The Clash of Ninja series has already experienced a large amount of success in Japan, where it is known as Gekitou Ninja Taisen! Many fans of the series went ahead and imported it a while ago. Planet GameCube also published reviews of this title, the third game, and the fourth game in the series. I didn't get into the series until it debuted in English on Cartoon Network. I haven't watched the Japanese version of the anime at all. How does this game feel to a true fan of the English version of the anime? It's a lot of fun.

Underneath the Naruto license is a solid 3D fighting engine. Interestingly, the control stick works as it would in a 2D fighter. Because 'up' makes your character jump and 'down' is used to make your character attack low, the stick can't be used to move in the 3D space. Instead, the L and R buttons work to sidestep in the arena. This action of sidestepping is used frequently to counter attacks by an opponent, which, along with defensive moves in general, plays an incredibly important role in this game. Matches between skilled opponents often come down to who breaks defenses first and executes a devastating combo. Besides sidestepping, characters will also block when the controller is idle. When playing against rookies, you can actually set the controller down and laugh at them while your character blocks everything they dish out.

Special moves are facilitated by a chakra meter that fills up as you attack others or get attacked. There are two main levels, half filled and completely filled. As long as it is at least halfway filled, you can perform a substitution jutsu. This is done by pushing the L or R button while being attacked. Instead of sidestepping, your character will disappear and reappear behind your opponent with an attack. The move is essential for breaking combos as it works even when your character is being juggled in the air. Using it completely empties your chakra meter regardless of how full it was. Therefore, you have to avoid using the substitution jutsu if you are trying to fill your meter up. This makes the button choice somewhat frustrating, as a poorly timed sidestep attempt could result in an empty chakra meter. Having a full chakra meter allows you to hit the X button and perform that character’s special attacks. These attacks play out as cut scenes that represent each individual's special talents from the series.

There are several single player modes in the game, but each revolves around the same match style. In story mode matches are separated by rather lame audio based cut scenes. Standard mode has you fighting a set list of opponents while going for the highest score possible. Timed mode goes through the same list of opponents, only now you try and defeat them as fast as possible. Survival mode has you fighting one-round matches for as long as possible. Your health is not replenished completely between matches. All of these modes offer some variety, but they are all essentially the same thing. Luckily, there are a few unlockable modes that change things up a bit.

Like any good fighter should, Clash of Ninja 2 supports two player fights. Unlike most other games in the genre though, it also supports four player fights. This is facilitated by a targeting system. Each character in the fight has an arrow at his feet that points toward the person he is fighting. Pressing the Z button switches to another target. While this works well given the engine, it can cause players to get pummeled from behind by a player they aren’t targeting. It is very hard to switch targets and counter the attack. During the fight, the camera dynamically zooms in a similar fashion to Super Smash Bros. Melee. The need to follow more than just two characters can often confuse what is left and right on the control stick. This can cause characters to react unexpectedly when trying to move them on the screen. Those slight issues aside, the multiplayer is still a riot to play, especially when each person involved is a fan of the series.

The game sports plenty of unlockable content as well. New features, characters, etc. can be purchased from a shop for money. This money is earned in every mode in the game. As long as you enjoy the game, you will make the money you need to unlock all of the interesting things.

The game features bright cel-shaded graphics. Backgrounds are mostly beautiful and atmospheric. Subtle animations like falling cherry blossoms really add to the ninja feel of the title. Characters look good, but the outlines disappear when looking at them from some angles. These flaws are easily made up for by the near perfect animations. One of the charms of the series is that each character has their own ninja style. The animators for the game carried this feel over flawlessly.

Love it or hate it, the audio quality is identical to that of the series. Each voice actor recorded dozens of sound clips. Characters react differently depending on who they are fighting. Personalities match the anime perfectly. Everything would be great if the characters didn’t say the exact same thing every time they do a substitution jutsu. If I have to hear Naruto say “Over here!" one more time, I may scream.

Overall the game is a ton of fun and it is hitting the Cube at a time when there isn’t much competition. Fans of fighters, Naruto, or both should really think about picking it up. With the Cube down to its last month of active releases, the highly rated Japanese sequels may never see the light of day in North America. Don’t let this one go.