Samurai Spirits 64

		Samurai Shodown is an enduring fighter. It has that special mix of characters, gameplay and hardcore action that has endured the years and retains its attraction and powerful draw. The fifth incarnation of the fighting game series will see it head off into the polygon based 3-D fighting that seems to be the de-facto standard nowadays in camps outside of Capcom. The Neo-Geo64 arcade hardware is now available in Japan and Samurai Spirits 64 has been making the rounds at trade shows and should be hitting the arcades about now. SNK has no plans to release the Neo-Geo64 hardware in a home version but they may change their policy depending on market conditions (i.e, if Playstation sales somehow plummet)...
Polygon Nak vs Polygon Galford

The game looks a bit like Square's Bushido Blade with a lot of swordplay and medieval Japanese backdrops. Of course, you'll have to battle it out with full energy bar battles. There will be no instant death hits though the traditional Shodown death blows where you puncture the opponent's aorta, resulting in a fizzing spurt of blood from the mortal wound will be available to masterful samurai. The rage meter is retained where your attacks will be greater when you're enraged and your adrenalin is pumping in overdrive. Your defenses will also be lower in your enraged state because in your blind fury, the usual blocking and defensive conventions are tossed out the window. So, the rules of battle from the 16-bit Shodown translate over to the 64.
		Haoh and Ukyo in a forest battle

		The game obviously looks great and the gameplay should remain faithful to the quality and refinement found in the Neo-Geo versions. This new arcade hardware is modular so that arcade operators can swap carts in and out with relative ease, much like the current SNK MVS hardware. Since the home version will probably not be available due to the niche position that SNK has always held in the consumer market, NCS plans on importing a few of the complete Neo-Geo 64 arcade units from Japan for trials. The American arcade release of the Neo-Geo 64 hardware is also imminent so we have domestic support should we require technical assistance. More information and details will be posted as soon as we are able to confirm availability and set-up costs.