Naruto is one of the most prolific names in gaming and anime. The show has surpassed the 100-episode mark, and games based on the series have been created by several different developers and released by at least three different publishers. Every time you turn around a new Naruto game is announced. Contrary to anime traits, most of them are actually worth playing.

Naruto: Ninja Destiny comes to the Nintendo DS as the first 3D fighter in the series, and one of the few 3D fighters available on a handheld. The difference between 2D and 3D fighting games is rarely massive – outside of the graphics and a sidestep move, you won't notice a great difference here. But the screenshots don't do the game justice. Each of the 16-playable characters are coated in gorgeous cel-shaded details – the kinds of details you would have expected to find on GameCube, not on Nintendo 64, whose graphics architecture is closer to the DS than any other console. Their animations are nearly as smooth as Tekken, the frame rate stays high throughout most of the battles, and their attacks look really good.

Keeping with the theme of matching Tekken's beauty, combat unfolds on one of eight flat environments. The backgrounds are comprised of simple, moderately attractive 2D artwork, while the ground/floor spins with character movement just like the Namco-created hit.

Graphics are far from everything, but these components are necessary for every fighting game before great mechanics can be implemented. For Ninja Destiny, that meant creating a fighter that was on par with other 3D, polygon-driven winners – namely Tekken and Virtua Fighter. Hence the usage of numerous Tekken-style attack animations and just two attack buttons, a feature previously seen in Virtua Fighter even though its competitors used four, five or six.

Evasive moves are performed with a quick tap of the D-pad (up or down), while jumps are tied to the X button. Special attacks – those unleashed with the power of Chakra, an energy force gained by attacking and by being attacked – are triggered with the A button. Players will block with the right shoulder button and teleport with the left. But be warned: teleporting eats Chakra like a sumo wrestler at an all-you-can-eat buffet.

 
In addition to the 16 playable characters, Naruto: Ninja Destiny has eight environments to choose from.

Die-hard fighting fans have heard these descriptions before, since many of the genre’s winners and losers have similar command schemes. The results, however, are not as predictable. Most fighting games didn't survive past the 90s, and for good reason. Ninja Destiny's fate should be much brighter, a fact you can credit to its impressive speed and instantaneous likeability. The game seems a little cheap at first with AI opponents that love to repeatedly pound on weak flesh. But the experience is quick and aggressive. You don't simply walk up to opponents and dial a combo. You've gotta charge in fist-first and be ready to block, evade, or teleport to safety should your opponent be prepared for that assault.

Buttons and overall fighter movement are fast and responsive, letting players attack and react with stellar precision. Each character is equipped with one or two jump attacks, some of which fall into the realm of long-distance defending. When Naruto jumps into the air, tap the B button to unleash a projectile assault. This move is superbly executed – there aren't any hints of stiffness, nor any point at which the game holds back.

 
The touch screen icons represent power-ups that can be used
to replenish energy and enhance your character.

The non-projectile aerial moves also work really well and again fall into different categories. One mirrors the leaping body-pounding move found in Virtua Fighter. Your warrior jumps into the air and, when guided toward your opponent, will land with a charging fist, knee or kick that causes a fair amount of damage. The other is a diving kick move that could've come from Street Fighter.

Naruto fans will no doubt be pleased by the fighter lineup, the combat, and cel-shaded character designs. The story isn't as technically advanced as in Code Lyoko, which features a surprising amount of anime sequences and voice-overs. The only voice-overs you'll hear in this game are found on the battlefield (mostly screams, grunts and whatnot, in addition to the few words spoken when you select your character), leaving text as the only form of story development. Pretty basic stuff.

Multiplayer is offline-only and requires two game cards, the standard for most third-party DS games. For most Naruto and/or casual fighting fans, the cost of obtaining a copy of the game is well worth the single and multiplayer entertainment.

But there is concern over Ninja Destiny's long-term replay value with hardcore fighting fans. As someone that grew up with arcade fighting games, I love nothing more than a fighter that requires a great deal of time to master. The joy of mastering a hard-to-perform move is unrivaled by any other gameplay experience. At least, that's how a hardcore fighting fan feels, which is why they may not be satisfied with Ninja Destiny's two-button combos. They're fun but limited. You can only push Y and B buttons so many times before it's cakewalk easy.

Gameplay: 7.9
Great mainstream-friendly combat with 16 warriors: Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi, Rock Lee, Shikamaru, Neji, Gaara, Temari, Might Guy, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru, Itachi, Nine-Tailed Naruto, and Sasuke Second State.

Graphics: 8.3
Impressive cel-shading effects, silky-smooth animations, and a steady frame rate make Naruto: Ninja Destiny one of the DS’s best-looking fighting games. But it’s not perfect: facial detail is limited, and when two players (or the player and CPU) pick the same character, the color difference between them isn’t always great enough to tell them apart.

Sound: 6.5
The few voice-overs are crystal clear, but the music is somewhat repetitive and less engrossing than the music of Naruto’s console outings.

Difficulty: Easy
Mainstream approved.

Concept: 7.8
Naruto license + Tekken-style gameplay – combo depth = Naruto: Ninja Destiny.

Multiplayer: 8.0
Make sure you’ve got a friend to play this game with, as you’ll run through the story mode in less than 30 minutes.

Overall: 7.9
Ninja Destiny is certainly a game most fighting fans will go back to. It could also be the first time young gamers discover the genre, and with its instantly-addictive gameplay, they're likely to stick with the genre from here on out. But this isn't a game that'll take the hardcore crowd much time to master, so consider this a great anime fighter – not a replacement for the nonexistent Tekken DS.