Play First Samurai Online

Summary

First Samurai (often called The First Samurai) feels like a love letter to classic arcade beat‑em‑ups, wrapped in a 2D action‑platformer that starts in a misty, mystical version of feudal Japan and then hops through time‑bent locales. The SNES version, a 1993 Kemco port of the original European computer hit, packs ten puzzle‑laden levels where each stage forces you to gather four specific items before you can face the boss. Magic pots act as checkpoints, lighting up with the sword’s energy that you harvest automatically from slain monsters, while a well‑placed bell can clear a blocking obstacle. Eating food or drinking sake buffs you, whereas fire and enemy contact drain your strength. You begin as a hermit in an ancient forest and gradually earn the right to battle through villages, towns, and dark dungeons.

The game’s development story is as quirky as its design. In July 1990, graphic artist Paul "Dokk" Docherty pitched a samurai theme after a random thought sparked by the 1954 monster film *Them!*. The team at Vivid Image loved the mystical angle and the honor code it offered. Programmer Raffaele Cecco, fresh to 16‑bit work, spent months learning Amiga sprite handling from scratch, coding on a 386 PC with Fruad Katon’s PDS. The crew deliberately ran the title at 25 fps to keep sprite‑rich areas smooth, and they emphasized “pick‑up‑the‑joystick‑and‑play” controls, layering a variety of attacks without overwhelming the player. Critics gave it mixed marks—Famitsu hovered around 6/10, GameZone scored it 61/100, and Super Gamer praised its novelty with a 79% rating, noting that the later stages lose a bit of the early charm.

Storyline

In The First Samurai, you play as the titular warrior, the first samurai in feudal Japan, who must prove himself against rival swordsmen. The story turns dark when the Demon King leaves his mountain and attacks you and your master. Overwhelmed by his magic, you fall, leaving your master to face the demon alone. The master is slain but, with his dying breath, summons a Wizard Mage. Fearing defeat, the Demon King flees forward in time. Driven by revenge, the young samurai studies under the Wizard Mage, learns magic, and receives an enchanted sword. Armed with this power, he pursues the Demon King into the unknown future.