Naruto: Ultimate Ninja – PS2 – Review

If you
answered…

(A) Me!
Stay with us.

(B) No
thanks. You might
want to hang around anyway. Fighting games are infectious. You might not think
you want the disease at first, but once you’re infected, you won’t go looking
for a cure.

(C) Dude,
it’s summer!?
You’re already playing Naruto: Ultimate Ninja and may go back to your console
immediately. Wouldn’t want those dangerous UV rays to hurt your thumbs.

Naruto:
Ultimate Ninja is a 2D anime-based fighting game with a big question mark over
its head. "One button?" I thought to myself. "How can one button have enough
depth to sustain a long-lasting, addictive fighting game experience?"

I’m not
convinced that the typical fighter could pull it off, nor am I sure that
Tekken would’ve been Tekken with one button instead of four. Naruto, however,
is not Tekken. It takes its own path, drawing inspiration from Smash Bros.,
Dragonball Z, Zatch Bell, and other non-realistic fighting games. These games
almost make it necessary to split the fighting genre in two. But it is not a
clone of the games mentioned – Naruto has plenty to love and more addictive
power than any other current-gen game I can think of that uses just one attack
button.

Attacks work
like this: one button (circle) handles all hand-to-hand moves, while the rest
trigger projectile attacks, jumping, etc. Hand-to-hand attacks turn into kicks
and combos with repeated hits. The game does this automatically once an attack
connects with an opponent, even if he or she is blocking at the time. Attacks
may also be altered – and extended into longer combos – by pushing the D-pad
in various directions along with the attack button.

A full list
of available moves can be accessed via the pause screen. Most moves, however,
can be learned on your own through experimentation. Anyone who’s played a
fighting game before knows to mess around with the D-pad. We know that
attacking from a crouched position will, in almost every circumstance, trigger
a foot-sweep or uppercut. Naruto makes use of the genre’s staple moves. No
surprises there. And with just one button required for their execution, it
won’t take long to memorize (or master) the techniques needed to perform them.

Combat is
non-stop from the start of each round. Enemy AI is lacking at times, but
that’s a problem you don’t have with real-life opponents. Teleportation lets
you transport yourself from one area of the level to the next. This heightens
the game’s speed, shortens the length of each round (because you’re likely to
win or lose faster), and has two dynamics.

(1) It
teleports you within the side-scrolling confines of the area. Players can use
it to evade projectile attacks, to escape a charging fist, and to increase the
power (and length) of a combo. Knock your opponent into the air, which is done
automatically with some combos – only one button and the D-pad are necessary.
Then tap the button again to teleport into the air above your opponent for a
hard strike that sends him flying into the ground. Damaging, awesome to watch,
and very Dragonball Z.

(2) The
current generation of fighting games have big, beautiful worlds. More often
than not you can look, but not touch their deepest areas. Not true for Naruto.
This game lets you teleport from the front to the back of each environment.
Gameplay is always two-dimensional – your moves are restricted to left and
right actions regardless of where you are in the level. But by teleporting
into the environment, and not merely around it, you can avoid attacks and
create new strategies.

Some
environments are interactive. Trees can be climbed, and objects may be
destroyed. Acquire better projectiles by picking them up. The whole game is a
quick, sporadic, run-dodge-block-and-attack-heavy experience.

Given that
this game comes from an anime series, Naruto’s use of cel-shaded characters
were guaranteed. What’s surprising is how well the game brings together its
unique collection of colors and designs. The architecture is some of the most
original seen on PS2. Each world has been constructed with the utmost care.
Tiny details – like trees swaying in the wind – are an unexpected, realistic
touch. Certain moves are enhanced with a flash of red and/or other colors,
while strong contrasts keep each environment feeling fresh. There was never a
time when I found myself thinking, "Oh crap, not this stage again." They’re
all great, and they are all worth experiencing whether you’re Naruto’s biggest
fan, or are just hearing about it for the first time.

The
single-player mode offers some interesting graphic novel-style visuals that
drive the story, along with voice-overs for each character. Playing through
the game unlocks new characters; collecting items and other trinkets maximize
the game’s length, but are not as rewarding as the battles themselves.

That could
only mean one thing. Naruto, like Smash Bros. and the other fighting games
I’ve compared it to, is a dish best served with a friend or two (or several)
at your side to take the controller and take a beating. It is through
real-life competitors that Naruto gains its strength. Weeks of highly
entertaining battles await those who wish to proceed.

Review Scoring Details for Naruto: Ultimate Ninja

Gameplay: 7.5
Part Smash Bros.,
part Dragonball Z, and part Zatch Bell: Mamodo Battles – Naruto: Ultimate
Ninja tackles the genre from a different perspective. The quick hits, sporadic
jumping and colorful worlds scream of Smash Bros. inspiration. Dragonball Z
got its kicks in with relentless teleportation, letting players zap in and out
to attack and counter-attack. Meanwhile, the overall feel of the game reminded
me of the last great anime fighting game, Zatch Bell.

What’s
lacking? Single-player content. Item-collecting isn’t too exciting, and it
doesn’t take very long to play through the game with each character. As with
any fighting game that’s worth playing for more than a day, Naruto’s
two-player combat is where the replay value is derived.

Graphics: 8.0
One of the most
artistic fighting games since the start of polygons, Naruto is rich with 3D,
anime-style backgrounds, terrific characters, and a cool engine that lets you
battle on multiple depths of each environment.

Sound: 7.9
Not your
average-sounding fighter. Naruto’s orchestral score is deep, appropriate, and
very enjoyable. The voice-overs are weak compared to Samurai Champloo (the
game), but if you like Naruto’s style, the game shouldn’t disappoint.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Naruto has just
one hand-to-hand attack button. The developers pulled a lot out of the
simplistic system, but it’s still a lot easier to learn a few dozen combos
that involve circle+up or circle+down than it is to learn
hundreds of moves involving half (or more) of the buttons on the PS2
controller (as you must with other fighting games).

Concept: 8.0
It’s amazing how
much can be done with one button. Naruto is an original fighting game with
single-button (multi-tapping) attacks. Environments are unique, interesting
and – dare I say – fun to “explore.” There’s more depth in one of these stages
than most other fighters have in their entire lineup.

Multiplayer: 8.0
All the good
stuff found in the single-player battles can also be found in two-player
rounds. The difference is that you won’t be able to get enough of this game
when playing against others. It’s easier to master than the arcade leaders
(Tekken, Street Fighter, and Mortal Kombat) and does not pack as much replay
value. But only the best of the best can last for years. Naruto will, at the
very least, keep you and your friends entertained for several weeks. If you
don’t play it in the first place, there’s no way of knowing whether or not it
could keep you hooked longer.

Overall: 7.7
An addictive, slash-heavy (but not button-mash-heavy) fighting game that
builds depth from an unfamiliar place: simplicity. Anyone can jump into this
game at any time. It’s perfect for beginners, anyone who loves Smash Bros.,
and anyone who just wants a great fighting game. Hardcore gamers will plow
through it, but its two-player competitions will keep gamers of all skill
levels entertained.