SNK Expects That The Nintendo Switch Version Of SAMURAI SHODOWN Makes "A Big Splash"

For most players, the brand-new Samurai Shodown released in June of last year; bringing back SNK's long-running, and critically acclaimed sword-fighting series in the form of a soft reboot — which features brand-new fighters, as well as fan-favourite characters from previous entries.

While SNK did announce the game for all of the current home consoles, the Nintendo Switch version has yet to be released. In fact, players will finally be able to play Samurai Shodown on the go tomorrow, as the game is finally launching for the Switch in just a few more hours.

In a recent interview with Destructiod, Samurai Shodown Director Nobuyuki Kuroki revealed some interesting details about the Nintendo Switch version of the game and the main reason why it took a bit over 6 months for it to finally become available on Nintendo's handheld hybrid console.

When asked what exactly was it that made the Nintendo Switch version of Samurai Shodown take this long to produce, Kuroki mentions that it was it was mainly due to its specs — stating that "the hardware specs of Switch differ greatly from the others, so it was necessary to do more research after the game on other platform was completed. We are sorry to keep our Switch users waiting, but we believe it will be a wonderful game on Switch."

Kuroki also reveals that the most challenging aspect about porting Samurai Shodown — to a console that has lower specs than the other platforms the game already released on — was to make the game run at a stable 60 frames per second.

"Since we use the Unreal Engine, it won’t take too long if we just need to output the data to Switch. But for us, the challenging point is making the game run at 60 FPS on the Switch. Thanks to Safari Games, the company that oversaw the porting process, we were able to achieve our goal," Kuroki explained.

Kuroki is then asked which platform is the one that has seen better sales since Samurai Shodown was released, and whether they expect the Nintendo Switch version to make a splash once it hits store shelves.

"We cannot disclose which platform is selling the best. But we do expect a big splash on the Switch! I’ve also been playing online on the Switch during the weekend, so maybe you have fought against me once already! But I have to say that I hardly win."

After more than a decade, Samurai Shodown is back! SNK is rebooting one of its most successful series, carrying on the legacy of past titles with a new game that retains the same thrilling battles of past titles in a graphically advanced package.