Samurai Shodown II

To start: Make sure to set the game difficult to EASY. While this will help, the game (as with many "old school" games) will still present a challenge. This is not (necessarily) an easy achievement. According to another achievement website, some gamers have earned this with relative ease; others have had multiple trials without success. I will share my personal experience and provide what little tips I can, as I feel there isn't a whole lot of information about this game. I found this achievement tough because of the AI getting harder and smarter the farther you get, not being able to lose a round (you CANNOT save yourself from a loss with a second controller), and fighting the opponents in a random order each time: you can’t preordain the order a la Street Fighter II HF…

The first four or so characters are easily defeated using the 'Earthquake spamming method' (DOWN on the D-pad/analog stick + LB +). When I refer to the ‘chain’ it’s herein referring to this method. Some people like >+LB, I find that it didn’t connect as easily and the opponent usually blocked it. So, I advise stick to DOWN+LB. This is an excellent move because it has a long reach and deals significant damage even when it’s blocked.
After the first four fights, the AI just seems to ramp up ridiculously at times. When enemies start to jump over Earthquake's chain weapon attack, it is very easy to become trapped in a corner or worse, an enemy's POW combo. If you find this happening, the safest thing to do is retreat (<, < or double tap the BACK direction to evade the enemy) and either A) let the timer run out IF you have more health than the AI or B) use Earthquake's 'bouncing attack' this is done by jumping and pressing Down+RB while in the air**Credit goes to Wanderer128 for this correction. This bounce attack was the ONLY way I was able to beat some of the higher level characters, as well as barely manage to finish off Mizuki (the final boss).
Here is a list of each opponent, and his/her difficulty, along with the strategies I used.

NOTE 1: The difficulty is based on how many tries it took me to successfully beat a character. Easy=I beat them many times without struggling… Very hard=I struggled to beat them nearly every time.

NOTE 2: This is all based around the aforementioned ‘Earthquake spamming method.’

CHAM CHAM- Very easy: A weak character. You should be able to stun her with your chain and finish her off quickly.

GALFORD- Very easy: His attacks are limited. He will teleport and come down in front of you. When you see him vanish into a puff of smoke, block (hold the direction opposite to where you're facing ) and hit him with your chain.

KYOSHIRO- Easy: He is a slow character with attacks that don’t deal much damage at all. If you face him at a higher level, he may jump when you use your chain. In this case, use the bouncing attack to end him.

CHARLOTTE- Easy: She will normally fall right into your chain. Don’t get too close as her sword does have a decent reach. Just like Kyoshiro, if she starts evading, go for the bouncing attack.

EARTHQUAKE- Easy: As daunting as he may seem, he’s actually a cinch. ALWAYS start the round by jumping toward him (diagonal up right position on the D-pad/analog stick) and using your bouncing attack. The reason for this is that 9/10 times he will go for a weak punch attack at the beginning of the round, leaving him wide open. From here, he will walk right into your chain attack, or roll into it. If you see a puff of smoke, he’s either going to teleport above you, or roll at you in a ball. For the teleport, block and then give him the chain. For the ball, as soon as it starts, give him the chain without hesitation. The only reason he’s not a “very easy” character is that he can also land chain attacks on you. As you know by now, it can change the fate of the match very rapidly. *To prevent this, keep a safe distance from him and you will be fine.

UKYO- Easy: Most of the time, he will just stand idle as you lay waste into him with your chain. BUT, he can suddenly become aggressive. His sword attacks deal devastating damage. If you see him start to jump over your chain a few times, the AI has indeed increased. In this case, keep a safe distance, DO NOT attempt your chain attack and try to finish him off with your bouncing attack, or stall for time.

HAOHMARU- Easy: He is almost a carbon copy of Ukyo. The EXACT procedure applies. The only difference is that his attacks seem a tad bit stronger and he can launch a projectile (which is slow and can be blocked or evaded).

WAN-FU- Easy: He is very straightforward. Slow and his attacks are limited. There isn’t really a danger of losing to him, but he can evade a lot making hitting him become a chore. Take it slowly and don’t rush him. Let him come to you and when he’s idle go for the chain attack.

NICOTINE- Moderate: He’s not as strong or tough as he is clever. He’ll shoot his fire projectile (which can’t be blocked, you must jump over it) and JUST the right second and try to catch you. Start the round with the chain; you should catch him a few good times. If he ramps up, the bouncing attack works wonders on him because of his size. Not too bad.

JUBEI- Moderate: It’s generally easy to catch him with two chain attacks stunning him. In some cases, he may start jumping right over your chain and combo you with his sword attack. Like Charlotte, you need to stay a good distance away from him. Bouncing attacks work well on him.

(KUROKU)- Moderate** It should be noted that I don’t know if losing to him negates the achievement, as he’s a secret character. The best advice here is to avoid the fight altogether. To do this, avoid using your POW attack to win ANY match, when there are less than 20 seconds left on the clock. While his appearance is somewhat random, this seems to be a sure fire way to get him to appear. If you have no choice but to fight him, stay a safe distance back and use your chain. He’s not terribly strong. Don’t use the bouncing attack here. It’s not effective.

GEN-AN- Hard: This guy is unpredictable. His fighting stance is low to the ground making the chain attack easier to connect, but if you catch him at a higher level, be prepared for him to do some serious bouncing around. He has some brutal combos that can end you in a few seconds if you’re not careful. If he’s hurt and starts evading your chain, I advise just running from him and letting the timer run out. DO NOT use the bouncing attack on him, he will catch you when you’re finished and that will lead to big trouble.

NAKORURU- Very hard: She is fast and has a pet that assists her. This is a fight that can change in an instant, literally. I’ve had her down to a sliver of health, and she finished me off when I had a full bar. Start the round by jumping diagonally toward her and using your bounce attack (like you did against Earthquake), then try to get a few chain hits in. If she avoids one of them by jumping, STOP using it. She’s ramped up. The only hope is to use your bouncing attack and immediately back away from her, all the while blocking. She can shoot her pet as a projectile. This is a fast and hard-to-evade attack. Opting for the time to run out is advisable here. I did this in order to win.

SIEGER- Very hard: He is a nightmare: Strong, fast and quick to evade attacks. Start the round with your chain attack. Try to keep him at bay with this. If his POW meter is full, avoid him like the plague. His special move is devastating. Again, if he evades the chain attack just once, it’s time to retreat and use the bouncing attack (even then, it’s a risk as he’ll catch you at times when you’re done). The SAFEST thing here is to run and protect yourself and try to chip damage him while waiting for the timer to run down.

GENJURO- Very hard: The first chain attack almost always hits him. The second may or may not. His sword attacks are deadly. I recommend using the chain ONLY when you’re at a safe distance after the round has started. If you’re finding it tough to connect, use the same method as Sieger… Run for your life, essentially. DO NOT use the bouncing attempt unless it’s a last ditch effort to chip damage him before the timer runs out. He WILL catch you after the last bounce and combo you to a loss.

HANZO- Very hard: In my opinion, the hardest character to face. He’s like an enhanced version of Genjuro. He will bounce all over the place and teleport. One of this teleportation moves is tough to anticipate: this is the one in which he appears from the ground and tries to slash your feet: when you see this, jump up right away. The other is a teleport from above. You can block this and try to chain attack him. The BEST time to hurt him is when he launches a fireball that will make a series of short trajectory bounces and approach you. When he does this, try to be CLOSE to a wall. That way, you can jump off the wall and bounce attack him. Rinse and repeat this. You need to stay away from him and hope for the timer to go down fast enough, DO NOT use your chain at all if you’re facing him at a high level. It will ALMOST NEVER connect, and will leave you wide open. It’s not worth it. Lastly, his POW attack is odd. It’s a ring of fire on the ground that’s not too visible. He does this in hopes that you will mistakenly jump into it. Be ready for this and stay alert.

MIZUKI- I can’t really rate Mizuki’s difficulty as I haven’t faced her more than a few times in all my trial runs. She WILL succumb to your chain and you can stun her. The things to watch for are her fireball (a black sphere with an Asian symbol in the middle) as this will reverse your controls (left will be right, etc.). She also has a pet attack that is very damaging. If you’re too close to her, she’ll slash you. The best thing here is to stay on the move. Try to get your chain attacks in early in the round, and then evade. When she’s standing still, go for your bouncing attack to buy time and chip damage her. I was fortunate enough to chip damage her to death with my last bounce.

Hopefully this guide will help you a little on your quest to earning ‘The Perfect Samurai.’ I’ve also linked a video that shows a no-loss playthrough of the arcade mode with Earthquake, if you can tolerate the banter.** CREDIT goes to Youtube User MysteriousJG for this great video.

While the other available solution is excellent, I wanted to provide you all with a bit more to go on, and this way you'll know all of Earthquake's moves when attempting this achievement.

The most important moves you should know are:
Gama Throw (Along Ground) and Fat Bounce

Earthquake's Move List:
(Please note that the following assumes you are using the default controls setup)

Slash Moves:
= Swing Gama (Blade) [Standing or Crouching]
= Swing Gama (Flail) [Standing or Crouching]
= Gama Throw (Downwards at -30 degrees) [2-Hit Ability]
- - - OR + and +
(In Air) = Gama Throw (Downwards at -30 degrees)
(In Air) (Close) = Flying Belly Attack
+ = Gama Throw (Along Ground) [3-Hit Ability] ***
- - - OR , +

Kick Moves:
(Stand) or = Side Kick 1
(Crouch) or = Side Kick 2
(In Air) or = Flying Kick
(Stand) = Heavy Side Kick [Falls down afterwards]
(Crouch) = High Side Kick
(In Air) = Butt Bomb
(In Air) + = Fat Bounce (Bouncing Butt Attack) [4-Hit Ability] ***

Throws:
(Close) + (or ) = Overhead Toss
(Close) + (or ) = Smell the Roses

Wall Jump:
Jump towards the edge of the Screen, then push away from the edge when you reach it
(In Air) = Triangle Jump (Left Edge)
(In Air) = Triangle Jump (Right Edge)

Special Moves:
or Repeatedly = Fat Chainsaw (Spinning Blade Attack)
+ or = Flame Fandango (Fire Breath Attack)
- - - Classic Notation: QCB+X (or A)
,+ (or ) = Mirror Images
- - - = Mirror Image (Left)
- - - = Mirror Image (Right)
- - - Moving breaks the Illusion
- - - Classic Notation: Fwd, HCF+X (or A)
++ = Portal Drop
- - - Classic Notation: HCB+A+RB
+ = Nuigurumi (Super Deformed)
,+ = Earth Gaddemu [Requires full POW Meter]
- - - Classic Notation: HCB, FWD+RB

Additional Notes:
"POW" = For those that don't know, the "POW" mechanic causes massive damage and also causes the recipient's weapon to break for a time.
Clashes = This mechanic occurs when two players dash into one another attacking simultaneously. You will have to mash your buttons as fast as possible, otherwise you will lose your weapon. If you do it fast enough, either both combatants will drop their weapon, or if your lucky, only your opponent will lose theirs.
To pick up your weapon, stand over it and press
Stun = While I'm not sure what causes it, there is a mechanic in this game where you can stagger/stun your opponent. They'll fall down and you can get a free hit in.
Referee Challenge = I'm not exactly sure what triggers his appearance, but I have found that if you start seeing him, deleting your save should help.

For me, the difficulties have been:
Ukyo = Easy
Jubei = Easy
Haohmaru = Easy
Galford = Medium
Cham Cham = Medium
Nicotine = Medium
Earthquake = Medium
Wan-Fu = Medium+
Gen-an = Medium+
Kyoshiro = Medium+
Genjuro = Hard
Nakoruru = Hard*
Charlotte = Hard+*
Mizuki = Hard+*
Hanzo = Very Hard*'**
Sieger = Very Hard*'**
* = You can get a perfect one round, get them to a sliver of health the next round, and they can still pull something out and beat you with basically no health
** = Difficult enough to even be weary of in the first 5 fights

I just want to add a small cheap trick. The other solutions are everything you guys need, so there is almost nothing there I could contribute, except for a small trick.

I can more or less defeat every character with Earthquake, EXCEPT for Hanzo. The black ninja guy is the only opponent that is almost impossible to beat. I agree with the others that the black ninja is the hardest guy to beat. For reference, I can even beat other hard characters like Sieger or Genjuro with relative ease and knowledge of their AI behavior. While I found a strategy for every character, even the hard ones, I never found a solution for Hanzo the black ninja.

When I faced him as the last opponent before the final boss, he always kicks my ass with such superiority, I might as well have quitted before the fight to save myself the humilation. He often ruined my runs by beeing one of the last opponents. So what to do?

In short, restart your run and repeat it until you fight Hanzo the black ninja as your first opponent. While he is nearly invincible as a last opponent, he is a pushover when you fight him first. That was the only way for me to remove the ninja as a threat.

Restarting can be tedious, and there were moments I sat for minutes in front of the game just restarting over and over again until the ninja was my first opponent, but in the long run it pays off. When I fought that ninja first and defeated him, the entire run became managable. I advice you guys to beat that ninja immediately as well, since Hanzo just can't be cheesed played like the others.

So the strategy is: Beat Hanzo first, and restart the game until Hanzo is your first opponent so you can beat him. Like this he is out of the way and can't ruin your run as the last opponent. It helped me a lot.