Soulcalibur
Fighting video game series

Video game series
Soulcalibur
GenreFighting
Developers
PublisherBandai Namco Entertainment
CreatorHiroaki Yotoriyama[1]
Platforms
First releaseSoul Edge
February 20, 1996[2]
Latest releaseSoulcalibur VI
October 19, 2018

Soulcalibur (ソウルキャリバー, Sōrukyaribā) is a fighting game franchise developed by Bandai Namco Studios and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment.

There are a total of seven main installments and various media spin-offs, including music albums and a series of manga books in the Soulcalibur series. The first game in the series, Soul Edge (or Soul Blade outside Japan), was released as an arcade game in 1995 and was later ported to consoles; the widespread success of its second main installment Soulcalibur in 1998 led to Soulcalibur becoming the name of the franchise, with all subsequent installments also using the name onwards. More recent games in the series have been released for consoles only and have evolved to include online playing modes.

The central motif of the series, set in a historical fantasy version of the late 16th and early 17th centuries, are mythical swords, the evil weapon called "Soul Edge" and the subsequent sword used to oppose this evil, "Soul Calibur" (parsed as two words, while the series' title is written as a single word). While it has developed during its various iterations, some of the characters and gameplay elements have remained consistent throughout the series.

Project Soul was the internal Namco development group responsible for the Soulcalibur franchise after the release of Soulcalibur II. Although the games are usually credited to Namco itself, the team established its name to draw attention to the group's combined accomplishments.[3] The group was dissolved following the completion of Soulcalibur V.[4] Development for the series has been dormant after support for Soulcalibur VI ended and its producer, Motohiro Okubo, departed Bandai Namco.[5][6][7]

Games

Release timeline
1996Soul Edge
1997
1998Soulcalibur
1999–2001
2002Soulcalibur II
2003–2004
2005Soulcalibur III
2006
2007Soulcalibur Legends
2008Soulcalibur IV
2009Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny
2010–2011
2012Soulcalibur Mobile
Soulcalibur V
2013Soulcalibur II HD Online
2014Soulcalibur: Lost Swords
Soulcalibur: Unbreakable Soul
2015–2017
2018Soulcalibur VI

All games in the series before Soulcalibur III were originally released as arcade games, and subsequently ported to home consoles. The ported versions are known for their extra features, including characters, weapons, costumes, art galleries, martial arts demonstrations and involved single-player modes, when compared to the original arcade versions. For example, Seung Han Myong (Romanized in later games as Seong Han-myeong) is not featured in the arcade version of Soul Edge and in home versions there is a role-playing-type mode titled "Edge Master" where the player can unlock various items including weapons for the default characters.

Main series

Soul Edge

The first installment, titled Soul Edge, was released for arcade, and was later updated to Soul Edge Ver. II. This enhanced version was then ported to the PlayStation, where it was renamed Soul Blade outside Japan. Set in the late sixteenth century, the game follows nine warriors in a quest, each of whom has their own reasons for joining the quest but they all share a common goal: to obtain the legendary sword, called 'Soul Edge'. After appearing in arcade, the game was made available for PlayStation in 1996. Along with its soundtrack, it has been praised for being innovative yet traditional to the fighting genre of games.[8][9]

Soulcalibur

The sequel to Soul Edge was released for arcade a year later, with a port for the Dreamcast in 1999. The plot is set 2-3 years after the first game. The title is derived from Soul Calibur, a legendary weapon which opposes the evil of Soul Edge. Though retaining elements of its predecessor, Soulcalibur incorporates an extensive number of new features, including the "8-Way Run". The title Soulcalibur became a trademark title to be used throughout the series since. In 2008, Namco Bandai released Soulcalibur on the Xbox Live Arcade for the Xbox 360. Although online leaderboards and achievements were supported in this version, there was no online playing mode or mission mode, as there was in the Dreamcast version.[10]

Soulcalibur II

2002's Soulcalibur II further improves and expands on the Soulcalibur original, in both graphics and gameplay. Soulcalibur II was released in arcade format three years after the previous release in the series, and was subsequently ported to all three active sixth-generation consoles. This is the first game in the Soulcalibur series to feature characters from non-Namco media, such as Link from Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda, playable on the GameCube. Featured on the PlayStation 2 version's roster is Heihachi Mishima of Tekken, while Image Comics' character Spawn was an addition for the Xbox version.

A high definition-optimized enhanced port of the game, entitled Soulcalibur II HD Online, was released in November 2013, and features revamped HD visuals, online play, and trophy/achievement support. It is a digital release and is available through Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade and Sony's PlayStation Network digital storefronts. Being based on the original PlayStation 2 and Xbox releases, both ports include the two guest characters (Heihachi Mishima and Spawn) who were originally exclusive to each platform.

Soulcalibur III

Breaking with tradition, the PlayStation 2 version of Soulcalibur III came out in 2005 before an Arcade Edition was released in 2006. It uses a different graphics engine. Soulcalibur III contains a new single-player mode called "Tales of Souls", a story mode in which the player can make course-altering decisions. Arenas are more interactive, for example with rocks breaking if a character were to impact against them. Soulcalibur III is the first game in the series to feature a character creation system, and features a story mode called "Chronicles of the Sword" which is a mode with some strategic aspects for created characters.

The game received a new release for the Playstation 4 and Playstation 5 in December 2025, available only through Sony's PlayStation Network digital store.[11]

Soulcalibur IV

Released in 2008 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the fourth installment of the series is the second game with no arcade release prior to the release of the home game, as well as being the first to take bouts online and the last game to be set in 1590. Soulcalibur IV introduces new gameplay mechanics into the series in the form of damage-absorbing armor (that can be shattered) and Critical Finishes (both tied to the new Soul Gauge). Like Soulcalibur II, the fourth game also includes cameos from different media. The Star Wars character Darth Vader is a playable character on the PlayStation 3 version, while Yoda is for the Xbox 360 version. Each character was also available for download on the consoles in which they do not appear. Both versions of the game include the Apprentice character from Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Like Soulcalibur III, the game includes a character creation system with various customizable parts, some of which have to be unlocked. These characters can be taken into online bouts, which in itself is a new addition to the series. However, unlike Soulcalibur III, the only available weapon disciplines are taken from the existing roster and there are no unique disciplines for created characters.

Soulcalibur V

Released in 2012 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, Soulcalibur V is the sixth installment of the series and the second game to take bouts online. With the story taking place 17 years after the events of Soulcalibur IV, many of the characters appearing in previous games were replaced or absent. It also features guest character Ezio Auditore da Firenze from the Assassin's Creed series as well as the fighting style of Devil Jin from the Tekken series. The game introduced a new power gauge, which fills throughout the match and allows players to trigger special attacks called Critical Edge or Brave Edge, similar to other fighting game series.

Soulcalibur VI

Soulcalibur VI at PAX West 2018

Soulcalibur VI was released in 2018 for the Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC. Although it is the seventh installment of the series, it acts as a reboot, taking the series back to a reimagined timeline after Soul Edge. It introduced a new cinematic defensive technique in Reversal Edge, as well as a "Lethal Hit" system which allows select moves to deal additional damage when specific conditions are met, increasing variety between the playable characters. Brave Edge mechanics introduced in Soulcalibur V were largely removed in favour of a reimagined Soul Charge, which allows fighters to access more powerful moves for a brief amount of time after its activation. Guest characters include Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher series as well as 2B from Nier: Automata.

Spin-offs

Soulcalibur Legends

Released in 2007 for the Wii, Soulcalibur Legends is the series' first spin-off title. Departing from the usual fighting game genre, it is an action-adventure game with elements of hack and slash, in which the player controls one out of the game's seven playable characters through a level infested with enemies and defeats the boss in the end. It features competitive and cooperative gameplay in addition to the single-player mode. Soulcalibur Legends, although set between the events of Soul Edge and Soulcalibur, is non-canon to the series.

Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny

Released in 2009 for the Sony PSP, Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny is the first portable installment of the Soulcalibur series. It uses many of the features used in Soulcalibur IV, such as the soul crush, armor destruction, critical finishers, and Character Creation, and also brings in some new features such as new lighting effects for stages that correspond to different times of day, and the new Gauntlet Story mode. The game's features are similar to Soulcalibur IV, including its customization features, but it introduced a new character named Dampierre, a conman who wears twin blades on his wrists. In addition, Kratos from the God of War franchise appears as a guest character. Broken Destiny received very positive reviews.

Soulcalibur: Lost Swords

Released in 2014, Soulcalibur: Lost Swords is a free-to-play video game distributed through the PlayStation Network.[12] It is a strictly single-player game based on Soulcalibur V in which the goal is for the player to collect loot, including raw materials and weapons, through battles in the new Quest Mode.

Soulcalibur: Unbreakable Soul

Initially trademarked by Bandai Namco in October 2013,[13][14] Soulcalibur: Unbreakable Soul was announced on Bandai Namco's Global Gamer's Day 2014 for iOS, the third Soulcalibur game to be released on a mobile platform, after an iOS and Android port of Soulcalibur and the Java-based cellphone game Soulcalibur Mobile.[15][16][17] Released on May 8, 2014, Unbreakable Soul is a card-based fighting game where players can pick different attack cards to strike enemies. The elemental system makes a return from Soulcalibur: Lost Swords; players can mix cards with one of five elements: fire, water, wind, light, and dark. There are over 200 weapons as well as more than 150 player avatars featured. The game's story revolves around Cassandra and Edge Master in their efforts to find the fragments of Soul Edge.[18] Unbreakable Soul received unfavorable reviews.[19]

Gameplay

Soulcalibur is a 3D fighting game series, sharing concepts and features with games like Virtua Fighter or Tekken. Both players must pick a character before fighting a duel divided in several rounds. Each character has their own preferred fighting style and weapon. To win a round, players must deplete their opponents' health gauge or propel them out of the arena.

The games use a four button layout for control. 'G' is used to guard, allowing fighters to block incoming attacks. 'A', 'B' and 'K' allow players to perform horizontal weapon attacks, vertical weapon attacks and kick attacks respectively. These buttons are then combined with directions from a d-pad or a joystick to perform one of several dozen moves available to each character.[20][21]

Soulcalibur introduced the series' trademark 8-Way Run system. It allows players to easily move their characters around the arena, taking full advantage of the game's 3D environments. Using this technique, players can maneuver around attacks or away from ring edges. Several attacks are only available from an 8-Way Run state. Soulcalibur also introduced an air control system that allows players to move their characters after they are hit in midair, letting them dodge most aerial juggles.[22] This feature has meant that the Soulcalibur series features shorter combos than many competing fighting games.

Introduced in Soul Edge, Guard Impacts are a defensive technique that allows the player to check an incoming strike and create an opening even against otherwise safe moves. These parries require precise timing and expose the fighter performing them to retaliation if used incorrectly. After a successful parry, the opposing player cannot perform any action besides a Guard Impact of their own. Soulcalibur I through IV required different inputs to counter different moves[23][24][25] ; by contrast, Soulcalibur V and Soulcalibur VI allow players to spend resources to counter any incoming attack regardless of attack height, so long as they can predict its timing.

Soul Edge featured a mechanic intended to limit blocking in the Weapon Meter. As a player blocked attacks, their Weapon Meter would deplete. Once empty, their character could be disarmed, preventing them blocking any further attacks and forcing them to fight bare-handed until the end of the round. This system was abandoned in Soulcalibur I, before being brought back in the form of the Soul Gauge in Soulcalibur IV. There, breaking the opponent's guard allows a player to perform a Critical Finish and win the round immediately. This was amended in Soulcalibur V to only provide an opening for a damaging combo.

Plot

A long time ago, an ordinary sword was soaked with blood through the endless battles of its era, causing the sword to be corrupted and becoming sentient by its own, which earned it the name "Soul Edge". No one dared to wield the sword without getting corrupted by its evil spirit, and only the Hero King, Algol can wield it without getting possessed. However, Algol's son, jealous of his father's feat, wielded the sword and became corrupted. Algol destroyed both his son and the sword, from which he then made a weapon in grief, naming it "Soul Calibur". He was sacrificed to complete the sword's ritual which would then be protected by a cult; no one knew that Soul Edge would reform on its own later on. Soul Calibur itself was lost after it was stolen by a member of the cult, Zasalamel.

In 1553, a Spanish pirate, Cervantes de Leon, stole Soul Edge from a dealer's ship, but gradually became corrupted by its spirit until it devoured his soul, influencing him to terrorize the world for over twenty years. This terror spurred several warriors to venture out and stop him, including a female ninja, Taki, who wanted to destroy Soul Edge for having corrupted her master, and a German rebel, Siegfried Schtauffen, who desperately wanted to blame someone for his accidental murder of his father. Eventually, a Greek warrior, Sophitia Alexandra, confronted and managed to destroy one of Cervantes' blades, but the battle was eventually ended by Taki, who managed to slay Cervantes. Siegfried then came to check Soul Edge, but he became possessed by the release of the "Evil Seed" and turned into the monstrous Nightmare. The Evil Seed event had major impact to the world, including several people going insane, and Nightmare replaced Cervantes in terrorizing the world, wanting to recover the lost Soul Edge fragments. Three years later, Nightmare had prepared for the ritual to complete Soul Edge, but three warriors from Asia, Chai Xianghua, Kilik, and Maxi stormed his castle, the Ostrheinsburg, and managed to defeat Nightmare, with Soul Edge's spirit (Inferno) being shattered by Xianghua's blade, which was revealed to be the lost Soul Calibur. Though Siegfried temporarily regained his sanity, he became possessed again shortly after, as did Soul Calibur, which succumbed to the darkness of Inferno.

Four years later, Nightmare had begun his Soul Edge ritual again in his old castle, wanting to resurrect Soul Edge, but his ritual was interrupted by an exiled French nobleman, Raphael Sorel, who wanted Soul Edge in order to get revenge on the French nobles who exiled him. Although Raphael was utterly defeated, he was able to penetrate Soul Edge, which gave Siegfried and Soul Calibur the time to break free of its control fully. Soul Edge was then pierced by Siegfried using Soul Calibur, trapping them in the "Soul Embrace". While the situation seemed stable afterwards, Zasalamel had returned to try and free both swords, intending to use their power to break his cycle of reincarnation induced by Soul Calibur. He managed to do so, and Inferno took a physical form to become the "second Nightmare". Siegfried clashed with this new Nightmare, but was wounded in the process and had to be healed by Soul Calibur, tying him with it permanently, while Soul Edge was cast to the void to heal itself. The clash of Soul Edge and Soul Calibur had awakened Algol from his slumber, who rose the Tower of Remembrance to wait for warriors to challenge him. Meanwhile, Nightmare, with his servant Tira, wanting to gather the Soul Edge fragments to complete Soul Edge, forced several warriors, including Astaroth, Sophitia, and Voldo into servitude, while Siegfried, having recovered, set out to confront Nightmare. The two clashed for the second time in the Tower of Remembrance, where Siegfried managed to destroy both Nightmare and Soul Edge, seemingly once and for all.

Seventeen years later, however, Soul Edge had reformed itself, as did Nightmare, who had possessed a swordsman and became the king of Hungary under the alias "Graf Dumas". His former servant, Tira, did not accept him and intended to search for a new vessel for Soul Edge. She eventually found her now-dead nemesis Sophitia's daughter, Pyrrha Alexandra, whom she had once kidnapped to blackmail Sophitia, who had Soul Edge's power in her blood. Though successful in advising her to attack and kill the people who had ostracized her, Tira was confronted by Pyrrha's long-lost brother, Patroklos Alexander, formerly a warrior under Graf Dumas, who had made his life's goal to find his sister and avenge his mother's murder. While he was able to bring her back, they were confronted by Nightmare and Pyrrha awakened her Soul Edge powers. She was disappointed when Patroklos was hesitant in accepting her, and decided to follow Tira again. Patroklos was named as Soul Calibur's new wielder afterwards by Siegfried and also purified the holy sword through the help of several Asian warriors, before going on an all-out battle in Europe. Nightmare was eventually killed by Siegfried's subordinate, Z.W.E.I., who was immediately wounded by the possessed Pyrrha, who proceeded to battle Patroklos. Patroklos accidentally killed his sister, but was given a second chance by Edge Master to purify Pyrrha without killing her. However, Patroklos was trapped subconsciously to fight Soul Calibur's spirit, Elysium, the one who had guided him all this time, as she was angry at him for sparing his malfested sister. After defeating Elysium, he alongside Pyrrha pierced Soul Calibur with Soul Edge, after which he accepted to live with his sister regardless of who she is.

In a parallel timeline, the events after 1583 have been altered. While traveling to Ostrheinsburg to confront Nightmare, Kilik and his companions were aided by Grøh of the Aval Organization, a group created by the late King Arthur to use Soul Calibur to defeat Soul Edge. A few characters have learned of the dark future that was to come, and have started to work on changing that future. Zasalamel received a warning from his future counterpart of the mistakes that he would make, and decided to be a leader for mankind instead of seeking for a permanent death. Cassandra Alexandra, younger sister of the holy warrior Sophitia, was given a warning by her original timeline counterpart, who had been stuck inside the Astral Chaos and became malfested. The warning was about Sophitia's death and Pyrrha's malfestation in the future, and the new Cassandra set off to prevent the tragic fate of her family. Meanwhile, Azwel, who had been a member of the Aval Organization but betrayed them, set about to create the "Ultimate Seed," which was similar to the original Evil Seed. But his plans were thwarted by the Conduit, a warrior who had the power to absorb astral fissures and who was aided by Grøh. But the Conduit later had to fight Grøh, who had succumbed to his malfestation. The Conduit will either kill or spare Grøh, depending on their actions from their journey.

Malfestation

A Malfested (referred to as Evils (イヴィル, Ivuiru) in the Japanese version and Outsiders (異分子, Ibunshi) by the Aval Organization is a being corrupted by the power of Soul Edge be it by the sword itself or shards of it if it's in pieces. They serve as the primary antagonists in the Soul series. Initially thought to have been created by the Evil Seed, it is later revealed that the Evil Seed merely transformed them from humans into mutated monsters. In Soulcalibur Legends, Malfested initially were on the side of the Ottoman Empire, but after the defeat of Barbaros, they joined the Masked Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Malfested that protect shards of Soul Edge are known as Guardians(ガーディアン). While Guardians exist throughout series' lore, they are most prominent in Soulcalibur Legends and serve as boss characters. Notable Guardians include Fafnir, Ammon, Geki, Maki, Lizardmen/Lizardwomen, and Cervantes. Berserkers(バーサーカー) are names given to various warriors who have been driven mad with blood lust due to exposure from Soul Edge and care for nothing else other than to cause as much death and destruction as inhumanly possible. They have appeared in Soulcalibur II, as an unlockable character; Soulcalibur III, as an NPC that can be fought in Tales of Souls; Soulcalibur: Lost Swords, as NPCs in the game's Quest Mode: Soulcalibur Legends, as generic enemies that can be encountered on some stages; and in Soulcalibur VI, as NPCs that can be encountered in its Libra of Soul mode. Depending on the circumstances guardians and berserkers can maintain each other roles. Malfested animals that act as minions for Soul Edge are known as Watchers(監視者). Cervantes' shark, Nightmare's hawk, and Tira's crows are examples of Watchers.

Malfestation, in and of itself, is a demonic transformation caused by Soul Edge's curse. It is regarded as a type of cancer, or even an entirely new parasitic organism. However, it causes enhanced physical abilities among its victims and can cause them to mutate into more powerful states of being when they experience intense emotion. It can also cause some to gain what appears to be some kind of immortality.

Characters

Models dressed as Taki, Talim, Sophitia and Siegfried from Soulcalibur VI at PAX West 2018

The Soulcalibur series features a wide variety of characters hailing from various countries, backgrounds, and disciplines. Most characters typically have their own reasons in partaking their journey, although they frequently meet and interact with each other and most also share a common goal; finding either the cursed sword Soul Edge or its holy counterpart, Soul Calibur. As the game is set in the late 16th century, many real-life events happening during the timeline often influence the story, one example being Oda Nobunaga as the initiator for Yoshimitsu's journey to find Soul Edge.

Out of all the characters in the series, four characters have appeared in all nine games so far: Cervantes, Mitsurugi, Siegfried and Nightmare, the latter two making one appearance each as an alternate costume to each other. Four characters: Astaroth, Ivy, Sophitia, and Taki have come close, appearing in eight games. Other characters who do not appear often make cameos or are commented upon in-game. While continuously being revised in each game, the character lineup generally stay consistent until Soulcalibur V, in which a major time skip is done and the character roster undergoing major changes, with former mainstays being replaced by their younger successors.

The series is notable for its inclusion of characters from other series appearing as guests. Since Soulcalibur II, every sequent game have hosted guest characters, usually from other Namco franchises, although more recent games have branched into titles developed by other companies, such as The Legend of Zelda, Spawn, Star Wars, God of War, Assassin's Creed and The Witcher. The guests, though, can only appear in one game due to licensing. Guest characters who have appeared in the series include Heihachi Mishima, Devil Jin, King, Ling Xiaoyu, Asuka Kazama, and Jun Kazama from Tekken (the latter five as attires for custom characters), Link from The Legend of Zelda, Spawn from Spawn, Lloyd Irving from Tales of Symphonia, KOS-MOS from Xenosaga (as an attire for custom characters), Darth Vader, Yoda, and The Apprentice from Star Wars, Kratos from God of War, Ezio Auditore da Firenze from Assassin's Creed, Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher, 2B from NieR: Automata and Haohmaru from Samurai Shodown. Other than featuring characters from other series, the series' characters have also appeared in other video games as well, including the Ridge Racer series, Pac-Man Fever, Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament 2, Queen's Gate: Spiral Chaos, Musou Orochi 2 Ultimate, as well as crossover titles such as Namco × Capcom and Project X Zone 2.

Other media

Books

A five-volume manhua based on Soulcalibur (劍魂 Jiànhún lit. translation 'Soul of Sword') was published in 1999 by author Mó yì (魔翼) and was published by Qingwen (青文). A separate two volume manhua titled Soulcalibur: Spirit Sword (靈神劍, Ling Shenjian, lit. translation: Spirit Holy Sword) was released in 1998 that retold the events of the first game but with Hwang as the central character in a setting with Sci-Fi elements. A two-volume novelization was written by Tobita Mandom (supervised by Project Soul), illustrated by JUNNY, and published by Shueisha in Japan in 2012. Several guide and art books were published in Japan for various installments of the series by Namco, Enterbrain, Gamest, Nintendo and V Jump.

Soundtracks

Two soundtrack albums were released for Soul Edge, and one album for each of Soulcalibur, II, III, IV, V and VI.

Traditional games

Soulcalibur series characters were featured in the 2006 collectible card game Universal Fighting System. Taki and Ivy were also the subject of a 2011 erotic gamebook in the Queen's Gate series. Pyrrah was later included.[26]

Film adaptation project

During spring 2001, the martial arts film star Sammo Hung announced plans for a film adaptation of Soulcalibur. The film was to be directed by Hung and would be produced by Alan Noel Vega, Michael Cerenzie, Sam Kute and Joseph Jones. According to a statement posted on his website, the film budget would need to be $50 million, locations were to include Eastern Europe and China, and the special effects would be done by Rhythm and Hues Studios because of their relationship with Namco.[27] In 2004, Warren Zide's Anthem Pictures acquired the rights to adapt the game to film, which would be produced by Matthew Rhodes and Noel Vega and released in 2007.[28] It has been stated that the film's plot "revolves around two warriors who are chosen by Shaolin monks to recover and destroy a powerful sword that has fallen into the hands of an evil prince who plans to use it to open the gates of hell and destroy the world."[29] The now-defunct teaser website for the film (soulcaliburthemovie.com) contained a citation from Nostradamus. The film remains in development hell.

Pachislot

Soulcalibur Pachislot (ソウルキャリバーパチスロ, Sourukyaribāpachisuro) is a spin-off game in the Soul series as a pachislot machine created to celebrate what was the 20th Anniversary of the Soul series. It was developed by Project Soul and published by Yamasa[30] for arcades and Apple iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices which was developed by Ichikaku Co,. Ltd.[31] in Japan on January 29, 2017. The game's story is based on, and uses assets such as music, graphics, and models from Soulcalibur V along with the some of its more notable characters across various in-game modes.[32] The story is given to players in the form of cutscenes that flow normally or are arranged on the fly based on the player's progress. Soul Dimension is the main mode, and it features Patroklos and Pyrrha battling monsters in Astral Chaos, Deadline Battle mode features Patroklos fighting Cervantes, Astaroth, Voldo, or Tira in a more classic environment mimicking the fighting games in a theatrical style, Justice Overdrive mode features older characters from V, Nightmare Battle mode features Patroklos protecting Pyrrha from Nightmare, Omega Mode features Pyrrha becoming malfested in order to protect Patroklos from Nightmare and his army, Just Judgement mode that features Inferno, and Algol Bonus mode features Algol giving players bonus points.[33]

Mobile

Soulcalibur Mobile (ソウルキャリバー モバイル) is a fighting game designed for Java-based cellphones, heavily based on Soulcalibur IV, and released in 2012 by Namco Bandai. The gameplay mechanics are primarily borrowed from IV but movesets are watered down for mobile devices. The main difference is that Mobile is a 2D Fighter but still retains 8 directional movement. Much of the story is the same as IV.[34]

Reception

The Soulcalibur series is a successful fighting game franchise. As of 2012, the Soulcalibur series had sold more than 13 million units worldwide,[35] with that number, as of 2018, rising to more than 15 million.[36] As of July 2021 the series has crossed over 17 million units worldwide.[37] The series has been rated favorably for the majority of its main series titles.

References

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  13. ^ Cavalli, Earnest (October 2, 2013). "Namco Bandai trademarks 'Soulcalibur: Unbreakable Soul'". Joystiq. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
  14. ^ "Namco Bandai Trademarkes Soulcalibur: Unbreakable Soul In US". Gamerevolution.com. October 16, 2013. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
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  16. ^ "Bandai Namco Unveils Upcoming Slate of Mobile Games at Global Gamers Day 2014, Including Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+". 148Apps. April 22, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  17. ^ "【注目レビュー】スマホ版もやり込み度MAX！『ソウルキャリバー アンブレイカブル ソウル』". app.famitsu.com. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  18. ^ "Soulcalibur: Unbreakable Soul Revealed, It's Kind Of Like A Card Game". Siliconera. May 8, 2014. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
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  21. ^ Soulcalibur II (USA) Manual. p. 10. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  22. ^ Soulcalibur (USA) Manual. p. 20. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  23. ^ Soulcalibur (USA) Manual. p. 21. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  24. ^ Soulcalibur II (USA) Manual, Gamecube. p. 13. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  25. ^ Soulcalbur III (USA) Manual. p. 9. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  26. ^ (in Japanese) クイーンズゲイト公式ホームページ, Queen's Blade.
  27. ^ "Sammo Hung's Soul Calibur? - News". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  28. ^ Kelpek, Patrick (April 18, 2006). Soul Calibur Movie In 2007 Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. 1UP.com. Retrieved on December 10, 2008
  29. ^ "Games-to-Film: Soul Calibur - IGN". M.uk.ign.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  30. ^ "Advertisement webpage for Soulcalibur Pachislot from Yamasa-Next's website". Yamasa-Next. March 5, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  31. ^ "『パチスロ ソウルキャリバー』iPhone・iPadパチスロアプリ / 山佐(YAMASA)". slot-app-gelion. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  32. ^ "パチスロ ソウルキャリバー". pachiseven. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  33. ^ "Soulcalibur Pachislot - original website". yamasa.co.jp. Archived from the original on June 18, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2024. Requires a modified browser or third party flash player for general navigation
  34. ^ James Gilmour (June 13, 2012). "SoulCalibur Mobile". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  35. ^
    • Series sales up to January 27, 2012: 12 million ("...And Ezio sharpens Calibur's chances" (Press release) (in Japanese). MCV. January 27, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2012.)
    • Soulcalibur V sales from January 31, 2012, to June 30, 2012: 1.38 million ("Financial Highlights for the First Quarter of the Fiscal Year Ending March 2013 (April-June 2012)" (PDF). Namco Bandai Games. Namco Bandai Holdings. August 2, 2012. p. 3. Retrieved September 2, 2012.)
  36. ^ ""Tgs2018"バンダイナムコエンターテインメントブースの見どころを一挙公開、『God Eater 3』や『ソウルキャリバー Vi』など今後発売予定のタイトルが多数試遊出展" (in Japanese). September 13, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  37. ^ Romano, Sal (July 21, 2021). "Soulcalibur VI sales top two million". Gematsu. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to the Soulcalibur series.
  • Official website Via Wayback Machine (requires modded browsing or third-party support for flash playback video and sound)
  • Official website for the film via Wayback Machine (requires modded browsing or third-party support for flash playback video and sound, includes sound warning)
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