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The Highs And Lows Of Soulcalibur’s 14 Guest Characters
For years, the Soulcalibur series has stood out among fighting titles for being accessible to button mashers but deep enough for dedicated fans of the genre. Soulcalibur is also known for its exciting and surprising crossovers with other gaming franchises in the form of playable guest characters – including wacky backstories on how they were transported to the fighting universe.
From Soulcalibur II to the upcoming sixth entry, here is a rundown on the various special guests and debating how cool they are in the 16th century setting.
Heihachi Mishima in Soulcalibur II on PlayStation 2 (2002)
One day after training with his pet bear, Heihachi Mishima from Tekken passes out after accidentally cutting his finger with a piece of Soul Edge, an evil blade with powers that can possibly corrupt anyone upon contact. That slice somehow sends Heihachi on a trip back to the 16th century. Using his Mishima-style fighting karate, Heihachi tests his strength and skills against the Soulcalibur combatants.
Coolness rating: 1/10
A guy who punches people in a game about swords because he traveled through time after pricking his finger? Wake us up when it's over.
Spawn in Soulcalibur II on Xbox (2002)
After Lt. Col. Al Simmons dies, he makes a deal with the devil to stay alive on Earth but becomes his servant, Spawn, in return. Spawn is sent back in time to acquire Soul Edge at the devil's beckoning. He may not bear his silky-smooth crimson cape by default, but that's because it transforms into an ax for combat.
Coolness rating: 5/10
Spawn axes the competition with some slick moves, but the sporadic parts on his costume look goofy. Why is his right shoe thing so much bigger than the left?
Link in Soulcalibur II on GameCube (2002)
Link discovers that an evil wizard wreaking havoc on Hyrule was being controlled by a fragment of Soul Edge. The Hero of Time, equipped with his iconic weapons including the Master Sword, bombs, and arrows, embarks on a secret quest into the Soulcalibur universe to prevent Soul Edge's resurrection. Unfortunately, Link couldn't make the journey to Soulcalibur II Online HD, unlike Heihachi and Spawn.
Coolness rating: 8/10
We're not sure if Link is overpowered because of his arsenal or he's just that skilled, but he's nonetheless fun for anyone to use.
KOS-MOS in Soulcalibur III (2005)
KOS-MOS, a combat droid from the Xenosaga series, may not have her own moveset or backstory of how she came upon the Soulcali-verse, but she has the distinction of being the first guest fighter that's purely cosmetic. Players can fight as her by acquiring the Type X parts.
Coolness rating: 6/10
KOS-MOS' presence is a unique way to bring in a guest character, but we would have liked to see her gatling guns blow away the competition.
Lloyd Irving in Soulcalibur Legends on Wii (2007)
Bearing two rapiers and spinning attacks, Lloyd Irving from Tales of Symphonia leaves his homeworld, Aselia, to seek out Soul Edge because he believes the sword is an Exsphere, an object that enhances the user's abilities. Lloyd assists the Soulcalibur heroes in their quest to find pieces of Soul Edge.
Coolness rating: 3/10
If only Lloyd had traveled to the right game instead of the right time. Soulcalibur Legends is a messy, motion-controlled spin-off on Wii.
Watch our Replay of Legends here.
Yoda in Soulcalibur IV on Xbox 360 (2008)
While in hiding on Dagobah, Jedi master Yoda senses a universe-wide shockwave caused by a being named Algol opening a portal to their universe. Knowing the Empire seeks to obtain the powers of Soul Edge and Soul Calibur at the core of the portal, Yoda sets out via space pod to quash the distortion with his green lightsaber and Ataru combat style, which focuses heavily on jumping attacks.
Coolness rating: 7/10
You would have to be a Jedi to foresee the wonderfully random surprise of force users in a Soulcalibur game. However, Yoda's small stature make him the Oddjob of the series and annoying to fight.
Darth Vader in Soulcalibur IV on PlayStation 3 (2008)
In the midst of a battle between the Empire and Rebel Alliance, Sith lord Darth Vader senses the same shockwave as Yoda, as well as the Soul Edge and Soul Calibur at the portal's core. To reach this power, Darth Vader mows down his competitors with slow but powerful attacks and his signature dark-side abilities like Force choking.
Coolness rating: 10/10
It's Darth-freakin' Vader and he doesn't comically scream "Nnnnooooooo!" Enough said.
The Apprentice in Soulcalibur IV (2008)
The Apprentice, aka Starkiller and Darth Vader's pupil, is tasked by his master to investigate what surge of power is causing a disturbance in the Force. The Apprentice might be trained under Vader, but Starkiller separates himself from his master with his Sith Shien style that efficiently combines Force blasts with swift lightsaber strikes.
Coolness rating: 7/10
The way the Apprentice holds his lightsaber may not look practical, but he can efficiently use it in tow with his Force abilities.
Angol Fear in Soulcalibur IV (2008)
Angol Fear from Sgt. Frog appeared in this game before her debut in the manga. Fear is sent to investigate Earth and judge if it should be destroyed, making her cross paths with the Soulcalibur crew. She uniquely retains her anime art style aesthetic and uses Seong Mi-Na's fighting moves, albeit with her Lucifer Spear Black instead of a naginata.
Coolness rating: 6/10
The way they tie Sgt. Frog to Soulcalibur actually makes sense in a weird manner, but Fear is merely a Seong Mi-Na skin.
Kratos in Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny on PlayStation Portable (2009)
Seeking revenge on a religious cult, a man summons Kratos, the god of war, to his dimension using a shard of Soul Edge. Instead of helping the man, Kratos kills him and sets out to use the powers of Soul Edge and Soul Calibur to send himself back to where he belongs. In this PSP title, Kratos battles with his extensive Greek mythological weaponry and rage.
Coolness rating: 7/10
Angry Kratos? Check. Sweet skillset? Check. Over-powered because of his range with chain blades? Check.
Check out our Broken Destiny review here.
Ezio Auditore in Soulcalibur V (2012)
On his way to fight Cesare Borgia from Assassin's Creed: Brotherood, Ezio Auditore discovers an artifact being held in a chest by the Templars. After stealing the chest, Ezio opens it and is suddenly transported to the end of the 16th century, becoming entangled in the conflicts between Soul Edge and Soul Calibur. With his assassin arsenal from hidden blades to crossbow, Ezio fights his way back in time.
Coolness rating: 9/10
Signore Auditore's attire and combat experience fits right in with the roster. After all, blending in is what he's best at.
Read our Soulcalibur V review here.
Devil Jin in Soulcalibur V (2012)
Like KOS-MOS, Tekken's Devil Jin has no backstory chronicling how he ends up in Soulcalibur universe and is unlocked through character creation parts. Unlike KOS-MOS, however, Devil has his own fighting style via "tempered fists" in which he doesn't utilize a weapon.
Coolness rating: 3/10
So he's Heihachi with wings, horns, and laser eyes? We suppose that's a little better.
Harada Tekken in Soulcalibur V (2012)
Namco Bandai producer Harada Katsuhiro appears as a bonus character in Soulcalibur and has the same moveset at Devil Jin. There are no details on how he ended up in the 16th century.
Coolness rating: 2/10
It's always fun seeing developers in games, but Harada is basically a Walmart-brand Heihachi.
Geralt in Soulcalibur VI (2018)
Nothing is currently known about how Geralt of Rivia ends up clashing with the Soulcalibur cast, but it's safe to assume time- or dimension-traveling is involved based on how other guest characters have appeared. The White Wolf's reveal trailer shows him using his trademark blend of swordplay with offensive and defensive spells.
Coolness rating: 12/10
We're satisfied as long as Geralt rides in nude on a unicorn before each bout.
| Characters originally planned but scrapped |
| Dante from Devil May Cry along with Bayonetta were originally planned to be Soulcalibur III and V, respectively. Capcom supposedly borrowed the Soulcalibur II engine for a Devil May Cry 3 boss fight. In return, Namco wanted Dante in Soulcalibur III to "appease" fans, but his appearance was canned for unknown reasons. Bayonetta, on the other hand, simply didn't make the cut because her hair attacks were too difficult to animate. |
With all of these amazing crossovers, we can't help but highly anticipated who else might make the long journey to Soulcalibur VI when it releases sometime this year. Until then, check out our New Gameplay Today episode with 10 minutes of Soulcalibur VI footage, Ivy and Zasalemel duking it out, and new and old faces meeting in this trailer.
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