Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3
SCORE: 60
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 is based on the popular anime franchise Naruto Shippuden. For those not familiar with the storyline, this anime hit follows the journey of a young ninja who wants to become the greatest of all ninjas. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 is the newest game in the franchise and offers a 2D fighting experience with the opportunity for up to four players joining the fun.
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 will not offer any new revelations of the story, or even educate those unfamiliar with the series. The story mode can be repetitive, as there are few variations in the gaming platforms and level designs. Missions can include battles, timed levels and action missions. Even though the story mode may be lacking in depth, it makes up for in unlockables. Story mode must be completed in order to unlock all of the characters. There are over 50 playable ninja – more than any previous Naruto Shippuden title.
The strong point of Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 is the graphics. The cartoon-like, anime characters and environments look tremendous on the PSP. The graphical presentations, from the menus to the fighting animations, are some of the best I have seen on the PSP. The developers did a wonderful job in detailing both the settings and the characters.
The sound is another strong area in Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3. Voice acting is second to none. In story mode, each mission is explained using some character interaction in a brief scene. The characters are presented to the game, with the voice accompanying the voice. What I really like about this part of the presentation is that the mouths of the characters do not move, so there is no distraction with voice and mouth being out of sync.
The game controls can take a few battles to master, but handle fairly well for the most part. I suggest heading over to the practice mode so you can master your skills. Some of the battles can become frustrating at times due to the character attacking in the wrong direction. This is not a huge issue, but does creep up occasionally. The major addition to the Naruto series in Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 is the addition two different four player modes. You and some friends can team up in co-op multiplayer adventure, or battle it out in 4-player-battle royal, using the online functionality in the game.
As with other fighting games, the main issue of concern is the violence. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 is animated, cartoon style fighting, no different than most Saturday morning cartoons – but fighting none the less. Also worth noting is the personality of the main character. Naruto is very arrogant and even the other characters within the game comment on his ego. This can be a great discussion starter with children, as parents will have the opportunity to discuss humility. With games of this type, another area of concern can be the wardrobe of the various characters, especially the women. The women in Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 were represented in a much better manner than most games, but there is room for improvement.
If you have a child that is interested in anime and enjoys such
cartoons, books and games, then they will find Naruto Shippuden:
Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3 enjoyable. I look forward to what is to come in
the Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes series.
- Alan
Graphics: 56%
Sound: 58%
Replay/Extras: 69%
Gameplay: 68%
Family Friendly Factor: 49%
System: Playstation Portable
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Rating: 'T' for Teen
{Cartoon Violence, Mild Language}
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