Who made First Samurai?

First Samurai was published by Vivid Image, released in 1991.

What kind of game is First Samurai?

First Samurai is a action, platform game for the MS-DOS.

Can two people play First Samurai?

No. First Samurai is a single-player game, so it has no two-player mode.

How much data does First Samurai load?

The First Samurai ROM is 594 kB. It is fetched once when you press play and then cached by your browser, so returning to the game does not download it again.

First Samurai Game (1991) - DOS

Name: First Samurai
Availability: InStock
Author: Vivid Image

Action / Button	Keyboard Key
D-Pad (Up / Down / Left / Right)	`Arrow Keys`
Button A	`Z` or `J`
Button B	`X` or `K`
Button X / Turbo A	`A` or `U`
Button Y / Turbo B	`S` or `I`
Select	`Shift`
Start	`Enter`

Gamepad Input	Retro Function	Keyboard Key
D-Pad / Analog	Character Movement / Steering	`▲` `▼` `◄` `►`
Button A (East)	Primary Action / Attack / Fire	`Z` / `K`
Button B (South)	Secondary / Jump / Cancel	`X` / `J`
Button X / Y	Special / Turbo / Extra Fire	`A` / `S`
Select	Insert Coin / Select Option	`Right Shift`
Start	Game Start / Pause Game	`Enter`

Gamepad Input

Retro Function

Keyboard Key

D-Pad / Analog

Character Movement / Steering

▲ ▼ ◄ ►

Button A (East)

Primary Action / Attack / Fire

Z / K

Button B (South)

Secondary / Jump / Cancel

X / J

Button X / Y

Special / Turbo / Extra Fire

A / S

Select

Insert Coin / Select Option

Right Shift

Start

Game Start / Pause Game

Enter

Emulator Core Engine	Technology	Multiplayer	Gamepad	Touch	Ads	Action / Switch
EmulatorJS (Default WebAssembly)	`WebAssembly / JS`	YES	YES	YES	NO	▶ ACTIVE
MS-DOS (Recommended)	`WebAssembly / Libretro`	YES	YES	YES	NO	PLAY ⚡
JS-DOS v3.0 / DOSBox Engine	`Emscripten C++`	YES	YES	NO	NO	PLAY ⚡

Emulator Core Engine

Technology

Multiplayer

Gamepad

Touch

Ads

Action / Switch

EmulatorJS (Default WebAssembly)

WebAssembly / JS

YES

▶ ACTIVE

MS-DOS (Recommended)

WebAssembly / Libretro

YES

PLAY ⚡

JS-DOS v3.0 / DOSBox Engine

Emscripten C++

YES

PLAY ⚡

First Samurai is a side-scrolling action-platformer released for DOS by Vivid Image in 1991. You play as a samurai seeking revenge against the Demon King who destroyed your master, battling through expansive, maze-like levels. The game blends precise platforming with beat ’em up mechanics, requiring you to master both unarmed combat and sword strikes while exploring to find keys, magic pots, and hidden areas.

How to play

Navigate each stage, defeat enemies, and find the exit while surviving environmental hazards. The controls for this DOS version generally use the Arrow Keys for movement and jumping (Up to jump), with Space or modifier keys (like Alt or Ctrl) used for attacking and deploying magic. Since DOS keyboard layouts vary, you may need to experiment briefly to find the exact attack keys.

Tips

Your weapon state is crucial: taking damage causes you to lose your sword, forcing you to rely on weaker punches and kicks until you gather enough energy to summon it back. Play cautiously when unarmed. Also, collect magic pots to ring the bells scattered throughout the levels—these bells act as essential checkpoints so you don’t lose as much progress when you die.