Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked

The action game Samurai Champloo takes a different approach to the hack-and-slash subgenre of video games and presents a novel way to wield a samurai sword. This title allows gamers to breathe life into a “lost episode” as one of three playable characters – Mugen, a reckless samurai with a break-dancing fighting style; Jin, a calculated character who abides by the decorum of Bushido; and a mysterious new character that is exclusive to the video game. The game is set in Japan and has a hip-hop feel, and it is based on the hit television series of the same name. The player must contend with foreign mercenaries, skilled sworders, devilish assassins, mythological monsters, and gangster monkeys. At the same time, they are stranded in the northern land of Ezo, which is modern-day Hokkaido, and they are on the hunt for the samurai who smells of sunflowers. The game’s original combination of music and linked attacks is at the heart of its one-of-a-kind combat system, featuring connected strikes. The players can select various combos depending on the different hip-hop grooves, which they can switch between at any time. Music tracks become collectible, which opens the door to a vast array of linked assaults that can be used strategically throughout the battle.