Naruto Powerful Shippuden review: Chibi ninja fun

The Naruto Shippuden anime series and manga has been around for a long time and has several games to its name, but none quite like this. Based off of a spin-off series starring both Naruto and Rock Lee, Powerful Shippuden is full of just as much bombastic action as it is non-stop hilarity. Instead of an fighting game that takes place either on a 2D plane or 3D environment, the game is 2D side-scrolling beat 'em up. The game is split into two interlocking campaigns between Naruto and Lee and the action and jokes flow throughout.

Not only are all the characters and enemies drawn in an exaggerated chibi-style and constantly crack jokes during dialogue, but everyone fully realizes that they are not only in a video game, but that they are drawn in a chibi-style. This leads to several hilarious conversations, especially early in the game, referring to the fact that everything in Powerful Shippuden takes place in a video game. Instead of trying to get analytical or meta about the situation, it's purely for jokes and follows the setup through with lots of fast-paced action.

At the start of the game you're presented with the choice between playing Naruto's or Lee's missions, but you can freely switch back and forth throughout the game. Each character has the same basic controls, but the way that they actually play is quite different. Naruto is very quick and agile, with a nice repertoire of special ninjutsu attacks that can devastate enemies, while Lee is a purely physical fighter relying on slower, but more powerful attacks.

Read more on The Koalition >