Samurai Warriors Chronicles

With all of the Warriors games released on handhelds, there has yet to be one that actually plays as well as a console version. That is until Samurai Warriors Chronicles on Nintendo 3DS. The basic premise of the game still remains in that you button mash your way through hoards of enemies all while trying to achieve the victory objective outlined at the beginning of the level (usually killing a commanding general).

There are a couple of interesting twists to this game that combine elements of the main series warriors games, Empires versions, and some new twists that could only be available on a touchscreen platform. Unlike the earlier versions of Samurai Warriors and even Dynasty Warriors released on the PSP, there is no more choosing points from a map and fighting small pockets of enemies returning to the map and repeating the process. Players can now roam the entire map freely just as the console versions of the games. The main characters of the game are nameless male and female warriors who progress through the feudal period of Japan unveiling the stories of the historical figures that the series is so noted for. After players complete levels, they can return and use the main characters from the Samurai Warriors 3 game in Nintendo Wii.

A new element that has been added into this game is the ability to bring 3 additional generals into battle with you and change mid-level by using the touchscreen. This feature adds a level of complexity to the game as some stages require that you keep certain party members alive (including your main character) even though they tend to rush into dangerous situations with low health.

The graphics on this game are stunning and much better than you would typically expect to see on a Nintendo handheld. Compared to systems like the PSP and Vita, Nintendo handhelds have tended to present grainier and jagged images, making image quality rich games such as this much less appealing. While I was sceptical, I am glad to see that I was wrong and the image quality delivered. The soundtrack for this title was exactly like any other Samurai or Dynasty Warriors game.

Overall, this game is well worth checking out for those who have a Nintendo 3DS. The same great enjoyment from the console platforms is replicated in this release of Samurai Warriors.