《戰國傳承》（Sengoku / 戦国伝承）於1991年在Neo Geo街機基板（MVS）及家用主機（AES）上推出，是SNK早期最具代表性且實驗性極高的橫向捲軸動作過關遊戲。作為系列的開山之作，以其極度詭異的視覺風格和跨越時空的變身系統，在當時的動作遊戲領域投下一顆震撼彈，充分展現Neo Geo主機在大型角色繪製與快速場景縮放上的強大性能。

在技術表現上，充滿早期SNK特有的粗獷且神祕的藝術氣息。與同期作品如《街頭快打》追求都市寫實不同，場景設定在充滿末世感的現代日本街頭，並與超現實的神靈界交織在一起。遊戲最引人注目的視覺特色在於其大膽的場景切換，玩家會隨著一道閃光，瞬間從殘破的現代大樓被拉入浮空的江戶時代戰場。背景中巨大的佛像、蠕動的妖雲以及若隱若現的鬼魂，再搭配充滿壓抑感且節奏不規則的電子和風音樂，營造出一種極度不安卻又引人入勝的迷幻氛圍。

遊戲的故事背景建立在關於輪迴與詛咒的傳說上。四百年前，一位邪惡的戰國大名企圖統治世界，最終被兩位英勇的武士擊敗並封印。然而在四百年後的現代日本，這位魔君的靈魂再度覺醒，帶著妖魔軍團從異次元歸來，將都市化為人間煉獄。玩家扮演這兩位古代武士的後裔，一位身著現代牛仔裝，另一位更具格鬥家氣質，必須手持神聖靈力武器，在破碎的時空中穿梭，一路斬除妖魔，最終在天守閣中徹底終結這段跨越數世紀的血緣宿命。

在操作上，引入當時極具創新的靈魂變身系統，使傳統砍殺遊戲擁有更多戰術選擇。在擊敗特定精英敵人後可獲得英靈球，並在凡人形態與三種英靈形態之間切換。這三種英靈形態分別是動作極快、能施展遠程手裡劍攻擊的忍者，攻擊範圍廣大且威力驚人的天狗，以及防禦力極高、使用重型武裝的武士。每種形態都有時間限制，玩家需要謹慎保留強力形態以應對Boss戰。凡人形態的主角還可透過收集不同顏色的寶珠發射火焰彈、閃電波或強化太刀，將射擊元素融入橫向過關遊戲中，創造出獨特的節奏感。此外，遊戲中設計了多層空間場景，玩家可以在上下兩層之間跳躍，利用高度差進行戰鬥，增添了操作的深度和戰術性。

在市場上獲得孤高且兩極的評價。評論家讚賞其大膽的原創性和充滿想像力的世界觀，認為它成功創造一種前所未見的和風恐怖動作風格。遊戲在現代與古代、現實與夢境之間無縫切換的體驗，讓玩家既困惑又興奮。市場普遍認為本作是Neo Geo早期的視覺奇觀，雖然手感相比後續的二代和三代略顯僵硬，判定較為刁鑽，但它散發出的不穩定美感與邪典氣質是後續作品無法完全取代的。它不僅是SNK探索動作遊戲可能性的起點，也被許多老玩家視為最能代表Neo Geo早期個性的神祕傑作。對於喜愛90年代初大膽、狂野且不拘一格遊戲風格的玩家而言，《戰國傳承》永遠是一段不可磨滅的驚悚冒險。

Sengoku (戦国伝承), released in 1991 on the Neo Geo arcade system (MVS) and home console (AES), stands as one of SNK’s earliest and most experimental side-scrolling action games. As the inaugural entry in the series, it made a dramatic impact on the action game scene of its time with its highly unusual visual style and time-traveling transformation system, perfectly showcasing the Neo Geo’s power in rendering large characters and executing rapid scene scaling.

Technically, Sengoku exudes the raw and mysterious artistic flair characteristic of early SNK works. Unlike contemporary titles such as Street Smart that pursued urban realism, this game is set in a post-apocalyptic version of modern Japanese streets intertwined with a surreal divine realm. Its most striking visual feature is its bold scene transitions: with a flash of light, players are instantly transported from crumbling modern buildings into floating battlefields of the Edo period. The backgrounds include massive Buddha statues, writhing demonic clouds, and ghostly apparitions, all accompanied by tense, irregularly paced electronic music with traditional Japanese motifs. The result is a hallucinatory atmosphere that is both unsettling and mesmerizing.

The story is rooted in a legend of reincarnation and curses. Four hundred years ago, an evil warlord sought to dominate the world but was ultimately defeated and sealed away by two heroic warriors. In modern-day Japan, the warlord’s spirit awakens, returning with his army of demons from another dimension, transforming the city into a human purgatory. Players take on the roles of the descendants of these ancient warriors—one dressed in modern cowboy attire, the other with a martial artist’s flair—wielding sacred spirit weapons to traverse fractured timelines, slaying monsters along the way, and ultimately confronting the warlord in a climactic battle atop the castle keep to end this centuries-spanning bloodline destiny.

Gameplay introduces the innovative “Soul Transformation System,” giving the traditional hack-and-slash framework strategic depth. Players can acquire Spirit Orbs by defeating specific elite enemies and switch between a human form and three distinct spirit forms. The three spirit forms include a fast-moving ninja with long-range shuriken attacks, a tengu with wide-area and high-damage strikes, and a heavily armored samurai with formidable defensive capabilities. Each form has a limited duration, requiring careful timing to save the strongest forms for boss encounters. In human form, players can also collect colored orbs to unleash elemental attacks such as fireballs, lightning waves, or enhanced sword strikes, blending shooting mechanics into the side-scrolling action to create a unique rhythm. The game’s multi-layered stage design allows players to jump between upper and lower areas, leveraging verticality for tactical advantage.

Sengoku received a reputation for being both idiosyncratic and polarizing. Critics praised its bold originality and imaginative world design, recognizing it as a pioneering “Japanese-style horror action” experience. The seamless shifts between modern and historical settings, reality and dream, provided players with a thrilling mix of confusion and excitement. It is widely regarded as an early visual masterpiece of the Neo Geo platform. Although its controls were slightly stiff compared to its sequels and hit detection could be unforgiving, the game’s unstable aesthetic and cult-like appeal remain unmatched. Sengoku was not only a starting point for SNK’s exploration of action gameplay possibilities but also a mysterious classic that epitomized the early Neo Geo identity. For fans of the bold, wild, and unconventional games of the early 1990s, the original Sengoku remains an unforgettable and thrilling adventure.