mind telling me how SSAZ plays in comparison to the NG titles? What title does it play most like if it's at all similar to any? I've never touched the game and will definitely give it a shot as soon as emulation is ironed out.
It's kind of its own beast. It's got elements of 3 and 4 and SS64, all rolled into one crunchy, chocolatey treat. It plays primarily in 2D, though the 3D element plays a significant enough role in two aspects: a, your typical dodge maneuver, and b, location-specific damage. A hit to the torso or head is going to do a lot more damage than something that glances off the enemy's arm or leg.
Control is more loose than the NG games, and the pace is slower. It's very deep, though, and the move lists for all the characters are extensive. If you can, try firing up Samurai Shodown! 2 for the Neo Geo Pocket Color, as it's based very directly on Asura Zanmaden.
A - Weak slash
B - Strong Slash
C - Unique attack/throws
D - Dodge
Tapping a direction + attack usually will result in different moves. fwd + C is usually your basic body-toss throw, while f, f + C will net you some kind of either unique throw or bigger attack.
When POWed, certain moves can be powered up by pressing A+B with the joystick command to activate them. This reduces the time left that you can remain POWed, but there is no onscreen indicator of how much time you have left. You can usually net 2-3 POWed specials if you do them quickly, but as long as it's still at max, you can activate your super.
The most obvious change with this one is that the Slash and Bust designs look different from one another, to varying degrees. Genjuro and Ukyo don't change much at all, while Asura and Shiki change radically. Bust Shiki actually has completely different normals and specials from her Slash counterpart.
On that note, Enja Kazuki and Suija Sogetsu (the Bust incarnations) in this game are, for all intents and purposes, separate characters (and NOT the same as the half-assed garbage variants that Yuki Enterprises shat out for 5/5S/6). Both fight without weapons completely, and have a different focus. Enja Kazuki is slow, but ridiculously strong. He fights using only punches, while Suija Sogetsu only uses kicks and is generally faster. Both have "transformation" moves that effectively net them super armor, remove their ability to block or jump, and completely change their movesets.
It's honestly a fine game that never got the attention it deserved.