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NARUTO: CLASH OF NINJA 
Release date: 14 Mar 2006
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First of many to come
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Naruto is a popular, ongoing anime series in Japan that has recently started up in America. Because of this, it was easy to predict that sooner or later, a game version of this fledgling series would sprout up, and judging from the fourteen titles in Japan, it seems Naruto games will be bombarding US shores for a long time to come. Regrettably, the first game installment for the series will be the oldest, smallest one available.
The Clash of the Ninja, known in Japan as Gekitou Ninja Taisen, will follow the Naruto series from the beginning, up through the introduction of Rock Lee, covering most of the anime aired up to that point. However, this is simply appalling to the legions of Naruto fans out there who have read the translated manga scans flying around the ‘net since the series’ birth in 1999. There are only EIGHT characters, being Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi, Iruka, Haku, Zabuza and Rock Lee, who appear in the game. When looking forward and comparing it to the other Naruto games, like the twenty-nine characters found in one of the future installments, and the fact that a Clash of the Ninja 2 is already slated for release, it’s pretty obvious this process will be somewhat stretched out to milk the series.
The controls are essentially a combination of other various fighting games. They are somewhat simplistic, compared to some of the deeper series in the genre, like Guilty Gear or Street Fighter 3, and have a feel similar to Dead or Alive or Super Smash Bros. There is just one punch, kick and special move button, and other variations are performed using the directional stick. This does make combat somewhat simplistic, but there are various combinations and special moves that add some depth to the game as a whole. While this may not appeal to hardcore fighting “elite,” it should offer at least a decent time to those open to it.
The graphics in Clash of the Ninja are a unique cel-shaded technique that look quite nice, and do an excellent job portraying the series’ cast in 3D. In story mode, clips from the anime appear throughout the course of the game. Animations are somewhat variable in terms of quality. Hand-to-hand special techniques are pretty nice, the long-range weapon and elemental attacks are somewhat choppy, and just don’t look too great. Sound isn’t really confirmed for the game, but Bandai’s track record points to them using the show’s voice actors, music and such. Whether or not there will be a Japanese voice acting option isn’t known, but is a possibility.
Clash of the Ninja is slated for release sometime in 2006, most likely in quarter one or two, alongside Naruto: Ninja Council on the GBA. Naruto: Clash of the Ninja 2 is also coming out sometime in 2006, along with another Naruto GBA game (most likely Naruto RPG or the tactical RPG, Naruto: Konoha Senki).
Preview by By Steve Rondina on 9 Mar 2006
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