Samurai Shodown! 2 - Pocket Fighting Series

Samurai Shodown! 2 is a 2D weapons-based fighting game and the colorful sequel to the monochrome original for the Neo Geo Pocket. The story draws from Samurai Shodown 64: Warriors Rage, featuring almost all of its characters, while adding series favorites Charlotte and Yagyu Jubei. Players choose from over 14 fighters, each with a unique weapon and fighting style. The game retains the Rage Gauge for powerful super moves and introduces a personality system where choosing "Evil" or "Chivalry" alters special moves. Modes include One Player, Survival, and VS via link cable. A card-collecting system lets players earn graphic cards that unlock new moves and stat boosts.

Neo Geo Pocket Color

Released in North America on April 30, 1999, in Japan on June 10, 1999, and in Europe later that year, Samurai Shodown! 2 was developed by Saurus. As a color-exclusive title, it features vibrant super-deformed sprite work pushing the handheld's capabilities, with charming character portraits and detailed backgrounds. Critics praised the intuitive controls and impressive adaptation of weapon-fighting to the two-button system, though some noted the game suffers from a short length with no save feature. The card system was highlighted as a welcome addition, but the game received mixed reviews for its slower pace compared to other NGPC fighters like SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium. Despite this, it remains a solid portable fighter for series fans and was later re-released digitally as part of Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1 in 2021.