It's Dangerous to Go Alone

Hotsuma was raised in the Oboro Ninja Clan along side his brother, Moritsune. The two were virtually inseparable, but their fates were cursed when they discovered the demon sword Akujiki in a temple shrine. The Akujiki was the intended reward for a duel-to-the-death that would be held to determine the clan’s next leader. After spending a decade training for the battle, a heartbroken Hotsuma reluctantly accepted his fate and used the Akujiki to take his brother’s life. Hotsuma effectively threw his own life away after the duel and left the village for a number of years. He was eventually called back into battle when his village was attacked, and he vowed to avenge his fallen brethren with the accursed blade. Hotsuma was passed over on the list of best video game ninjas in favor of Joe Musashi, but he’s the definitive swordsman of the Shinobi series.

Samurai Shodown was the premier weapons-based fighting game series for many years and basically established the sub-genre. Unlike many 2D fighters of its era, Samurai Shodown rewarded patience and timing over frenetic button mashing. A single well-timed attack could deplete most of your opponent’s energy, but it could also create openings for a counterattack. It was all-but-guaranteed that a representative from Samurai Shodown would be mentioned on this list, and Haohmaru was the obvious choice as the main hero of the series and an an all-around balanced character. He’s a free spirit who has no loyalties to any lord. He’s powerful enough to create whirlwinds with his kitana and skilled enough to knock projectiles back towards his opponents, but underneath it all, he’s just a laidback guy with a penchant for sake and a good fight.

After losing his mentor and being cursed with an amphibian form, Frog mired in regret for many years. Vowing to avenge his friend, he sought out the legendary Masamune – the only weapon capable of defeating the dark mage that caused his predicament. He was finally able to claim the sword after obsessing over it for a decade, and he wasted little time in using it. Within moments of getting his hands on the Masamune, Frog used it to slice a mountain in two! Swords are the focal point of Frog’s repertoire. He uses his frog-given jumping abilities to perform aerial slashing attacks, and he infuses his blades with lighting or other elements after his friends gain the ability to use magic. Whether he’s fighting dinosaurs in the past or battling robots in the future, his skills with a sword transcend time itself.

Mitsurugi grew up in a land ravaged by war and was orphaned at the age of 14. In order to defend himself, he sought training from a powerful warlord and soon became a dominating force on the battlefield. His ability to tear through entire waves of enemies earned him numerous military commendations, but his true desire was to find a worthy opponent. Mitsurugi fought many battles as a samurai, but he suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of a firearm. He was forever scarred with a gunshot wound, but his shame motivated him to perfect his swordsmanship so he could one day defeat the rifle. Whether he’s seeking out more powerful swords or merely honing his abilities, Mitsurugi lives for battle. The world around him is in a constant state of flux, but Mitsurugi’s faith in the sword is unwavering.

The Final Fantasy series is certainly not short on iconic swordsmen, but none are more distinguished than Cyan Garmonde. In the midst of a technological revolution, Cyan is as traditional as they come. His values are old fashioned and his language is antiquated, but his skills with a sword are timeless. Cyan is often surrounded by skilled magic users and advanced weaponry, but the noble samurai can always fall back on his unique bushido abilities. His techniques require a lot of patience to pull off successfully, but they allow Cyan to unleash counterattacks, freeze his enemies in place, perform dazzling combos, or inflict instant death by cleaving his enemies in two. In a world of airships, mechs, and magic dragons, a classical swordsman like Cyan helps to keep things rooted in tradition.

Marth is the betrayed prince of Altea and the star of the first Fire Emblem game. He’s defined by his graceful movement and his ability to counter regardless of which direction he is being attacked from. He was forced into exile when a neighboring kingdom invaded. With his divine sword Falchion in hand, Marth led a revolt to take back his home. He sleighed a dark dragon to recapture the kingdom, but Altea was eventually taken over by yet another kingdom. Once again, it was up to Marth to save the day. Marth is the most iconic Fire Emblem character, but much of his fame is due to his appearances in the Super Smash Bros. series. His wave of popularity following the release of Super Smash Bros. Melee influenced Nintendo to finally start releasing the Fire Emblem games outside of Japan.

A lot of fans refused to take Raiden seriously at first, but there’s no denying that he became a total badass after he was turned into a cyborg ninja. At this point, his physical abilities increased to superhuman levels and his body became a conduit for a high-frequency electric blade. He’s skilled enough to parry with massive Metal Gear mechs and strong enough to throw them around like rag dolls. He’s so fast in Metal Gear Solid Rising that the game often switches to slow motion just to keep up with his movements. The control Raiden has over his electrified katana is almost unrivaled. He can be delicate enough to slice a watermelon in two, but he can also cut cargo vans to ribbons. As a believer in the Buddhist philosophy of “katsujinken,” he understands that his sword can actually give life by virtue of protecting the lives of the innocent.

Link has used dozens of weapons in various games, but his sword has always been his primary one. In the first Zelda game, Link was given a wooden sword by a random old man in a cave. Ten minutes later, he was using that sword to slay a dragon. Swordplay was a focal point of Zelda II as well, and the patented “down stab” was one of the deadliest maneuvers of the 8-bit era. By the third Zelda game, it became apparent that Link was a hero of destiny and the only one who could harness the power of the legendary Master Sword. The introduction of “Z-targeting” in Ocarina of Time shaped the entire industry and helped define how sword fighting should be handled in 3D games. Years later, Skyward Sword gave players more direct control over their sword than any other game in history. Sword fighting and the Zelda series go hand-in-hand.

Adol was born to a peasant family in a small mountain village. Despite his humble upbringing, he was taught to use a sword by his father and developed many techniques of his own. Stories of far away lands captured Adol’s imagination from a young age, and he eventually left his village in search of adventure. In time, Adol found himself vanquishing evil and fulfilling ancient prophecies. Although he learned to use magic during his adventures, his main strength was his swordsmanship. Adol was able to dispatch experienced knights and ferocious monsters, even when he was outnumbered or inadequately equipped. His fighting style could best be described as effortless. Players didn’t even have to press a button in order for him to swing his sword. His skills were so advanced that he could mow down enemies simply by walking into them!

Dante might be the star of the Devil May Cry series, but his twin brother has him beat when it comes to sword fighting. Vergil has phenomenal strength, but he relies on speed and precision rather than brute force. He strikes his opponents so fast that they often don’t even realize that they’ve been attacked until his sword is sheathed. Although he usually uses his signature katana, Yamato, in battle, Vergil can also manifest additional swords to use for long range attacks. Unlike his brother, Vergil does not consider firearms to be true weapons. If someone is foolish enough to shoot him, Vergil will catch the bullets with his sword and send them flying back to the sender like golf balls. Vergil’s skills with a sword are unmatched in the Devil May Cry series, and he’d likely mock the abilities of the other swordsman on this list.