Samurai Shodown! 2

Samurai Shodown! 2
Developer(s)	SNK
Publisher(s)	SNK
Platform(s)	Neo-Geo Pocket Color
Release	April 30, 1999
Genre(s)	Fighting game
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Samurai Shodown! 2 (Japanese title: Samurai Spirits! 2 / サムライスピリッツ! 2) is a handheld game in SNK's popular Samurai Shodown series of fighting games. Unlike its predecessor, it was released on the Neo-Geo Pocket Color system, so its graphics were no longer monochrome.

It was designed as a conversion from the most recent game in the SS series, Samurai Shodown 64: Warriors Rage, and almost all of its story events, endings and cutscenes are derived from its arcade cousin. It turned out to be a surprisingly robust rendition, with almost all characters from SS64: Warriors Rage being included (the sole exception being Yagyu Hanma). It also re-added two series favorites who were not in the arcade, Charlotte and Yagyu Jubei.

SS!2, as it is abbreviated, kept very true to its arcade origins, retaining most of the gameplay elements of its source game, albeit modified to work within a 2D setting. SNK had, by this time, had more time to grow comfortable with its handheld hardware, so the game is considerably more refined than the original Samurai Shodown!.

The Slash and Bust modes for each character were retained, with all of the moves from the arcade kept intact (except for Yuga, who had a third form in the arcade, which was mostly excised). This was particularly impressive, given the original's sizable movelist, and the fact that the NGPC only had two buttons instead of four. The original "CD combo," first introduced in Samurai Shodown IV, was also retained, but simplified and streamlined from its origins.

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