GENRE
	RPG
	DEVELOPER
	Tomy
	PUBLISHER
	D3 Publisher
	LOCAL WIRELESS MULTI-PLAY
	No
	Wi-Fi/GLOBAL ONLINE MULTI-PLAY
	No
	MICROPHONE
	No
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There's no shortage of games about Naruto; although the youthful ninja has appeared on most modern systems, the style of his games tends to run one direction: fighting. That being the case, it's a breath of fresh air when a game featuring the blond haired ninja takes a different turn...a turn-based turn, if you will. Drawing on the formula of classic Japanese RPGs, Naruto: Path of the Ninja recounts the first missions of Naruto's ninja career in Final Fantasy fashion.

visuals

Naruto: Path of Ninja uses the twin screens in a useful, if not entirely original, way. Character stats are kept to the top screen, while the action takes place down below. This provides a quick reference at any time, whether in combat or in the field, and keeps the lower screen free of clutter.

Aesthetically, the game resembles nothing so much as a 16-bit adventure. The sharp, thin field character models hearken back to the Phantasy Star series, although the characters appear more fully fleshed-out in combat. As always, sprite-drawn art appears sporadically throughout game events as well, punctuating jutsu attacks and special two-character team ups, enhancing the feel of the game and lending the sense of involvement with the source material.

audio

Again, much of the game borrows from 16-bit RPGs, and the music is no exception. While the score hardly pushes DS to its limits, there's no question that Naruto: Path of Ninja is chock-full of catchy, somewhat retro tunes. In particular, the battle music and victory theme are appealing, but the more staid compositions outside of combat have their charm as well.

In battle, the hiss of a thrown kunai or crack of a landed blow accompany attacks, and the TV show's English voice cast is also used sparingly to accompany certain lines or attacks; but the game is not fully-voiced by any means. Still, the gesture is enough to lend authenticity for those who've followed the show.

gameplay

Given Naruto's extensive cast of characters, it's a bit surprising that an RPG based on the series hasn't already been released. Rather than just picking one of the characters featured in the series, Path of the Ninja allows players to control up to three of the shinobi-in-training at any given time.

Developer Tomy gave players a choice of which interface to use - either the Control Pad and buttons or the touch screen. In battle, there's no question that touch control serves better, as the menu choices are represented by large, visible icons that are easily poked; but it's a toss up in the field. One knock against the game's system is the strictly limited range of motion - Naruto can only move in four directions in the field: up, down, left or right. This feels limiting when using the Control Pad, but far more confining when using the stylus to move. Considering most top-down GBA games don't have this limitation, this is clearly something that should have been fixed.

Battles are a bit more than simply choosing the attack command over and over. Combat takes place on a 4x3 grid where positioning is everything. Sticking near the front means stronger physical attacks and more damage, while healers will want to hover near the rear to avoid the frontal assault. Characters can be equipped with either melee weapons or throwing weapons, which also factors into play. In addition, the secret ninja arts used so frequently in the show can be used just as frequently in the game. Each use is accompanied by a short touch- or button-based minigame (mostly touch, which encourages the use of the stylus during combat) that can boost the strength of the technique used.

There are a couple of balancing problems in the system. Naruto and Rock Lee both level up far faster than the other characters, meaning that it's hard to have an evenly balanced team. In addition, Naruto's Shadow Clone Jutsu tends to make him powerful enough to take on nearly any opponent by himself, especially in the later parts of the game. The main quest is also very short, meaning that players will likely clock in at about twelve hours by the time the credits roll. There are hidden quests and items to find, but the game seems to almost rush through the main story. Part of the reason is there are two other Naruto RPGs on DS in Japan that continue the story, but a bit more story-based substance would be preferred.

multiplayer

N/A

overall

Naruto and the RPG genre appear to make a good fit. Despite some shortcomings, Naruto: Path of the Ninja is a worthy effort, and just might be the best portable Naruto game currently available. Enjoyable as the game is, the shortness of the quest pulls it down a bit; but Naruto fans who are also RPG fans will definitely like what they find here. A longer quest and a few extra side missions would have made this more of a must-buy, but even a couple of flaws and minor limitations can't stop Path of the Ninja from being a charming and worthy effort.

7.6/10