Samurai Shodown broke every rule of the genre in 1993: while the competition bet on ever-longer combos, SNK proposed bladed-weapon duels in 18th-century Japan where a single well-placed slash could decide the fight. That kendo-duel tension — wait, measure, punish — had never been felt in an arcade before. Haohmaru, the wandering ronin, and Nakoruru, the Ainu maiden fighting alongside her hawk, earned an instant place in SNK's pantheon. The game introduced the rage gauge, boosting damage after taking hits, weapon clashes with disarms, and slow-motion on decisive blows. It was a resounding worldwide hit and picked as game of the year by several publications. The AES cartridge is common and affordable: big history at a small price.