Samurai Pizza Cats: Blast from the Past! feels like playing through an episode

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2D platforming and retro aesthetics make for a charming and nostalgic experience.

Donovan Erskine September 19, 2026 9:30 PM 1

I got to play Samurai Pizza Cats: Blast from the Past! at Tokyo Game Show 2026 and experienced the nostalgic adaptation of the 90s anime. It stays true to its roots while infusing some neat gameplay mechanics that make it a fun arcade platformer.

Samurai Pizza Cats: Blast from the Past! features Speedy Cerviche, Polly Esther, and Guido Anchovy as playable characters, each of them with their own unique moves and abilities. For example, Guido Anchovy has a jetpack and can bounce off walls, while Polly Esther is equipped with a ranged firearm.

As you make your way through levels, you’ll need to use each of the cats where their abilities are best suited. After doing a tutorial mission, I was able to freely swap to any of the three cats as I pleased.

The game blends platforming with hack-and-slash combat. As you leap from rooftop to rooftop and navigate moving platforms, enemies will try to take you out. In addition to each character’s base weapon, you can also pick up weapons like swords and spears to unlock additional attacks. 

Samurai Pizza Cats: Blast from the Past! emulates the appearance of the 90s show through its retro art style. It’s almost like a filter has been applied to the screen, giving it that old-school look. I think fans of the show will be pleased by it. The game doesn’t currently have a release date, but it’s targeting a 2027 release. Read and watch more about the games we played at Tokyo Game Show 2026.

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Donovan Erskine News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_

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