Samurai Shodown

» Platform: Neo-geo » Developer: SNK » released: 1993

We’re suckers for a fighting game character with a strong gimmick. Well, most of the team are, apart from Nick who always picks the default. Who were the most interesting characters in Street Fighter II? As far as we’re concerned, the only correct answer is Vega, because he could bounce off walls and lose his claw weapon.

So when Samurai Shodown came along and we first laid eyes on Nakoruru, we were a little bit excited to say the least, and not just because of Darran’s love of birds. Here’s a fighter who spends all of her time accompanied by a hawk named Mamahaha, and it’s more than just a cute quirk. At Nakoruru’s command, a flaming Mamahaha will dive headfirst into an enemy at incredible speed, with the angle of attack depending on which attack strength you use. Not only is it a very early use of a satellite character, an innovative concept in fighting games, but it’s incredibly useful. And – sorry, dog lovers – Mamahaha is just cooler than Galford’s husky Poppy.