Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3 is the third instalment of the fighting game series Naruto: Ultimate Ninja released for the Playstation 2. The game has roughly 42 characters, giving it one of the biggest character rosters of any Naruto games. It features a new story mode, more manoeuvrability for characters, and a much larger variety of music.

Gameplay
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3 also offers a different sort of story mode from Ultimate Ninja 2. This is called the Hero's History. It replays every major fight from the beginning of the series (Naruto vs. Kakashi-the training), to the end of Part 1 (Naruto vs. Sasuke-the final battle). Although it skips a lot of dialogue and transition scenes (scenes such as the Chūnin Exams preliminaries and most of the cut-scenes that one grew accustomed to in UN 2) are completely gone. It's a good way to get 'quick action' in the game for those who get bored easily of the endless tirade of cut-scenes in UN 2, and it is a good way to get a lot of unlockable characters.

Another interesting feature is called the Ultimate Path (Ultimate Contest in English version). This is an RPG style part of the game, which allows you to go on missions and unlock several characters, as well as learn different jutsu. Before you can do this, however, you have to enter into a tournament in which you need to defeat many characters in order to get their crystals. After this is done, you can roam freely and level up different characters which you have unlocked.

Playable Characters
Parenthesis indicate character's Awakening Mode or Summoning Mode.

Trivia

 * There was an OVA special of this game's crystal competition mode used to help promote the game.
 * In a fight with you as Anko and Orochimaru as your opponent, Anko will go into Stage 1 of Cursed Seal of Heaven if the Ultimate Jutsu, Twin Snakes Mutual Death Technique, is successful.
 * Have a saved game from Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2 on your memory card to when starting a new game. A confirmation message will appear on the blank screen just before the loading screen and main menu appears, stating that you have earned 607 Ninja Info Cards and 50,000 ryō.