Samurai Warriors 3 is an evolution of the Warriors series, featuring an innovative new game mode and a completely fresh new storyline. In addition to a host of new characters, brand new combat and gameplay elements, the game will also test players with new tactical and strategic challenges on the battlefield.Samurai Warriors 3 offers two-player online and offline co-op with enhanced sharing features. The game also unveils a special new game mode; based on the classic Nintendo Entertainment System game Nazo no Murasamejo (The Mysterious Murasame Castle), originally inspired by Shigeru Miyamoto. The new mode will offer players the chance to control characters never seen before outside of Japan.In the basic gameplay of Samurai Warriors, the player takes the role of a single officer in battle and must fend off hordes of enemy soldiers and defeat the enemy commander. The player has at their disposal a range of combo attacks and crowd-clearing special moves known as Musou attacks. The variety of attacks available increase as the character increases in level and gains new weapons.Musou attacks can only be performed when the character's Musou gauge has filled up, which does so gradually when the player inflicts or receives damage. Additionally, if the player is low on health or possess a special skill, they can usetheir special True Musou attack which causes elemental damage in addition to normal damage as well as adds on a trio of attacks that cleans up the final few enemies in the vicinity. One difference between Samurai Warriors and Dynasty Warriors is the ability to perform free-style combo attacks during Musou attack mode, during which the game enters bullet-time common soldiers move very slowly, however officers are unaffected. Other abilities that Samurai characters have over the Dynasty series include the ability to perform a roll to dodge attacks, and deflect incoming arrows with their weapon.