Review · Fighting · PlayStation
Samurai Shodown IV
Reviewed: 30 May 2026
PlayStation
SNK · 2007
Ludograph rating
Growth (BDS)
50
Risk (RIS)
0
Daily limit
–
Age guidance
17+
Developmental benefits
| B1 | Cognitive | 0.70 | |
| B2 | Social-emotional | 0.00 | |
| B3 | Motor | 0.75 | |
Samurai Shodown IV is a classic fighting game that hones critical cognitive skills such as strategic thinking, spatial awareness, and reaction time. Its competitive nature encourages players to learn and adapt, improving their memory and problem-solving abilities within the game's mechanics.
Design risks
| R1 | Compulsion-loop pressure | 0.00 | |
| R2 | Monetization | 0.00 | |
| R3 | Social risk | 0.00 | |
As a competitive fighting game, Samurai Shodown IV can lead to frustration due to losses, but it lacks the manipulative design mechanics (compulsion loops, monetization pressures, social risks) found in many modern games. The primary content risk is its stylized violence inherent to the fighting genre.
Content (not in risk score)
| R4.1 | Violence Level | 1.00 | |
| R4.2 | Sexual Content | 0.00 | |
| R4.3 | Language | 0.00 | |
| R4.4 | Substance References | 0.00 | |
| R4.5 | Fear / Horror | 0.00 | |
Content risk is displayed separately and does not affect the time recommendation.
Regulatory design checks · DSA — Assessed: meets criteria·GDPR-K — Assessed: meets criteria·ODDS — Assessed: meets criteria
- DSA:What Ludograph checks: whether the game's design gives minors the transparency the EU Digital Services Act expects: plain terms, honest defaults, and clear reporting routes.: Estimated from review data. No dark pattern or child-targeting concerns found.
- GDPR-K:What Ludograph checks: whether age assurance and consent flows are designed for under-16s, in the spirit of GDPR Article 8.: Estimated from review data. No privacy or child-targeting concerns found.
- ODDS:What Ludograph checks: whether paid random-reward drop rates are disclosed, as required in China, Japan and South Korea.: Estimated from review data. No paid random-reward mechanics found, so drop-rate disclosure requirements do not apply.
These reflect Ludograph's assessment of the game's design practices against each framework's criteria, not a legal compliance determination.