Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2 , known in Japan as Naruto: Narutimate Hero 2 ( ＮＡＲＵＴＯ-ナルト- ナルティメットヒーロー2 , Naruto: Narutimetto Hīrō 2 ), is the second instalment of the fighting game series Naruto: Ultimate Ninja released for the PlayStation 2 .

## Gameplay [ ]

It features a similar gameplay experience to Naruto: Ultimate Ninja , featuring many of the same gameplay elements and geography. And a notable number of changes have occurred:

- The match start now involves the characters sliding back from each other via the clash effect with no damage received, unlike the prior game where they leap back instead.
- All characters now have basic combo string finishers in all four directions (forward, upward, downward and backward), with one of the four for some characters being guard break attacks apart from the downward single-direction combo. Meanwhile, the jutsu/chakra techniques that were performed as combo finishers are now done with upx2 + attack instead.
- Upwards ground-to-air attacks that produce enough airtime for the user can now be acted out of with air actions during the falling period, whereas the previous game did not allow for any other air actions other than slight drifting adjustment.
- Knockback/knockdown effects have been re-tuned somewhat.
- All characters can now air throw, which is simply done the same way (back + attack within a certain distance of the opponent) only now done in the air.
- Throws in general however (especially for the new characters), may or may not side-switch, as well as having more varied hit effects rather than simply doing a horizontal knockdown.
- Characters' downwards midair string starters when not affected by backwards aerial drift momentum, cause them to dive down at a faster speed than in the previous instalment.
- More characters now have access to special states after their connected Secret Skills/Techniques, while others instead have an instant special state done from merely performing their Secret Skill without any starting blow and/or cinematic (such as Kabuto, Shizune, and Taijutsu Naruto). Secret Skills during these states are all disabled until they wear off.
- Some Jutsu/Chakra Techniques (done from either upx2 + attack or downx2 + attack) can now be charged up for slightly increased damage and/or increased effect, as well as other forms of interaction.
- Ninja tools fly in a straight path directly from the thrower, as opposed to flying forward from the side of the thrower.
- On-field items are re-tweaked somewhat.

The game also features an RPG-esque story mode, the first half from the series, the second being an added story arc that takes place between the Search for Tsunade and the Sasuke Recovery Mission . In this arc, Orochimaru has Kabuto use a technique called the Forbidden Technique: Gedō Seal to seal Kakashi's Sharingan. Orochimaru then starts his second invasion on Konoha and uses Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation to revive Zabuza Momochi, Haku, and the Third Hokage. It features 31 playable characters in the Japanese version.

## Playable Characters [ ]

Parenthesis indicate a character's Awakening Mode.

- Naruto Uzumaki ( Nine-Tails Mode ), also playable in a Nine Tailed Fox form, also playable with a taijutsu outfit)
- Sasuke Uchiha ( Sharingan Mode , also playable with a Curse Mark Mode )
- Sakura Haruno (Ultimate Mode)
- Shikamaru Nara (Ultimate Mode)
- Ino Yamanaka (Ultimate Mode)
- Chōji Akimichi ( Expansion Mode )
- Kiba Inuzuka (Ultimate Mode)
- Shino Aburame (Ultimate Mode)
- Hinata Hyūga ( Byakugan Mode ), also playable in an "awakened" form)
- Gaara (Ultimate Mode)
- Temari (Ultimate Mode)
- Kankurō (Ultimate Mode)
- Rock Lee ( Eight Gates Mode )
- Neji Hyūga ( Byakugan Mode )
- Tenten (Ultimate Mode)
- Kakashi Hatake ( Sharingan Mode ), also playable with an Anbu outfit)
- Might Guy ( Eight Gates Mode )
- Shizune (Ultimate Mode)
- Third Hokage (Ultimate Mode)
- Jiraiya (Ultimate Mode)
- Orochimaru (also playable with Sealed Arms )
- Tsunade ( Regeneration Mode )
- Itachi Uchiha ( Tsukuyomi Mode )
- Kisame Hoshigaki ( Shark Skin Mode )
- Kabuto Yakushi (Ultimate Mode)
- Zabuza Momochi (Ultimate Mode)
- Haku (Ultimate Mode)
- Dotō Kazahana

## Support-Only Characters [ ]

- Asuma Sarutobi
- Iruka Umino
- Sakon and Ukon
- Tayuya
- Kidōmaru
- Jirōbō
- Nadare Rōga
- Mizore Fuyukuma
- Fubuki Kakuyoku

## Trivia [ ]

- Should one begin a new game using a memory card that has a Naruto: Ultimate Ninja save file, the player will receive 340 Ninja Info Cards and 50,000 ryō as bonus.
- The European version of the game includes the option to switch to Japanese voices, while the USA version does not.
- Naruto encounters the inner version of himself in the game, similar to Dark Naruto, shown nearly eight years later in the series.
- This also applies to versions of Haku and Zabuza revived through the Impure World Reincarnation , predating the Fourth Shinobi World War .
- Depending on who they fight, characters have special intro and win phrases against certain opponents, such as Naruto vs. Sasuke. This was not featured in the first game.
- Many reviews had criticised the massive difficulty level of harder CPU levels in the game and that some of the controls, such as timing substitution jutsus, were nearly impossible, as compared to its prequel.
- In the localisation, there exists a dialogue translation error from Kakashi during Sasuke's Level 3 Secret Technique extension, explaining about Sasuke's limits possibly killing him if he exceeds in usage of the Chidori; the error instead has Kakashi state outright "he will kill Sasuke if Sasuke pushes himself too hard".
- Nine-Tailed Naruto in this game reuses assets from Naruto's moveset in the prior instalment, such as his combos and his moves' input schemes (as normal Naruto uses a revamped moveset with new animations).
- Also in this game, Nine-Tailed Naruto is able to perform the Food Cart Destroyer Technique with a different name.
- Dotō Kazahana and the stages related to him are not available in the localised versions due to the first Naruto movie not being dubbed in English at that time, though the theme song used for the said stages is still kept in both versions as Haku's battle theme in the story mode.
- Likewise, the ability to obtain the secret scrolls in those stages is:
- Snowfield: Destroy 10 dummy dolls.
- Rainbow Wall: Hit the opposing support character 5 times.

## External Links [ ]

- Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2 official website
- Naruto: Narutimate Hero 2 official website (Japanese)