You miss the GameCube Clash of Ninja days. Avoid it if: You don't own a guide and a tolerant friend group.
Even in 2010, this game looked dated. The cel-shading is clean, but character models are stiff, textures are muddy, and the framerate chugs during 4-player special attacks. Compared to Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 (released the same year), this looks like a late PS2 game.
Unlike the more grounded Storm games on PlayStation, this series thrives on 4-player free-for-alls or 2v2 tag battles. The camera pulls back, the arenas are open boxes, and the action devolves into a beautiful mess of substitution jutsu, giant fireballs, and knockback attacks. It’s the best party fighter on the Wii next to Super Smash Bros. Brawl . Download Game Naruto Shippuden Gekitou Ninja Taisen Special
(Recommended for hardcore Naruto fans; a rental for casual players) The Verdict in a Scroll Gekitou Ninja Taisen! Special is the ultimate swan song for one of the best Naruto fighting game series ever made. It’s essentially the "Smash Bros. Ultimate" of the long-running Taisen franchise, combining the entire roster from the GameCube classics with the Shippuden storyline. While it suffers from being a Japanese exclusive (requiring some menu navigation) and a few balance issues, the sheer fan service and chaotic 4-player brawling make it a hidden gem on the Wii. What’s Hot 1. The Massive Roster (The "Special" Factor) The game’s biggest selling point is its 40+ character lineup. You get the full Shippuden cast (Sage Mode Naruto, Sasuke’s Taka team, Pain, Konan) plus the entire pre-timeskip roster from the GameCube games. Want to have a dream match between Part 1 Rock Lee and 4-Tails Naruto? You can do it. The inclusion of deep cuts like Second Hokage Tobirama and Jiraiya (Sennin Mode) is a love letter to manga readers.
At a glance, it looks like a button masher. However, the Gekitou series has a surprisingly deep combo system. The "Triangle System" (Attack beats Grab, Grab beats Charge, Charge beats Attack) forces you to think. Mastering the "Substitution" meter and "Awakening" transformations requires real timing, especially in 1v1 competitive play. You miss the GameCube Clash of Ninja days
"Mission Mode" is repetitive. You’ll fight variations of the same enemies with arbitrary rules (e.g., "Win with only 10% health" or "Don’t touch the ground"). The story mode is just a series of static images with text bubbles and a fight slapped on the end. There is no open-world exploration.
Developer: Eighting Publisher: Takara Tomy Platform: Nintendo Wii (Japan Exclusive) Genre: 3D Arena Fighter The cel-shading is clean, but character models are
Each character has three unique ultimate jutsu cutscenes. The arenas (like the destroyed Konoha or the Uchiha hideout) are interactive. Even the victory poses reference specific manga panels. If you watched the Pain arc and wished you could recreate the fight perfectly, this game delivers. What’s Not 1. The Import Barrier (The Ninja Scroll Problem) This game was never released outside Japan. The menus are entirely in Japanese. While fighting is easy, navigating the "Mission Mode" (which has 100+ challenges with specific unlock conditions) requires a printed guide or a phone translator. You will be guessing on items and rules.