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From the pages of Japan's Weekly Shonen Jump and onto the Internet, Naruto quietly made a name for itself, hooking fans with its goofiness, frenzied battles, and often-serious undertones. Once the manga turned anime, it was only a matter of time before Japan's latest craze took over the good ol' USA, following in the footsteps of Pokèmon, Dragon Ball Z, and other successful imports. With Cartoon Network airing the anime in English and the translated manga in bookstores across the country, Naruto is officially here to stay.
Expanding on the franchise, Namco Bandai brings us the first in the Narutimate Hero (aka Narutimett Hero) series for the PlayStation 2, of which 3 games have been released in Japan. Renamed as Ultimate Ninja for the U.S., the game boasts a ton of replay value because of its varied modes, though the lack of playable characters and simplified controls may leave fans waiting for the expanded sequels.
The problem with fighting games these days, now that there are so few arcades to seek challengers, is that the solo experience can often become tedious. Fortunately, Ultimate Ninja shines in this area, as it offers scenario and mission modes along with practice and free battles. The scenario mode takes you through unique storylines for each of the six playable characters (expandable to 14 with some unlocking). So for instance, if you get a kick out of playing as the overly passionate but uber-powerful Rock Lee, go for it, or you may prefer playing as Naruto, Shikamaru, Kakashi, Sakura, or Sasuke. Though not all our favorites appear in Ultimate Ninja, you can expect to unlock Hinata, Gaara, Orochimaru, and others.
Mission mode follows the format of the manga/anime and lets you take on adventures of various ranks to earn money. Many have strict requirements for completing and mastering them will improve your overall performance in regular battles. Money can be used to buy capsule figures among other items, not exactly useful but a lot like collecting the bottle caps in Resident Evil 4.
Of course the overarching element to this and any Naruto game should be fighting! Ultimate Ninja offers a simplified but fairly substantial combat system for solo players or those looking to square off with friends. If you've had the good fortune of experiencing the oft-forgotten gem Powerstone and its sequel, then Ultimate Ninja will be familiar territory, in some respects. If you haven't, expect battles to be more than your typical Street Fighter showdown, as environment and items play a significant role in winning. Though the graphics are vibrant and cel-shaded, movement is actually 2D, with foreground and background planes and additional parts of the stage that can be shifted to later in the match.
So, what type of fighter are you? Both head-on fighting and run-away tactics have their advantages in this game. You may notice the computer A.I. doing a lot of obnoxious running away as you first start playing, but learning to adapt to a fighter that so heavily uses the environment is a key to being proficient at Ultimate Ninja. The controls are simple, but the combo timing takes some getting used to. You'll notice that because there is only one regular attack button, combo patterns have little variance from character to character, for example: O,O,O, down + O, or down, down + O.
A quick overview of the other buttons: you can throw unlimited normal shurikens or use acquired items with the square button, toggle through items or block with the trigger buttons; and jump, plane shift, or dash with the X button. That leaves the mighty triangle button for secret techniques. Hitting triangle will toggle through your available power stages (up to level 3) and once charged, you have to land a hit to go into a mode that is a rhythm-based cut scene. A bar will appear on your side of the screen, and successfully hitting a series of buttons within the time limit will enable the maximum effects of the super. Of course, the enemy has his own bar that can interrupt the super if done right.
As the first in the PlayStation 2 series, Ultimate Ninja offers plenty for fighting fans looking to take a break from more technical fare. For new fans, the game will provide a nice introduction to the Naruto universe while offering pick-up-and-play mechanics that are great for gatherings. The main question is whether to wait for the sequels to be translated or to try out the other Naruto fighting series running on the GameCube (which has also made its way stateside). Battles are simple and fun for a while, but can become tedious because of the simple combo system, and the limited roster and number of stages. Whether you end up renting or buying Ultimate Ninja, it definitely does the series justice. Let's just hope we get the other two in the states, as they expand the series with additional characters and enhanced combat, among other things.
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