head-first into playing the game without knowing the basics!
TIP #2: Check The Command List For Special Moves
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
If you’re struggling to come up with how to perform certain moves during combat, then worry not—you can just check it through the Command List!
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
To check the Command List during combat, tap on the Menu button on the left side of your screen, then select COMMAND LIST.
You’ll then be shown all of the possible commands that are specific to that hero only. Don’t forget to use this when you’re in a pinch!
TIP #3: Prioritize Clearing Story Mode Stages
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
If you’re a beginner, then it’s in your best interest to clear as many Story mode stages as you can before delving into Online Battles.
After all, the Story mode is a good place to hone your skills and also understand the lore and backstory of each character in the game.
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
Not only that but clearing certain stages in the story will also unlock other content in the game (especially Gallery content), so really, there’s plenty of reason to prioritize this game mode.
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
NOTE: If you’re struggling to clear story mode stages as a beginner, then try lowering the CPU Level in the settings. Be warned, however, that your records in CPU matches will not be considered valid if you set it too low.
TIP #4: Use Your Counters, Blocks, And Dodges
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
Samurai Shodown is a very tactical fighting game that requires you to have some degree of self-control, awareness, and planning.
Being overly aggressive is not recommended, as there are mechanics in place that can punish you if you just keep on attacking without a plan.
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
You can also take advantage of these mechanics yourself, however, as blocking, countering, and dodging attacks properly will allow you to manage your opponent’s aggression more easily.
We recommend practising these three commands religiously while training, as mastering them will basically allow you to get one step closer from being a noob to a pro!
TIP #5: Practice Makes Perfect
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
Repetition is the mother of learning. If you really want to get good at the game, then we highly recommend that you practice as often as you can in Training mode.
Here, you can test out combos against a non-responsive opponent, which helps a lot if you want to figure out the timing, spacing, and range of your attacks.
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
Your practice matches also aren’t recorded, so don’t be afraid to spar the CPU in order to practice your defensive commands (block, dodge, counter, etc.) as well.
TIP #6: Use Your Skill Moves & Super Special Moves Wisely
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
Each character has different Skill Moves, and each of these moves has a different effective range. This means they all have their own uses depending on the scenario.
For example, some Skill Moves may be more effective in close-quarters combat, while some might allow you to target the enemy from afar but leave you vulnerable to close attacks.
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
Super Special Moves, on the other hand, can only be used once per battle. If you use it, make sure you’re in an effective range for it to hit.
Missing a Super Special Move is terrible, as you’ll be unable to maximize the damage you deal in a match without it. Always check if your opponent is vulnerable before using it!
TIP #7: Save Your Rage Explosions As A Finisher Or For Emergencies
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
Using Rage if you know how to string together combos with your character is good enough, but Rage Explosions can be a very helpful backup if you find yourself in an emergency.
For example, if you and your opponent are both low health and you are in Rage mode, it may be wise to pop your Rage Explosion off just to minimize the risk of your opponent getting a hit off you first.
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
Using your Rage Explosion prematurely without it killing your opponent will result in your opponent’s Rage Gauge being significantly charged, which may put you in a bad position during the match.
Also, keep in mind that Rage Explosion attacks can be blocked just like Skill Moves. Make sure you have a clear shot before you use it, or else you might be opening yourself up for a nasty counterattack.
Samurai Shodown Codes
Photo: Netflix, Inc.
In this section, we will give you all the codes that you can redeem for prizes in Samurai Shodown.
Unfortunately, there are no available codes for this game as of yet, nor a way to redeem codes in-game. For updates about the game, feel free to join Samurai Shodown’s official Discord server!
Conclusion
Although it’s nowhere as detailed and acclaimed as most other popular fighting games on mobile, Samurai Shodown is still a pretty decent title that’s fun to play—especially if you once better at it.
If you’d like to see more fighting games just like Samurai Shodown, please check out our articles about Dragon Ball Legends and Tekken Mobile!
