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GBA | Action | Naruto: Ninja Council

Publisher: D3 Publisher
Developer: ARC Systems
Release Date: 03/15/2006
Genre: Action
Number of Players: 1
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10 and Older
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6 screen shots

GRAPHICS: 4.0
SOUND: 3.5
CONTROL: 3.5
FUN FACTOR 4.0
AVG USER SCORE 3.5
AVG CRITIC SCORE 4.0

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Review: NARUTO: Ninja Council

Review by Slo Mo | 03/01/2006 | 16:08:21 PM PST

If you like Naruto, you'll like Ninja Council. If you don't...you still might like Ninja Council.

Naruto fans are best served by Naruto: Ninja Council's action-platform gameplay, but aficionados of old-school, 2D, action/adventure, button-mashers will also find something to perk about, too.

Ninja Council has all the tried-and-true elements of side-view beat-em-ups down, including some standard issue slithering snakes and dive-bombing buzzards. Jam on the B button like a mad man to toss furious fists and feet, or hit A to launch shurikens or energy balls. The basic attacks are so simple you can't go wrong, but unleashing the specials (called jutsu) requires timing that adds a nice bit of tactical thinking during heavy-hitting boss fights.

You can play as either Naruto (our star) or Sasuke Uchida (his rival). The gameplay graphics feature good details that are right in tune with the TV show, especially when key characters show up for cool close-ups, seemingly to remind you that this is a Naruto game, after all. Fans get some extra love in the form of some great, Naruto-style visual fireworks, whenever Naruto or a boss fires up a jutsu. Too bad, the audio is limited to standard issue GBA effects.

If you need to have your Naruto to go, Ninja Council is a nice little taste. If you crave, a nostalgic trip down 2D side-view memory lane, this is the action/adventure equivalent of fast food. The adrenaline meter, however, hovers at medium until you reach the boss battles, and there's little replay value unless you're someone who can never get his fill of Naruto ninjutsu.