exA-Arcadia brought Jitsu Squad Feat. The Samurai Pizza Cats to Amusement Expo 2024 in Las Vegas, presenting the crossover beat ’em up as the centrepiece of its booth.
Who Are the Samurai Pizza Cats?
As a short-lived cartoon series, Samurai Pizza Cats may have escaped the attention of many viewers. The Japanese series ran for 54 episodes and followed samurai-trained cats who fought crime from a pizza parlour. Its basic setup invited comparisons with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, although the heroes here were cats rather than sewer-dwelling turtles.
The American adaptation was notably different from the Japanese version. The US writing team reportedly did not receive the original Japanese scripts, so it created new dialogue and stories around the footage available to it.
The characters now join Jitsu Squad in a new exA-Arcadia-exclusive arcade release. For more arcade news and developments, visit the RETROCADE Arcade Blog.
Jitsu Squad Feat. Samurai Pizza Cats
When the modern beat ’em up Jitsu Squad was crowdfunding, its plans included an arcade edition. The game was subsequently announced for the exA platform, although that announcement dates back to 2021. Console and PC versions have been available since March 2022.
The arcade version has appeared at several earlier trade shows, including Amusement Expo 2023. Following an extended period of refinement, it is scheduled to become available as a kit for exA boards later this Spring. The Amusement Expo 2024 event in Las Vegas marked the unveiling of the version featuring one of the Samurai Pizza Cats as a playable fighter.
The Samurai Pizza Cat has a distinct attack set rather than simply reusing the abilities of an existing Jitsu Squad character. That moveset had not yet been added to the show build, but exA supplied screenshots showing the new content.
This arcade edition is more than a character crossover. The damage balance and overall pacing have been adjusted to suit the shorter, repeat-play structure expected of an arcade game. Having played the Nintendo Switch release, the differences make this a distinct version rather than a direct conversion.
The console edition contains considerably more text, while its enemies can absorb more attacks before being defeated. The arcade release retains the game’s violence, but operators can disable blood through an available setting.
A New exA-Arcadia Beat ’Em Up
Jitsu Squad Feat. Samurai Pizza Cats combines a modern four-player-style beat ’em up foundation with a cartoon property that took an unusual path between its Japanese and American versions. Its arcade-focused balancing and operator option for disabling blood give the exA release a clear identity.
For readers comparing arcade formats, the Arcade Machine Buying Guide explains the key considerations when choosing a cabinet, while upright arcades offer the traditional full-size format. Those planning a smaller setup can explore bartop arcade machines, and anyone building or maintaining a cabinet can find relevant arcade parts.
Would you play this revised arcade edition of Jitsu Squad, and how does the Samurai Pizza Cats crossover appeal to you?
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