Samurai Warriors 3 marks the third title in the main series and the first published by Nintendo, making it an exclusive to the Wii console. Players take control of historical Japanese figures during Japan's Sengoku period, with several characters selectable to run through the typical Samurai Warriors formula.
Samurai Warriors 3 gameplay involves dropping into levels and cutting through massive swaths of enemies working towards a boss or "Hero" character. Players can also level-up characters, unlock new armor and weapons, and explore various game modes, including a story-driven mode and the Murasame Castle mode.
The game features over 35 playable characters, with most returning characters having new models and seven new additions to the series. Each character has unique styles, skills, and motives that drive individual storylines.