Good news for Naruto fans. Bandai today finally revealed that they'll be releasing the first of CyberConnect's Super Smash Bros.-style cel-shaded fighting game Naruto: Narultimate Hero for PlayStation 2 in North America in the first quarter of 2006. Already one of the most popular series on the Cartoon Network, Naruto is an enormous hit in Japan, and is the one true heir to the Dragon Ball throne, due to its deep storyline, fast action, engaging characters, well-written storyline, and excellent art. "The Naruto series has proven to be wildly popular in Japan, inspiring over 28 volumes of graphic novels and 113 episodes of the anime," said Naruo Uchida, Vice President of Bandai Games Inc. "Gauging from American fan requests, websites, and cosplayers dedicated to the series, we are confident that an enthusiastic reception awaits Naruto: Narutimate Hero in the United States." Developed by CyberConnect, the guys behind such awesome action titles like Silent Bomber (PS1), Tail Concerto (PS1), the .Hack RPG series (PS2), and the upcoming .HACK//G.U. (PS2) and Phantasy Star Online-like .hack//fragment (PS2), Naruto: Narultimate Hero offers some of the best-looking, cel-shaded beat 'em up action on the PlayStation 2. If you like Super Smash brothers, you'll be right at home with this game. With 14 playable characters, four different play modes, and tons of unlockables, Naruto: Narultimate Hero is a Naruto fan's dream come true. While CyberConnect recently announced the third volume in the series in Japan, the first game keeps things current with the animated series (in terms of character development) and is a fantastic starting point for U.S. gamers.
