Narutimate Hero 3: The Latest Naruto Game Installment for Playstation 2 and PSP

The latest installment of Naruto games promises great action, excitement, and a whole lot of new characters to fight with and against. For Naruto fans this is a much anticipated upgrade to previous Naruto games. As of yet the game is only available for sale in Japan, however fans can buy the game through various websites such as Ebay. So what can fans look forward to?

The game sports a variety of different modes in which one can play: versus mode, RPG, story mode, and a mini game mode.

The RPG mode follows the main character Naruto in his quest to become Hokage of Konoha village. During this time Naruto is sent on different missions dependent on rank. The successful completion of a lower ranking mission leads to opening higher ranking missions. Without a working knowledge of Japanese this section of the game can be quite trying. There are a number of areas which can be easily figured out by an experienced player and/or Naruto watcher. However, there are also a number of missions for which a non-Japanese speaking player would have no idea what to do. I ran into this problem on several occasions, even with a basic knowledge of language in both conversation and reading.

Still, there is hope for those interested in tackling this problem. A variety of different FAQs, guides, and forums are available to players in order to help other language speakers survive and beat the game.

Story mode, on the other hand, is a great deal easier to complete with or without a working knowledge of Japanese. Well, at least for those well versed in the story of Naruto. As might be guessed, the story mode follows the Naruto manga storyline. From fighting Kakashi-sensei in order to gain a set of bells as initial training, to fighting Orochimaru as both Sasuke and Hokage, story mode takes a comprehensive look at the Naruto storyline and put you in the front seat.

Often times, the Naruto story mode is complete purely by completing each battle in the manner that it was completed in the show. For non-show watchers this could cause a potential problem. As advice, I'd suggest trying a special move in order to finish off the opponent. If nothing else works, this usually does.

As the game can be quite trying for non-Japanese speakers, it is possible to load a fully completed game onto your memory card and then play from that. It'll give you all the specials, all the characters, etc… These can be found at http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/save/929749.html . There are several files to choose from. The process of loading these is a little complicated, but there are tutorials available on the internet for those so inclined.

In addition, www.gamefaqs.com can also provide players with a partial walkthrough of the Narutimate Hero 3 game, and a variety of specialized guides. Those seeking help should refer to this page first. For cheats or guides on unlocking characters this site is also highly recommended.

FEATURES:

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• Cell shaded animation
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• Japanese voice-overs
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• Good quality music
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• One to two players

  
  

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NEW FEATURES:

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• New characters
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• Cursed seal mode for applicable characters
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• Special power ups for select characters (I.e. Rock Lee's Suiken, Chouji's butterfly state, etc…)
  
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• Dating sim

  
  

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FIGHTING FEATURES:

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• Jutsus and ougis (special moves)
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• Real time combo indicators
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• Fast-paced fighting
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• Multiple layered fighting sets

  
  

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GAME PLAY:
X = jump
Triangle = charka
Circle = hand to hand combat
Square = Throw items
R2, L2 = block
R1, L1 = scroll through items

Combos are done using a sequences of keys such as "down down circle," "right right circle," and the like. Such easy combinations offer everyone an equal chance at pulling a twenty hit combo and ensure enjoyable hours of multiplayer versus play.

Special moves for characters such as Sasuke, Naruto, Kiminaro, and the like open up their sealed mode. This takes away the ability to use another special move, yet give the character a new set of powerful moves to use.

More ougis are available per character, but these are used only one at a time. Depending on the ougi chosen the character is customized to have different features.