Naruto: Ultimate Ninja (series)
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The Naruto: Ultimate Ninja series (known in Japan as Naruto: Narutimate Hero) is a series of 3-D fighting games based on the popular manga and anime series Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto. They were developed by CyberConnect2 and published by Namco Bandai. The games are available only on Sony's PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. Five games (with two currently exclusives to Japan) are present on the PlayStation 2 and two are on PSP with one announced for release on the PlayStation 3.
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[edit] Gameplay
In the Ultimate Ninja Series line, the player controls one of the many characters seen within the Naruto anime and manga. The simple goal is to fight the opposing character and to win by reducing their health to zero. The catch to this goal is the vast amount of weapons that appear to the characters as the battle progresses (along with items which could potentially heal the player or the opponent). Along with the various weapons available to the characters, they also have their various special abilities taken straight from the series (Naruto Uzumaki's Rasengan or Sasuke Uchiha's Chidori, for example). To use these attacks, however, the player must have the required chakra as indicated by the "chakra bars" located under the players health. Using the technique drains the chakra bar (which can be regained through various methods, including special, character specific methods for some characters). These special techniques are not performed in real-time, however; once successfully executed, a cinematic takes place, where the player either has to fill a bar to a specific level or hit buttons illustrated in the corner of the screen faster than their opponent to assure the attack is at its full strength. All characters can use the substitution jutsu, although some characters use different versions (two variants of Substitution exist; one which evades normal attacks, and another which begins a tug-of-war like minigame after juggling an opponent). Also, some characters have specific transformations available to them (such as Sasuke's Curse Mark of Heaven with the right amount of chakra or, in the later games, by successfully executing their special technique). The first few games of the Ultimate Ninja series let players execute 3 different secret technique attacks using three different Chakra levels (red, purple, and blue, in order of weakest to strongest), 2 different signature techniques, and a wide variety of kicks, punches, and throws. However, in Ultimate Ninja 3, players are only allowed to use one secret technique attack, besides the other attacks and techniques. To compensate for this, players will be allowed to select the secret technique of their choice before each battle, but not all secret techniques will be made available at the start of the game. Different secret techniques must be obtained through story mode and completing missions.
[edit] PlayStation 2
[edit] Naruto: Ultimate Ninja
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja (known in Japan as Naruto: Narutimate Hero (NARUTO－ナルト- ナルティメットヒーロー ?) is the first installment of the Ultimate Ninja series. It is now a Greatest Hits title. The game was released on October 23, 2003 in Japan, June 26, 2006 in North America, November 17, 2006 in Australia, and November 30, 2006 in Europe.
There are special techniques and jutsus that can be used. It also features several items, like shuriken and kunai. There are many multi-layered stages from around the Naruto universe, including the Hidden Leaf Village, the Chunin Exam arena, and the Forest of Death. In the original Japanese version, there were only 12 characters; however, NamcoBandai has added the ability to select both Curse Mark Sasuke and Nine-Tailed Naruto as bonus characters. Although both of these characters were already in the Japanese version as transformations, NamcoBandai chose to distinguish these four variations into their own playable characters. Due to this, both Naruto and Sasuke have lost their ability to transform into their stronger modes during battle. This is much like the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3 transformation system. The game also features an arcade style story mode. The Story Mode consists of up to six battles divided by some dialogue in a manga style display, one of many homages to its source material.
Critical reception has been positive. But fans criticized the game and gameplay, especially the graphics. G4's X-Play gave Ultimate Ninja a three out of five for a creative comicbook feel and stylish cel-shaded graphics, but complained that the controls are too simple, and that the English voices are "slightly questionable."[1] Both IGN and GameSpot say that the game is easy, yet fun, to play, and praise the anime/manga-inspired graphics.[2][3]
[edit] Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2, known in Japan as Naruto: Narutimate Hero 2 (ＮＡＲＵＴＯ-ナルト- ナルティメットヒーロー２?), is the second installment of the fighting game series Naruto: Ultimate Ninja. Like some other Naruto games in Japan, this one was available in two covers: one featuring Naruto Uzumaki along with several different characters in the background, and the other with Sasuke Uchiha and several other characters. The game was released on September 30, 2004 in Japan, June 13, 2007 in North America, and October 19, 2007 in Europe.[4]
Ultimate Ninja 2 features a similar gameplay experience to Ultimate Ninja, featuring many of the same gameplay elements and geography and mini games in the story mode. The game also features an RPG-esque story mode, the first half from the series, the second being an added story arc that takes place after the Tsunade Decision arc.
There is a total of 32 characters to choose from (33 in the Japanese version with the inclusion of Doto Kazahana). Some characters have also been fused together, so the player must use a certain special jutsu to activate them, such as Sasuke with his Curse Mark of Heaven, although the separate character of Nine-Tailed Naruto remains, this version of Naruto using his Level 3 Ultimate from the first Ultimate Ninja game.
[edit] Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3
Naruto Ultimate Ninja 3, known as in Japan as Naruto: Narutimate Hero 3 (ＮＡＲＵＴＯ-ナルト- ナルティメットヒーロー3?), is the third installment of the fighting game series Naruto Ultimate Ninja. This game was released in Japan on December 22, 2005 in North America on March 25, 2008, and in England September 26, 2008 (Though has only been found in select few stores) and was realeased in Australia and New Zealand on September 18, 2008. This game features the third largest roster in the Ultimate Ninja series, with 42 characters, and follows the storyline up to and including the Sasuke Retrieval Arc. The player can use equippable jutsu like the second game. When two jutsu of the same strength clash, the game cuts to a jutsu clash, in which the player or players must press a button repeatedly, until either jutsu wins out over the other. In this installment, the player is to both induce temporary transformations (like Sasuke's curse mark and Rock Lee's Gate of Life) through special jutsu, and other, more permanent ones, that last the entire rest of the fight (like Nine-Tailed Naruto or the Second State curse mark). The game also expands on the previous game's RPG mode, and is the first in the series to use CGI cutscenes. The player also has the ability to summon other characters, such as Gamabunta.
[edit] Naruto Hurricane Chronicles: Ultimate Ninja Revolution
Naruto Hurricane Chronicles: Ultimate Ninja Revolution, known in Japan as Naruto Shippūden: Narutimate Accel, was released in Japan on April 5, 2007, and will be released in North America on February 9, 2009[citation needed]. By the count of 52 character as the count of the time-skip version and pre-time-skip version and counting transformations and awakenings.
[edit] Naruto Shippūden: Narutimate Accel 2
Naruto Shippūden is the second installment of the accel series.
[edit] PlayStation 3
[edit] Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm
[edit] PlayStation Portable
[edit] Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes is a North American and European-exclusive fighting game.
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes is essentially an edited version of Naruto: Narutimate Portable, which also happens to be a scaled down version of Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3.
Story Mode, Kabuto, Shizune, The Third Hokage, and two stages were removed in this release, while Naruto & Sasuke's secret techniques were modified to prevent spoilers (as the English dub had not reached the Sasuke Retrieval arc yet). To compensate for these removals, the game now has a 3-on-3 battle system, similar to The King of Fighters; where the first team to defeat all 3 members of the other team wins. The game features 20 characters, 8 Stages, and several new features, such as a three-on-three fighting system, wireless two-player battles, and "Hidden Team Skills", which grant special abilities to a certain combination of characters.
[edit] Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: Phantom Fortress
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: Phantom Fortress (Naruto: Narutimate Portable: Mugenjou no Maki in Japan) was released in North America on June 24, 2008 and was released in Europe on July 8, 2008. In this Naruto game, you can equip skills and items to four characters of your choice. This release is the full non-modified version of Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes, and contains the three characters that were removed, which includes The Third Hokage, Shizune and Kabuto. Both removed stages and the game's Story Mode are now present as well. Additionally, movesets have been updated. Gamers can also select the characters to use Japanese or English voices. Jiraiya and Naruto can use Rasengan, Kakashi can use lightning blade and Sasuke can use Chidori without the use of a secret technique.
While some characters retain their old techniques, others, such as Neji, have theirs upgraded. The game contains an original storyline involving moving up a haunted castle in the sky to the 99th floor. Each floor has several "blank" rooms where the users place randomly generated scrolls to determine the type of action that will take place in the room. The scrolls include Battle (a player vs. CPU fight) and five mini game scrolls: Tree Climbing (Naruto dashes up a tree and dodges broken branches), Shadow Possession (style button pressing), Amusement (slot machines), Riddle (answer Naruto trivia) and Clone (the shell game where you try to follow the real clone). Non-blank rooms include Treasure Rooms, Healing Rooms and Drama rooms (where the story progresses and cut scenes take place). Other game modes include Vs. CPU and ad hoc wireless battle mode where you can fight against a friend using only one UMD (but two PSPs).
