TheNarutofranchise is still alive and well through its sequel seriesBorutoand various ongoing adaptations. Masashi Kishimoto’s magical ninja work has spawned plenty of games that take varying approaches, with one of the best-known being theUltimate Ninja Stormseries by CyberConnect2. Beginning during the PS3 era, these titles represent some of the most ambitious adaptations of a Shonen Jump property t-date, leading to CyberConnect2 being tapped for a similar project withDragon Ball Z: Kakarot.Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3is celebrating its 10th anniversary today.
This series has entered the public consciousness once again through the announcement ofNaruto X Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, which will bring together the four numberedUltimate Ninja Stormtitles alongside some extra content that tells the entireNarutostory - with additionalBorutocontent. How these games are going to be put together isn’t yet known, but they are all worth experiencing again with modern touch-ups. Despite being wedged into the middle of the series' overarching plot,Ultimate Ninja Storm 3has many unique attributes that push it above the rest.
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Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 Was an Odd Middle Child
WhereasUltimate Ninja Storm 1covers all of pre-time skipNarutoandUltimate Ninja Storm 2covers the entire Akatsuki arc up to the end of the Pain fight, the third entrydoesn’t have a clear endpoint. It startsjust before the Fourth Great Ninja War, and ends after all the enemy leaders are fought directly. This non-canon ending was a surprise to fans, but between the fights against Tobi and Madara and the Full Burst DLC’s battle against Kabuto, it wraps up handily
For better and worse, CyberConnect2’sNaruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 3is the only entry in the series surrounded on both sides by filler spin-offs. These iterated on the mechanics, but also served tofill an annualNarutogame slotwithout spending too much time and money. It was these games that allowedNinja Storm 3and4to adapt as much material as they did, and the benefits of following a half-step game are clear.Ninja Storm 3’s return to the format of the other numbered games was celebrated, and what was accomplished felt more impactful.
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The Great Ninja War Was Brought To Life In Ultimate Ninja Storm 3
Ultimate Ninja Storm 3pulls off its awkward situation through a number of smart additions. Its most triumphant decision was topush everything in this era ofNarutoas far as it could go, starting with a flashback of the Nine-Tails invading Hidden Leaf Village to introduce a new type of battle where players lead groups of characters against one overwhelming foe. This increased scale worked perfectly withUltimate Ninja Storm’s cinematic boss fights, and served as a good counterpart to another addition: Mob battles and hack-and-slash levels.
The biggest complaint that critics had with these battle styles is that there weren’t enough of them, as these served as great alternatives toUltimate Ninja Storm’s usual arena fighter duels. They meshed perfectly with the war setting, and prompted the introduction of many unique minibosses, some of which never became playable characters. With adventure fields and their associated content coexisting alongside the story, as well as a new Ultimate Decision feature offering harder versions of some fights, there was a ton of replay value packed intoUltimate Ninja Storm 3.
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 Tried Lots of New Things
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3was also special because of its finer details. In terms of mechanics, the biggest change inNinja Storm 3affected the universal Awakening super mode. Normally accessible at low health, this entry added an Instant Awakening that rapidly lowered the player’s maximum Chakra. This was meta-defining, and alongside a lack of any truly overpowered characters, the competitive scene offers enough of a reason for high-level players to return to this installment. Breakable objects and ring-outs were also added, but since they were only in specific stages, Instant Awakening took the spotlight.
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3succeeded because it built upon what past installments have done, while avoiding the missteps of later entries. It kept the merged adventure and fighting game elements in its story mode, which4had to separate due to narrative incompatibility. It may not have thetag fighting mechanics ofUNS4, but it did offer player expression and strategic options through refined Chakra mechanics and Instant Awakening.
With the best-looking and feeling gameplay up to that point, it’s no wonder whyNaruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3still sees play. It arguably laid the groundwork for its sequel’s true tag system with its Rally team combo mechanic, which helped that game build a unique identity as well.No otherUltimate Ninja Stormis quite like this third numbered entry, so hopefullyNaruto X Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connectionscan emphasize the title’s raw ambition coming off this anniversary.
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3is available on PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
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