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We have Naruto figurines. You want to win them
Update: Thanks for everyone that participated! The first twelve winners will be contacted via e-mail.Namco Bandai's upcoming PSP-exclusive fighter, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2, is finally coming out in two weeks. Maybe you weren't able to secure one of these figurines for yourself by pre-ordering the game. Don't fret! The first twelve people to e-mail will the subject line "Naruto figures" with their name, age, address and telephone number will get one of these figures absolutely free. Not a bad deal, huh?Once again, you must be a US resident, 18 years or older, to be eligible for this giveaway. Good luck!
Play Naruto: Path of the Ninja 2 in French
Tomy confirmed with Siliconera that there are no plans to localize Naruto RPG 2: Chidori vs. Rasengan. As you may or may not remember, Path of the Ninja 2 is actually a localization of the third game in the Naruto RPG series, Reijuu vs Konoha Shoutai.Skipping a game in the series is definitely a bummer, but on an unrelated note, Tomy has also added an odd feature to Path of the Ninja 2 -- the ability to play in French. Perhaps this is an indication of one of Naruto's biggest markets. Now, people in France will have an easier time importing the game, and French-speaking Canadians can choose the language they feel more comfortable with. While strange, we wouldn't begrudge these groups the pleasure of being catered to.Siliconera revealed some more details as well, including the fact that people with the North American version of the game won't be able to battle those with Japanese copies. Spencer Yip speculates that this is a good thing, since Japanese gamers will be more apt at the game with their experience, but we're sure some of you Naruto hardcores won't be happy with this development. Gallery: Naruto: Path of the Ninja 2
'Jutsu' you don't forget, here's four more Naruto Heroes 2 vids
Yesterday, we posted vids of Naurto's and Sakura's Ultimate Jutsu attacks from Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2. Today, witness four more characters and their Ultimate Jutsu attacks: Clone, Choji, Hinata, and Gaara. The character in the clip above is Gaara. See the rest of the characters and their special cinematic techniques after the break.
New Naruto Heroes 2 vids are 'Jutsu' beautiful
Excited for more Naruto? Perhaps you'll want to take a look at these two new vids of Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2. These vids showcase the ultimate Jutsu attacks for both Naruto and Sakura. IGN, where these clips originally came from, plans on taking a look at all the other characters and their Jutsu attacks in upcoming updates this month. So look out for that, check out the second clip after the break, and look forward to the game coming out this month on June 24 in North America. Don't forget about that pre-order bonus folks.
Naruto: Clash of the sequel
Tomy continues to dish out Naruto games faster than you can blink, this time promising a Clash of Ninja Revolution sequel for the Wii. Although the odds of a sequel were likely, news of the game was recently confirmed in the latest issue of Shonen Jump. Developer 8ing promises that the fighting game will have even more characters than before, including Choji and Kiba. Is there anyone else that you Naruto fans are hoping will make an appearance?Shonen Jump also reports that there will be destructible and explosive objects added in to make the fights more interesting, as seen in Naruto Shippuuden: Gekitou Ninja Taisen EX2. Furthermore, the westernized version will have exclusive story elements and environments not seen in the Japanese game.The only other news we have on Clash 2 for now is that it will support multiple control schemes, including the GameCube and Classic controllers.[Via Siliconera]
Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 5/5-5/11
There's no new DS software in the top of the charts to report this week, but that doesn't mean Nintendo's little handheld didn't completely clean house. In fact, nineteen of the top thirty were DS games, showing how gluttonous the dual-screened portable can get when it comes to sales. Some old favorites also popped back up around the bottom, including Brain Age 2, Animal Crossing, and the original Taiko Drum Master DS.Hardware continues to be a struggle, though. That doesn't mean the DS is doing poorly, because it's not; sales for the handheld even jumped up almost 10,000 units since last week. However, since the PSP and Wii have been doing so well lately, it's hard for Nintendo's handheld to compete: PSP: 89,884 Wii: 67,308 Nintendo DS: 51,228 PlayStation 3: 8,054 PlayStation 2: 7,464 Xbox 360: 1,298 We have no doubt that the DS will be on top again soon enough, but until then, you can check out the satisfactory software numbers posted after the break.
Pre-order Naruto Heroes 2, get bonus figurine
If you're planning to pick up Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2 on its June 24 release in North America, then make sure you put down a pre-order ahead of time. Why do that? Well, don't you want to snag for yourself a free figurine? You could be eligible to win one of these six figurines pictured above. There is one catch though; you'll have to do slightly more than just pre-order.To get your figurine you'll have to register as a member of Hokage's Room -- the official Naruto website. Then you'll have to join a special "pre-order mission." If you've pre-ordered on GameStop's online store you could also win one out of ten Naruto PSP skins in addition to a guaranteed figurine. This all sounds a little too much like a hassle, if you ask us. Anyway, if you're really interested make sure you check out the full details over at Hokage's Room.
Tomy passes over Naruto RPG 2 localization in favor of Naruto RPG 3
After yesterday's news of Naruto: Path of the Ninja 2 heading to the DS, most bloggers and gamers alike speculated that it was a localization of Naruto RPG 2: Chidori vs. Rasengan. Thanks to Siliconera's astute readers, though, this was soon cleared up.As it turns out, the game is actually the English version of Naruto RPG 3: Reijuu vs. Konoha Shoutai. Siliconera's commenters noticed that the screens were actually from the third Japanese RPG in the series, and then Spencer Yip confirmed the facts with a representative from Tomy.Are any of you Naruto fans upset by Tomy and D3's decision to skip over the second game? If so, vent your frustrations in the comments -- that's what they're here for.%Gallery-22877%
Naruto takes another path
Ninja-loving RPG gamers, take note: Naruto: Path of the Ninja 2, a sequel to the game released in North Amerca last October, is heading to Nintendo's handheld. D3 and Tomy announced the title today, which Siliconera rationally speculates is a localization of Naruto RPG 2: Chidori vs. Rasengan. Even so, the North American version will have the added feature of online play via Wi-Fi. This will involve some type of multiplayer battling, which will most likely be turn-based. Path of the Ninja 2 will also include thirty playable characters from the anime and manga.Naruto fans can expect to get their RPG on again this September.%Gallery-22877%[Via press release]
Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 4/28-5/4
We realized today that we don't know Japan as well as we thought we did. With our reasoning, a new Gundam game + the popularity of the DS = cha-ching. While the debuting Emblem of Gundam had decent sales for its first week, though, taking the twelfth spot isn't all that impressive -- especially since there was only one new release cluttering up the top ten. On the other hand, We're Fossil Diggers, Pokemon Ranger, and the Taiko Drum Master DS sequel continued to shine, giving the DS a nice piece of top ten representation. Batonnage managed to reach the half-million mark, while the other two games neared 100,000 copies sold.For hardware, DS numbers went up since last week, but the handheld is still convincingly behind the PSP and Wii in recent sales. If you want to see the numbers, though, just click past the break. You can check out the software listings there, too.
Deep-voiced narrator takes us through new Naruto trailer
For some reason, we're incredibly amused by this announcer's voice. There's something incredibly clashing about having such a deep-voiced narrator talk about the brand new jitsus of this Naruto game. It may not have a significant number of bells and whistles over last year's offering -- but it'll most likely be a decent addition to a genre that's sorely lacking on PSP.
Another Week in Japan: Hardware and software numbers 4/21-4/27
Not only did the PSP gain momentum with the hideous brown, er, we mean shiny bronze model that released in Japan last week, but the Wii also beat out its portable cousin, sending the DS to third place in hardware sales: PSP: 92,411 Wii: 48,796 Nintendo DS: 42,435 PlayStation 3: 9,107 PlayStation 2: 7,108 Xbox 360: 1,283 DS software fared better, though, with two new releases gracing the coveted top ten. Taiko Drum Master: 7 Islands' Adventure was the shining star of the week, reaching almost 56,000 sales. Summon Night gets an honorary mention, though, as it debuted in the fifth spot.To check out the other new releases and software placings, just keep on reading ... forever.
European Naruto Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2 release set for July
No doubt Europeans have been following our recent Naruto Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2 coverage with frustrated anticipation. "That's all very well, but when's it coming out?" Atari has announced that Europeans can get their hands on the game in July -- a month after its release in America. Importing is obviously an option, if you're impatient for that extra month of play time. Be sure to check out our hands-on preview of the game from New York ComiCon for more info on the game.[Via press release]
PSP Fanboy hands-on: Naruto Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2
If you haven't read our other hands-on previews over at PS3 Fanboy, then you wouldn't have known that we were at the NY Comic Con this past weekend. On the PSP side of things we got some quality time in with Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2 which was one of the big draws over at Bandai Namco Games' booth.We of course wanted to try out the all-new Mugenjo story mode, but the demo at Bandai Namco's kiosks didn't have the mode completely ready for play. We did dive into it anyway, and while gameplay wasn't ready, the story was already fully dubbed and can be listened to. The English voice acting was pretty much spot on with those from the anime. One very interesting thing about the voice acting is the option for Japanese audio. If you're an anime elitist who can't stand listening to English dub, this is for you. %Gallery-16526%
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm coming to PlayStation 3
Click to embiggen Namco Bandai has announced that the Naruto series is coming to the PlayStation 3 in the form of Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm. According to the press release, the game features a 25-character roster, two-player head-to-head combat and a single-player mode that promises open-world exploration and "more than 100 unique missions."We thought about going the standard route with Naruto game announcements and noting the lack of quality in most-to-all games based on anime series, but we'll admit the trailer had some doubting that for a second -- it actually looks better than the series itself. Still, gameplay is the ultimate decider, not to mention Storm would have a hard time breaking our "anime games" stigma.Trailer embedded after the break. Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm is expected in Q4.%Gallery-20737%[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm features 25 characters, three-man tag teams
Click for high-resolution image. Naruto has been the talk of the town -- well, at least the town comprised of the "video game community." Namco Bandai's PS3-exclusive fighter looks like no other anime game out there, but it wants to offer more than just pretty looks.Fights will now take place on "multi-dimensional" battle grounds, each with unique characteristics. Like in the PSP Ultimate Ninja Heroes games, players can choose up to three characters for tag-team opportunities. The story mode will feature a total of one hundred missions, reliving the events up to the Sasuke Retrieval arc.The game supports up to two players and is planned for a Q4 release later this year. With 25 "fully transformable warriors" featured in Storm, we're certain that this is the Naruto game fans have been dreaming about. Check out direct-feed high-def screenshots in our new gallery:%Gallery-20717%
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2 to feature over 20 characters
Click for full resolution image. The biggest addition to this year's Ultimate Ninja Heroes game must be the new story mode. According to a new press release from Namco Bandai's latest Naruto event, "A mysterious flying fortress descends upon the Hidden Leaf Village! It is up to you to battle through the each floor of the massive fortress to unfold the hidden plot!" There are over a hundred floors to explore, each with its own challenges, events, battles and quizzes.Over twenty characters are promised to appear in this PSP-exclusive sequel, and like last year's offering, this too will offer the often underused Game Sharing feature, so that you can play against a friend with just one UMD. Nice!Check out brand new images in our updated gallery here. Then, click after the cut to see a new video.%Gallery-16526%
Take a sneak peek at Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm website
If you saw the trailer for Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm, then you may have seen the link to the official website at the very bottom of the screen. Those of you who were eager enough for more Naruto may have followed the link and noticed that there was nothing but a countdown timer greeting you (seriously, countdown timers are all the rage now). However, if you're reading this right now, that timer has already ran out and you can now access the website. When you arrive at the website, it'll ask you to input a password that comes in the form of a little puzzle. For those of you who are true Naruto fans, you should know the answer. Those who are not and just want to check it out, you can highlight this text if you're stumped: [Tiger Tiger Dragon]. At the site, there are some extra screenshots to gawk at and more information on the game to digest. Head on over there right now.[Thanks Bernardo G.!]
New Naruto almost 'exact same game' as previous, features Japanese voice acting
The upcoming Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2 for PSP is coming out just a year after its predecessor. Can a game get significant improvements in such a short time frame? Looks like the answer is "no," if IGN's hands-on is to be believed. According to their preview, "if you played the first Ultimate Ninja Heroes, this appears to be the exact same game from what we've seen." In fact, "a few modes appear to have been removed."There are a few noteworthy additions, however. The biggest draw must be the new story mode "Mujengo." The titular Phantom Fortress is what's at the heart of this non-canonical side story. For hardcore Naruto fans, the inclusion of a Japanese language track will certainly come as good news -- but will the almost untouched gameplay hinder the experience? Let's hope Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2 isn't pulling a Ridge Racer.%Gallery-16526%
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm trailer proves its worth
When images of Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm appeared a few days ago, many doubted the authenticity of the shots. The quality of cel-shading was so superb, that many called "bullshot" on the images. Well, looks like CyberConnect really is working miracles on the PS3. This Sony-exclusive fighter looks absolutely riveting, and the first trailer (watch it in HD!) certainly proves it has some powerful tech behind it. Doesn't this look more vivid than the animation found in the anime's first season?The trailer promises that "the line between the Naruto TV animation and gaming will truly disappear." Would you agree? For more Naruto, check out the mysterious official site. When it launches, you will need to know this: Tiger Tiger Dragon. [Thanks, Jason!]
