The Sengoku series of video games is a truly beloved set of beat em ups that had a unique gimmick to them, in the form of a transformation mechanic that offered a variety of styles of gameplay. The third game however, changed things up considerably and offered a very different style of gameplay. Rather than using transformations, Sengoku 3 was a more traditional beat ’em up that offered a variety of characters to play as. There has always been some controversy due to how different the game is from the previous 2 entries, and this often overshadows discussion of the game’s actual quality, which is a shame because the game deserves recognition in its own right.
I will agree right away that this entry is not like the others, and the difference is very jarring. I do not feel that this is a bad thing however, as the game has a lot to offer on its own. Sengoku 3 is extremely well designed and very fun to play. I had a great time trying out the different characters and found a great deal of pleasure in how they did play differently. This is a much more involved beat ’em up, and it is clear that lessons were learned from the glut of arcade beat ’em ups released in the ’90s.
I feel that if Sengoku 3 was not part of the Sengoku series, things would have been different and that this would be considered a true classic beat em up. Because most just focus on how different it is from the previous games, the deep gameplay is ignored and not given the attention it deserves. Sengoku 3 has excellent replay value. Yes, the game does have flaws in its own right. This is mostly due to repetitive enemy types and some monotony towards the end. That being said however, I found that this was a fine tradeoff and the refined action and hours of replay that the game brings, give players more than their money’s worth.
The more diverse move set that borrows heavily from SNK’s fighting games, along with stages that play more of a role than in previous games, makes this a beat ’em up that should be very much on the radar of any fan of the genre. I also feel that Neo Geo fans who perhaps wrote the game off too soon should give this one a second try. Is it the best in the series? That depends on what you like in your beat ’em ups, since there is a strong case for this being an amazing traditional beat ’em up, but it does lack what made the first two stand out. Given that the game is available on modern platforms, I recommend that gamers try it for themselves and come to their own conclusions
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