I never got an opportunity to play the first Naruto Ninja Council, I wanted
to, it looked like it could have been fun, but as a reviewer sometimes we get
the things we ask for, sometimes we don’t, it’s all good though. The reason I
bring it up, is because while reviewing/playing through part two, I was
surprised by a couple of things, (more on this two paragraphs down) and was
curious if the same style of gameplay was in the first, but let me explain
what’s going on in the game first, then we’ll talk shop.
Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke have graduated from the
Ninja academy, now it is time for them to take their Chunin exams (think of it
like how lawyers must pass the bar when they graduate law school). The exams
consist of several parts both written and action oriented, thankfully the
written ones are bypassed by the storyline and we cut directly to the action.
The three students and their Sensei Kakashi have been tasked with
delivering an important scroll to the top of the mountain (where I presume
someone is) as their exams are prepared and executed upon them (apparently the
final tasks to becoming a ninja involve risking your life repeatedly and
beating people up) the notorious Orochimaru arrives and steals the scroll,
thus putting the three’s chances of passing their exams in the "not likely"
category. So off they go, to recover the scroll and pass the exams.
Ninja academy, now it is time for them to take their Chunin exams (think of it
like how lawyers must pass the bar when they graduate law school). The exams
consist of several parts both written and action oriented, thankfully the
written ones are bypassed by the storyline and we cut directly to the action.
The three students and their Sensei Kakashi have been tasked with
delivering an important scroll to the top of the mountain (where I presume
someone is) as their exams are prepared and executed upon them (apparently the
final tasks to becoming a ninja involve risking your life repeatedly and
beating people up) the notorious Orochimaru arrives and steals the scroll,
thus putting the three’s chances of passing their exams in the "not likely"
category. So off they go, to recover the scroll and pass the exams.
"Open mouth, insert foot."
Naruto Ninja Council 2 actually surprised me, I
got the game and for some reason assumed that it was going to be a straight up
2D fighter. I was wrong, rather the game has you running around as one of the
three students as you try and complete your exams. Some exams involve you
defeating a really tough opponent or running through a stage in under a set
amount of time, while others have you exercising your teleporting skills as
you navigate a level filled with both bad guys and traps. All while primary
characters from the show pop up and challenge you to a classic 2D battle.
got the game and for some reason assumed that it was going to be a straight up
2D fighter. I was wrong, rather the game has you running around as one of the
three students as you try and complete your exams. Some exams involve you
defeating a really tough opponent or running through a stage in under a set
amount of time, while others have you exercising your teleporting skills as
you navigate a level filled with both bad guys and traps. All while primary
characters from the show pop up and challenge you to a classic 2D battle.
Now you should know that you can switch on the fly
to any of the three characters you control, if Naruto has taken a bad beating
and his life bar is depleted, the game will automatically switch for you,
otherwise if you notice your life bar is low, you can simply pull the left
trigger and you will get a fresh teammate. The only way to truly be defeated
is if all members of your party are defeated in a single stage, everyone get
all their health back when you complete an exam. Of course, sometimes you will
enter a stage that does not allow you to switch characters, so it will be in
your best interest to get familiar with all three characters and their
fighting moves.
to any of the three characters you control, if Naruto has taken a bad beating
and his life bar is depleted, the game will automatically switch for you,
otherwise if you notice your life bar is low, you can simply pull the left
trigger and you will get a fresh teammate. The only way to truly be defeated
is if all members of your party are defeated in a single stage, everyone get
all their health back when you complete an exam. Of course, sometimes you will
enter a stage that does not allow you to switch characters, so it will be in
your best interest to get familiar with all three characters and their
fighting moves.
"It’s not a dress, it’s a distraction!"
The fighting in the game was incredibly fast for
what I was expecting it to be, the game does a good job of telling you how to
do the special moves, but even so, I was unprepared with how crazy the action
was. For example, whenever there is a major fight (2D style fighter) I
constantly found myself using the teleport (a staple in most action cartoons)
while executing combat moves, if you don’t, you simply won’t survive. The
enemies all do so, and if you don’t then you can expect people popping up
behind you and kicking you in the back, only to teleport away again. Now when
I say teleport, it means the character disappears for a second and appears
either high up in the air, so you can fall down onto an opponent, or appear
right next to them so you can quickly attack. It’s not as difficult as it
sounds since the game does a pretty good job of automatically placing you in a
position to dole out some damage. It works well for this style of game and
fortunately the special moves you use when battling a boss are still available
when you are running through a level ala’ platformer style gaming.
what I was expecting it to be, the game does a good job of telling you how to
do the special moves, but even so, I was unprepared with how crazy the action
was. For example, whenever there is a major fight (2D style fighter) I
constantly found myself using the teleport (a staple in most action cartoons)
while executing combat moves, if you don’t, you simply won’t survive. The
enemies all do so, and if you don’t then you can expect people popping up
behind you and kicking you in the back, only to teleport away again. Now when
I say teleport, it means the character disappears for a second and appears
either high up in the air, so you can fall down onto an opponent, or appear
right next to them so you can quickly attack. It’s not as difficult as it
sounds since the game does a pretty good job of automatically placing you in a
position to dole out some damage. It works well for this style of game and
fortunately the special moves you use when battling a boss are still available
when you are running through a level ala’ platformer style gaming.
The music in the game does a good job of keeping
you pumped up with it’s rhythmic beats and up-tempo, I would have liked to
have heard some of the voice actors from the show but instead you have got to
read everything to move the story forward. There is noises when engaged in
combat, special effect rather, when a special move is launched you can here
the sound revving up, complete with a teeth cracking crunch, not too bad.
you pumped up with it’s rhythmic beats and up-tempo, I would have liked to
have heard some of the voice actors from the show but instead you have got to
read everything to move the story forward. There is noises when engaged in
combat, special effect rather, when a special move is launched you can here
the sound revving up, complete with a teeth cracking crunch, not too bad.
"Doing what he does best."
Being that it is from an incredibly popular anime
show on Cartoon Network (providers of much entertainment to kids of all ages)
the cutscenes, or rather pictures that pop up are direct ports from the show,
you see peoples faces all bruised and bandaged. The classic anime giant mouth
when someone is upset and yelling, yeah, for a GBA game, this style of visual
storytelling really helps. Now the in-game graphics are all side scrolling 2D
(same with the fights) and I was actually reminded of the classic 80’s arcade
game Ghouls and Ghosts, the little pixilated characters, the baddies that come
towards you, it was all great fun back then. But now the graphics are actually
fairly decent and there’s no slowdown when several bad guys are on the screen.
show on Cartoon Network (providers of much entertainment to kids of all ages)
the cutscenes, or rather pictures that pop up are direct ports from the show,
you see peoples faces all bruised and bandaged. The classic anime giant mouth
when someone is upset and yelling, yeah, for a GBA game, this style of visual
storytelling really helps. Now the in-game graphics are all side scrolling 2D
(same with the fights) and I was actually reminded of the classic 80’s arcade
game Ghouls and Ghosts, the little pixilated characters, the baddies that come
towards you, it was all great fun back then. But now the graphics are actually
fairly decent and there’s no slowdown when several bad guys are on the screen.
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Gameplay: 7.7
You run, you jump, you fight, you teleport. I was
both surprised and impressed at what this title has you doing.
both surprised and impressed at what this title has you doing.
Graphics: 7.0
For a GBA game it does quite well, the backgrounds
could use some more variation, but the action comes lightning quick, the
teleporting leaves this little wisp of air behind and the game’s cut scene
format is nice and crisp.
could use some more variation, but the action comes lightning quick, the
teleporting leaves this little wisp of air behind and the game’s cut scene
format is nice and crisp.
Sound: 7.0
I wish it had the voice work from the TV show, but
that may be asking too much from a GBA title. Still, the game has a steady
audio track and decent sound effects.
that may be asking too much from a GBA title. Still, the game has a steady
audio track and decent sound effects.
Difficulty: Medium
Those boss fights can be a real booger sometimes,
thankfully you usually have all three characters worth of life to defeat
them. Getting "A"’s on all your exams is really difficult, passing the exams
isn’t.
thankfully you usually have all three characters worth of life to defeat
them. Getting "A"’s on all your exams is really difficult, passing the exams
isn’t.
Concept: 7.2
This isn’t high art were playing here folks, but
it is a solid platformer/fighting/adventure game.
it is a solid platformer/fighting/adventure game.
Overall: 7.3
I was surprised at how much I liked this title,
clearly I went in expecting one thing and got that and so much more. Naruto
fans will really enjoy this game and fortunately the way the game was
developed, the rest of us will too.
clearly I went in expecting one thing and got that and so much more. Naruto
fans will really enjoy this game and fortunately the way the game was
developed, the rest of us will too.
