Game Boy Advance Critic Reviews

Presentation-wise, Naruto: Ninja Council looks like one of those great Super Famicom games that got left in Japan and finally made its way over to the GBA.

The adrenaline meter, however, hovers at medium until you reach the boss battles, and there's little replay value unless you're someone who can never get his fill of Naruto ninjutsu.

Naruto is simple yet fun, entertaining and true to the franchise but ultimately still just a "good" game.

The game can be beaten in one sitting if you're that kind of player, but is that enough to warrant a purchase at full price? Not really, but it surely is worth playing.

It manages to fit some of the series' feel into one of the most generic genres ever. Unfortunately, severe play issues limit its playability, and very few gamers of any age will get to enjoy some of the extras that Tomy took the time to add in.

It's much too easy, the gameplay is much too basic, and the graphics are just bad. Also it has pretty crummy unlockables for the most part, unless having a sound test feature that takes a bit of effort to get makes you happy.

It's a good reminder of everything that once was in terms of the smacking-around-everyone-and-staying-alive gameplay, but the fact is, the gameplay hasn't really aged well itself.

This game was fun for a couple hours, lasted only a few, and left me wanting to go back to watching the anime series.

A yawn-inducing game that even fans of the series will want to steer clear of. It looks nice enough, but the story is a joke, and the gameplay is as stale as month-old bread.

Multiple characters and unlockables provide some incentive to play, but only the most devoted Naruto die-hards need apply. [May 2006, p.94]