Naruto: Clash of Ninja 2

"This is a good game. Believe it!"

It is often generally accepted that video games based on movies, anime, cartoons, etc. are almost always subpar. However, Naruto: Clash of Ninja 2 is an exception to this rule. It is actually a pretty good game, and has almost anything a Naruto fan could want in it. Now, for the real review...

Story: 6/10
The story mode of the game is very loosely based off of the story of Naruto, but it is pulled off quite well. Everything is roughly the same as it is in the anime, from Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura teaming up to defeat Kakashi, to Naruto's epic battle with Gaara. The thing is, if you've read the manga or watched the anime, it's really not that hard to predict what will happen next, and there are no major revelations.

Graphics: 10/10
The graphics are cel-shaded, and make the game feel like an interactive cartoon. The stages are all well designed. For instance, in the background of the stage "Amid Toads", you can see Gamabunta, the chief toad, and in the daytime version of Konoha's gate, you can see Konohamaru. The characters all have unique moves, and each of them have different designs. For example, when Guy uses his special move, the background changes to a sunset, which is a hilarious touch, and Nine-Tailed Naruto is shrouded in flames. Nothing wrong in this department.

Sound: 10/10
The music for each stage is very good, and the sound effects are timed well and fit in perfectly. For example, when Naruto uses the Sexy Jutsu, he makes a girlish giggle. All the voice actors from the anime reprise their roles. Gaara's voice remains quiet and sinister, and Naruto's voice loud and annoying. No problems.

Gameplay: 8/10
The big question; is this game fun? Yes. The game is a basic fighting game; select from one of over 20 ninja and duke it out. The game, unlike its predecessor, also supports 4-player melees! There is also a View Mode, which lets you watch matches between the CPU (so you can study a character's moves), and Oboro mode, which pits you against an almost endless amount of clones. However, there are a few flaws in the game. First of all, some of the characters seem cheap (especially Orochimaru). Also, this game doesn't feature every Naruto character (even ones that existed at that point), so fans of Choji, Temari, Jiraiya and others will probably be disappointed. Also, unlocking things is very tedious. But still, once you do unlock everything, it's nothing but fun, fun, fun.

Replay Value

There is little replay value in the game, but who needs unlockables to motivate you when you have an excellent fighting game at your disposal?

Overall: 8

This game has its shortcomings, but, overall, is a solid GameCube title, and any Naruto fan with a GameCube should pick it up. Believe it!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 09/24/07

Game Release: Naruto: Clash of Ninja 2 (US, 09/26/06)