I’ve only been half paying attention to the licensed anime titles coming out of Japan lately. I mean, after hearing about the 1000thDragon Ball Ziteration, it’s quite easy to lose interest. But this newNarutogame for 3DS has caught my eye for a number of reasons.
Naruto SD: Powerful Shippudenis based on the look of the recentNarutoanime spin-offNaruto SD: Rock Lee no Seishun Full-Power Ninden, which translates to “Rock Lee’s Springtime of Youth Full Power Ninja Chronicles.” As the name implies, the show stars the hot-blooded martial artist character Rock Lee, relegating Naruto to a supporting role. While the series proper is filled with the kind of action and drama you’d expect in your typical shonen series,Naruto SDis a purely comedic show with an adorable (yet sometimes creepy) super-deformed art style. Surprisingly, it’s quite entertaining, at least for fans who appreciate the Narutoverse’s inherent humor.
Powerful Shippudenmaintains the show’s SD look via detailed sprites and fluid animation, which I think look much better than the slightly robotic graphics of the recent HD releases. On top of that is the knowledge that the game is being developed by Inti Creates, the company best known for theMega Man ZeroandZXseries as well asMega Man 9and10. Put it all together and you’ve got at least one guy over here looking forward to some ninja brawling action with a bit of cross-dressing tossed in the mix.
Naruto SD: Powerful Shippudencomes out this year in Japan. Hopefully, it finds its way out West.
