Naruto Shippuden 3D: The New Era

I can't think of a franchise with more tested fans' loyalty. Naruto Shippuden 3D: The New Era is part of many video games that trust the success of manga and anime to cover up for a set of remarkable average mechanics and uninspired gameplay. More often than not, titles behind these series have yet to deliver the excitement of the original narrative.

But then again, so few Naruto games have hit the mark and reignited enthusiasm for this anime favorite in the digital sphere. Naruto Shippuden 3D: The New Era might herald its namesake and redefine the common stereotype behind these releases. Honestly, there are doubts that a handheld game is going to be the one to change fortunes, but you never know!

A Platform for a New Era

I've never been a Naruto fanatic, though the franchise's popularity intrigues me enough to try the games. I have yet to play an utterly mind-blowing one, where all I've found are half-baked attempts to cash in on fans' loyalty. It's as much as I expect for Naruto Shippuden 3D: The New Era. The game's whole premise is leveraging the abilities of the Nintendo 3DS with a Naruto entry without much rhyme or reason.

So here we are with a platformer based around a political crisis outside of Naruto's ninja camp, where all the villages around Konoha are about to go to war. Guess who it's up to stop that from happening? It's Naruto Uzumaki himself, where the player will assume his shoes and battle through this platformer to end the Ninja Council chapter on a high note.

As expected, mechanically, the game is sloppy, uninspired, and downright dull in some parts of the game. It's a platformer that offers primary running, jumping, dashing, and collecting paired with elementary combat moves. It doesn't help because the console allows 3D visuals and gyroscope motion controls, but the game still needs to improve.

I will credit Naruto Shippuden 3D: The New Era that the narrative is the glue that prevents the game from being poor. However, the shoddy controls, bland visuals, questionable design choices, and faltering frame rates detract from the experience. It's hardly the New Era any franchise fan would want on any scale.

Back to Ninja Camp

Once again, we have an average game in Naruto Shippuden 3D: The New Era. You wonder if the series' hardcore fans are getting frustrated with this endless cycle of games that are just palatable enough to sell at AAA price. On the video game front, the franchise is taking the same tumble that Sonic the Hedgehog titles are taking, depending too much on the brand to market the games.

Round-Up - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• A narrative worthy of the Naruto series
• It makes use of the unique control scheme of the console
• Varied gameplay will retain player interest

Cons:

• Visuals are bland
• Some control mechanisms using the gyroscope are frustrating
• Low frame rates detract from the experience

Personal Rating: 5/10