Latest Samurai Shodown on Japanese PS2s this winter

In one of its fastest arcade ports ever, SNK Playmore announced at TGS that it will be bringing the latest
Samurai Shodown (as well as NeoGeo Battle Coliseum) to the PS2 in Japan this winter.

"Both titles will be playable online with KDDI's Multi-Matching BB service," but it is unknown whether these features will carry over to any Western releases which may follow. With every fighter from SS5 apparently making a playable appearance, this looks to be the largest selection of samurai in a Shodown to date. Whether newly introduced battle mechs, maids in skimpy outfits, and fighters based on U.S. presidents can be considered samurai or not is another question. (But, hey, if Tom Cruise can do it, why can't they?)

In the end, you just can't beat having 40 selectable characters in a fighting game. Unfortunately, with such a large 2D roster, you know that some compromises had to be made: it may not be apparent in the screenshot resized to fit in the space above, but click on that screenshot at the top and you'll be treated to some Capcom-esque pixelation in the main combatants and match judge
(nicely drawn background images be darned). Check out the rest of the screenshots
here. Atomiswave or no, SNK's samurai stable seriously needs some high-resolution redrawing (at least, that is, to catch up with the gorgeous
Guilty
Gear series). Gameplay is gameplay, though.