Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The first few fights have a pleasingly direct Naruto-game energy. You are locked onto an opponent and work along a horizontal line much like a traditional 2D fighter, so spacing, advancing, and backing away are immediately understandable. Then sidestepping enters the picture. Being able to move out of an attack’s path gives confrontations a little more room to breathe than a purely flat fighter, and it makes reckless forward pressure less safe.

Chakra is the system that gives the action its spikes. You build the meter by attacking and taking damage, then spend it on powerful attacks that trigger short cutscenes; certain characters can also use it to morph into stronger forms. That creates a satisfying comeback possibility without making ordinary exchanges feel irrelevant. You still need to earn room to attack, but a full meter can make everyone pay attention.

Multiple opponents make target selection important rather than automatic, since you must toggle between combatants. Four-player free-for-alls and team matches should be the main draw if you have friends nearby: the format naturally benefits from sudden distractions and shifting alliances. Hazardous arena objects add another complication, while the Wiimote-and-Nunchuk hand seals are a more particular taste. They are an extra way to increase power, but the basic fighting works best when your focus stays on positioning, Chakra, and the person currently in front of you.

Graphics

The action is built around anime fighters facing off across arena stages, with a camera arrangement that keeps their horizontal movement and sidesteps legible. The short cutscenes attached to powerful Chakra attacks give those moves more flourish than standard hits, and the expanded cast means familiar faces such as Sasuke, Hinata, Choji, and Shikamaru share space with newer Shippūden characters.

Story

Story mode continues from the prior game and follows part of the Naruto Shippūden storyline. That makes this a continuation first, not a fresh entry point designed to patiently introduce every face and conflict. If you already know where the series is at, that forward momentum is a benefit.

More importantly, the mode gives the roster a Naruto-shaped context instead of leaving the game as a disconnected set of versus bouts. Fans invested in Shippūden will likely get more out of seeing this stretch adapted than someone coming in cold, because the draw is following characters they already care about.

Do not make story mode your only reason to play. Its real value is as a route through the game’s fights and the ongoing series material; the lasting reason to return is still the versus mode and its expanded lineup.

Overall Experience

EX 2 is easy to recommend to Naruto fans with access to local opponents. The larger character selection is meaningful here, not merely numerical, because the game is built for repeat matches and different team combinations. Familiar returning fighters alongside Shippūden additions give you more reasons to experiment once the fundamentals settle in.

It is less persuasive if you want a painstakingly precise, one-on-one competitive fighter. The sidestep, target toggle, hazards, and hand seals push it toward energetic multiplayer disorder as much as disciplined dueling. That can be frustrating when you want every exchange to be clean, but it is also why a four-player match can stay lively.

Give it a chance if you want Naruto combat that starts simple, opens up through Chakra management and movement, and shines in the same-room chaos of teams or free-for-alls. The payoff is strongest with friends and familiarity with Shippūden; alone, the continuing story mode carries more of the burden.

Retro Replay Score

7.4/10