Soulcalibur III (PlayStation 2)

This page details bugs of Soulcalibur III (PlayStation 2).

Save File Corruption Bug#

This game has a rather infamous game-breaking glitch that occurs from having Chronicles of the Sword data on your memory card. Since this mode must be played in order to unlock all additional items for character creation, including additional disciplines and weapons, eventually encountering this glitch is inevitable.

In rare instances, the bug can occur at random with no previous provocation, as by simply having Chronicles of the Sword data on the memory card, your game is always at risk. It can also be exacerbated by the game’s more advanced, yet tragically flawed memory management system, which can increase the likelihood of errors during longer play sessions when memory is repeatedly reallocated to support its numerous dynamic conditions without proper flushing.

The most well-known way to trigger it is by deleting or copying the save data for another game that was made before the Soulcalibur III data on the memory card, causing the game to create a secret dummy file on the memory card that cannot be deleted and will increase the file size by exactly 1KB. This will alter the order in which save data is present on the memory card. However, the Soulcalibur III save will always continue to reference the original block where it was first created, as well as the initial file size. It does not account for a potentially updated reference or size point when locating the data during future sessions. As a result, it will still attempt to load the data from whatever currently occupies the former location. This could be data that is unrelated, such as from a different game, data altered in size by the dummy file if the save still appears in the correct location, or a now-empty space.

Any time after this point, the game may load and play as normal, but if Chronicles of the Sword data is loaded or overwritten after clearing or failing a level, the game's save data will become corrupted, showing this soul-crushing (hehe) message and rendering the current save unplayable. Restarting the game will show the same message upon trying to reload, and may also result in a rare chance of having a block of corrupted data on your memory card.

Deleting or copying data that was made after the Soulcalibur III save has shown no adverse effects, and while the cause of the Chronicle of the Sword bug is mostly understood, the exact reason for the appearance of the secret dummy file is unknown.

This bug exists in all US/EU versions of the game, as well as the Greatest Hits re-release. It was patched in the Japanese "2.00" release, which can only be differentiated from the "1.01" version by the SID code on the inner hub of the disc (it has to read 45T5.) There are reports of it being patched in the PAL Platinum Edition as well, although this is disputed.

Creating a Backup Save#

The chances of triggering the bug can be reduced by turning off the autosave function in the options menu and reserving an extra memory card exclusively for Soulcalibur III. As a precaution, it’s also important to create a backup and save it every so often. This can also be done with the PS2 HDD by copying it to any folder on the disk. This problem can also be averted by copying the save over to another card/HDD folder, deleting/modifying the save you want to, and then overwriting the main card's save with the backed up version before starting the game.

When making a backup of your save data, DO NOT copy the data from one memory card to another in the PS2 browser, as this may also cause the glitch to occur. Instead, while the game is still running, stick in the extra memory card, and then save again from the options menu. Keep in mind this backup will not have Chronicles of the Sword data on it, but, in theory, will be safe from file corruption due to this.

Variable Cancel Glitch#

Watch on YouTubeThis is another well-known glitch present in the game, which allows the player to cancel both recovery and attack animations (specifically throw attacks and guard impacts that incorporate throws), and essentially string together combos that would otherwise be impossible through normal means. It is difficult to pull off as it must be done in an incredibly small window, but advanced players can usually achieve more consistent execution. Unfortunately, due to the unfair nature of this glitch, Soulcalibur III wasn’t adopted by the franchise’s competitive community.

By quickly inputting G (L1 or X), immediately followed by pressing down twice after a throw attack or guard impact, the previous action will be cancelled, and another one can be instantly performed, making for some…interesting results.

This YouTube video demonstrates the glitch being used, as well as some blatant Olcadan torture.

This glitch was patched in the Arcade version.

Hurt Expression On Survival Mission Results Screen#

Watch on YouTubeUsing a custom character with any discipline, pass the minimum requirement to clear Survival mode, and then lose any match afterward. Ringing out has more frequent results. During the replay segment, hold down any button to trigger the winning quote specific to the character’s class. When the results screen appears, the character’s face will be forever stuck in a hurt expression as they play out their victory animation and say their line. This is possible on all difficulty levels.

This glitch can be performed with bonus characters, including Hwang and Amy, even though they don't have class-specific quotes. It will not work with standard characters unless they have been modded in some way, and results may vary depending on the character. In addition, when performing their victory animation after winning a match, custom characters may appear sad for no discernible reason.

Default Weapon Glitch On Chronicles of the Sword Briefing Menu#

Watch on YouTubeAnother COTS glitch, but you don’t have to worry about losing your save data with this one since it’s only visual. On the Chronicle Briefing menu, if the cadet has a weapon equipped that isn't the default, the game will load the model for said default upon starting. Hovering over another character and returning to the cadet will reset the glitch; however, going into character creation or the shop and coming back will reload the default weapon.

In this YouTube video, the default staff mushakuboh is loaded instead of the duel rod.