Free Games I Like: Bushido Edge

Fighting games are an odd breed. Moving from one such as Street Fighter to another such as Tekken is always a tricky business as you're so used to the controls - punch, kick, etc - being in certain positions, as well as the timing being a certain way and being able to kick your flatmate's butt in a convincing manner.

Fortunately, not all fighting games have reached the complexity of these two titles and there are some that can be taken up easily. They can be simple affairs, with controls that can be mastered by even the most inexperienced of gamers. One such a game is Bushido Edge, a demake of Bushido Blade on the Playstation.

First up, I should mention that this is a two-player game. Being a two-player game, you will need two people to play it, though not two computers...
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The controls are very simple. One person uses the arrow keys and one person uses the WASD keys. Left and right - or the corresponding letter keys - move your little samurai in the appropriate direction. Down and up - or the corresponding letter keys - will block or attack respectively. When you block, your sword will do so in a single motion upwards stroke and likewise for attacking - a single block or attack for each key press. This inhibits a player from button mashing their way to victory as timing is essential.


There are no Ultra Combos, no fatalities and no throws. You and your gaming buddy will dance around on a single screen trying to feint, parry and land swooping arcs of your faithful blade down on each other. The graphics are terrible, the audio is atrocious, the premise is simple and the game is awesome.