First Look: 'Samurai Warriors 3' For Nintendo Wii
NEW YORK (CBS) -- Gamers and members of New York-Tokyo united Thursday night at Fat Buddha in the East Village for an exclusive first look at the action-packed next chapter in the popular Samurai Warriors series, Samurai Warriors 3, for the Nintendo Wii.
Boasting more than 35 Samurai characters, many based on actual figures in Japanese history, Samurai Warriors 3 challenges players to battle through hordes of enemy clans and complete intense missions in the name of Japan.
Each vividly designed character uses his or her unique weapons and powers during combat and travels through elaborate settings and battlegrounds, including the new Murasame Castle. This storyline actually comes from a game originally released in Japan called "The Mysterious Murasame Castle" and allows two players to join forces in their efforts using broadband Internet and Nintendo's WiFi connection.
Fans of the series said the game offered superior graphics and comfortable performance and execution.
"This would be a first-day purchase," said Jerry Stathatos, 31, of Astoria, who has closely followed the Samurai Warriors series . "The game itself is a nice improvement from the original. It's a slower pace, but you're sacrificing speed and technique for fluent and awesome graphics. The historical and the chronological accuracy gives serious gamers like me the determination to finish the game."
Overall, Stathatos, gave the game a "B+." His friend, 28-year-old Bronx resident Rob Kusanagi, agreed.
"My favorite thing is that it really does make you feel like you're in a large battle," he said.
More casual gamers, such as 29-year-old Tonisha Brooks, who enjoys playing the Wii with her 8- and 5-year-old children at their Brooklyn home, said she enjoyed playing the game for the first time, but said the violence makes it more appropriate for kids a tad bit older than hers.
"It's not gory, but I wouldn't recommend this game to a lot of younger kids due to the fighting," she said. "I got into it really quickly. I think the graphics were pretty cool, but it was a little confusing on which way to go. The controls were pretty easy to decipher. I'd give it a B+."
Samurai Warriors 3 will hit shelves Monday.
Rating: T (Teen) for Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Tobacco, Violence
Suggested Retail Price: $49.99
Developer: Tecmo Koei Games Co., Ltd.
More Information: www.nintendo.com.
