# Samurai Shodown III: Blades of Blood ## Overview *Samurai Shodown III: Blades of Blood* represents a dramatic turning point for the legendary fighting game series. With a significantly darker tone and a completely overhauled visual style, the game introduces a new central antagonist: the immensely powerful and ruthless "Demon," Zankuro Minazuki, who wanders the land cutting down anyone in his path. The story focuses on a new cast of characters, led by the amnesiac young boy Shizumaru Hisame, who joins familiar faces like Haohmaru and Nakoruru on a quest to stop Zankuro's bloody rampage. ## Background Released by SNK in 1995, *Samurai Shodown III* was a bold and controversial follow-up to the universally acclaimed *Samurai Shodown II*. Instead of refining the existing formula, SNK chose to reinvent it. The game featured a smaller, more focused roster of 12 characters, with many fan favorites being cut to make way for new faces. The art style was completely redrawn to be darker and grittier, and the overall pace of the game was increased, moving away from the deliberate, high-damage hits of its predecessors toward a faster, more combo-friendly system. This drastic shift polarized the fanbase but also defined a new era for the franchise. ## Gameplay The gameplay of *Samurai Shodown III* introduced several foundational changes. The most significant was the addition of two distinct fighting styles for each character: "Slash" (Shura) and "Bust" (Rasetsu). "Slash" represents the character's more traditional, noble fighting style, while "Bust" is a darker, more aggressive, and often demonic alternate version with a completely different set of special moves and super attacks. This effectively doubled the number of playable variations. The controls were also updated, adding a dedicated dodge button and the ability to block in mid-air. The overall speed was increased, making the combat faster and more aggressive than ever before.