PSP World

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes Review

Greetings fellow Shinobi and welcome to the genin exams to becoming the next Hokage. For those who have followed the series, Naruto Uzamaki is a young misguided ninja who is on a quest to prove one self as being the best ninja of his village and we all know that is one determined little ninja. You get to experience the trials and adventures of the series with many different characters. So sit tight and build up your chakra, because this is Ultimate Ninja Heroes for the PSP. Believe It!

All right Shinobi stand at attention because class is in session! This is a totally different spin from the import version where you had to go through a tower of a hundred floors or more, however they replaced that feature with "Heroes Mode". Different in what way you ask? Well you get to make a team of three ninjas as in the cartoon, which gives you the option of choosing already made teams or you can make custom teams that will unlock secret team ups. So you can be creative and make some weird team ups that are not expected. Put Orochimaru together with Tsunade and Sasuke. You can even have Rock Lee with Kakashi sensei or Guy with Naruto. The possibilities will be interesting.

The classic Vs. CPU modes which will help you unlock scrolls in the game to be used later on. You have the promotion test where you go through the Ninja trials to become Hokage. You will need to unlock scrolls to reach the different levels though but it is pretty nice to go through the graduation classes. Wireless mode is simple to understand, which you get to challenge other humans. The added addition of "wireless mode" that I am glad Sony is utilizing more with the PSP is game sharing. Yes if you don't have the game that is no problem just let someone else share the experience with you.

Than you have "Naruto's house" where you see all your unlocked content and edit your profile. Now "Parameter Power" is a hot addition to the game where you level up the characters of the games by developing points during the other modes. So you can make your characters that you like as powerful as you want them too be for the Ultimate Ninja.

The game play is pretty fluid and the graphics look very impressive for a PSP fighter. It is fast paced fighting with many counters and items to find through the levels. Also you can switch from foreground to the background of the level for more tactics by using your ninja vanish move to teleport. You can always reverse attacks or use your shurikens from a distance to keep your opponent at bay. Even as a button masher you still have to be quick and evasive when fighting. You get to use special power finishers and your standard special patent attacks for each character. Triangle and Circle will engulf your character into a blue chakra aura and than you set it off on your opponent. Now if you execute the move correctly you will be shown a finisher movie that will give any Naruto fan a nerdgasm.

Now the downside is the game can get repetitive really quick. There are not enough moves to make it interesting enough besides countering other opponents attacks. It still leaves you wanting more space for more moves to do even an interesting summoning Jutsu mode would be nice. However to be far this is the first port for the PSP, maybe they will add some nice features but right now unless there are more human interaction you will get bored with doing the same moves over and over again and that is no clone jutsu.

To sum it all up you have a great fan based game that is funny with a nice variety of flavored characters each doing unique things and great movie/background sequences. However it lacks variety in moves which would keep you interested as a side scrolling fighter. I also think they should have imported the tower mode from the Japanese version because that was a beautiful story mode which made it feel more like an RPG in a way. Final thoughts Naruto Ultimate Ninja Heroes will receive 3.5 shurikens out of 5. Believe it!