Muramasa: The Demon Blade

Muramasa: The Demon Blade is a game most people will remember first through their eyes. Studio Vanillaware drew it entirely by hand in two dimensions, with layered backgrounds, sunlit foliage, and characters animated so fluidly that on Wii it feels like something from another generation. The setting draws on Japan's Edo period blended with mythology: the player runs through bamboo groves, snowy mountain passes, rice paddies, and the underworld, meeting yokai, monks, samurai, and gods along the way.

Gameplay-wise it's a side-view action RPG with an emphasis on swordplay. The player controls one of two characters, Princess Momohime, possessed by the soul of a foreign swordsman, and the ninja Kisuke, searching for his own lost memory. Each has their own path through the world and their own endings. Combat rests on a small number of buttons and mainly on switching between three equipped katanas: a blade wears down with attacks and risks breaking, so it's necessary to switch quickly and let the edge regenerate. Switching also works as a counterattack that deflects projectiles, turning fights into a rhythmic affair reminiscent of fighting games. Progress unlocks further blades from an extensive collection, each with its own special attack, complemented by cooking meals that boost resilience.

The atmosphere is supported by a soundtrack built on Japanese instruments and drums, which recedes into the background during calm passages and picks up pace during boss fights. Contemporary reviews praised the game mainly for its artistic execution and the fluidity of the combat system, while criticizing repeated backtracking through the same areas. Even so, it became one of the titles people bought a Wii for, and it helped Vanillaware earn a reputation as a studio that outdoes much bigger competitors visually. An expanded version later came out for PlayStation Vita, but the original Wii version remains a fully valid game. Anyone looking for a Wii title that pushes the console's visuals to a completely different level should reach for exactly this one, even at the cost of a story that remains mostly a backdrop for the combat.