Wow, there are still different anime games coming out. My personal knowledge doesn't go beyond Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh, but there are many more that people love, hence the One Piece and DragonballZ series. Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3 is the latest from Namco Bandai, so producer Yusuke Sasaki and director Hiroshi Matsuyama answered my questions about the PS2 entry.

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Crave Online: Since Namco Bandai also produces the One Piece games, are there any similarities between adapting the two animated franchises for gamers?

 
Yusuke Sasaki: Both Naruto and One Piece are fantastic games but their stories, characters and worlds are completely different.   Also, there are very little similarities between the two teams that create the games. The only similarities that I can think of are that we try to take advantage of the great content each has available and the development teams both feel strongly about their franchise. Of course, no one can beat my affection for Naruto.

 
Crave Online: How were scenes from the cartoon adapted to the game so that players can re-enact the fights?

Hiroshi Matsuyama: Ultimate Ninja 3’s Hero’s History mode will provide players the opportunity to battle through the climactic events of the animated TV series, except when the heroes and villains fight, that’s when the player steps in to administer the beat down. 

 
Crave Online: How were the controls designed keeping in mind the potentially younger players for this game?

 
Hiroshi Matsuyama: One of our mottos is “easy play for everyone.” We designed the controls so that users would have an easier time playing without the hassle of learning complicated button combinations.

 
Crave Online: What are you doing to entice older gamers to keep an interest in Naruto?

 
Hiroshi Matsuyama: As a fighting game, we’ve integrated some new functions to the series such as linking combos after knocking an opponent to the ground, and combo counters. In other words, we are introducing more mature elements that fighting game enthusiasts are familiar with.

 
Crave Online: Since the anime viewers may not play this game, how vitally can the new story elements impact the overall story of the show?

 
Hiroshi Matsuyama: We believe the story of Ultimate Ninja 3 doesn’t really affect the animated series. We always get official approval for details of the settings and ideas from Shueisha, Studio Pierrot the animation company, and its director, Mr. Hayato Date. As a result, some of our original Ninjutsus have actually appeared in the animated series. The development team of the game was very happy to see those in the show.

 

Crave Online: What is it about Naruto's animation style that make is easier or more difficult to convert to game graphics?

 
Hiroshi Matsuyama: Because of the vast amount of reference material available and our love for the property, it is pretty easy for us to translate the art of the anime into game graphics. We do our best not to disappoint the players.

 

Crave Online: With the Ultimate Jutsu mode, what are the guidelines for available powers? Are there some sorts of things the show's creators would not approve of?

Hiroshi Matsuyama: From the beginning, we always discuss how much and what we are going to feature in the game with Mr. Hayato Date, the Naruto TV series Animation Director. While we’re in development, Date-san, gives us keen insight as to what they are creating on the TV side and we try to develop as closely as possible to that spec. Because of the on-going discussion we have with Date-san, there aren’t any elements which will not get his approval.

 

Crave Online: How are the gameplay modes different in playability or controls? Just to clarify Hero's History vs Summoner's modes, etc.

 
Hiroshi Matsuyama: Basically, there are two main stories to play through in the game. Ultimate Ninja 3’s Hero’s History mode is like a recap of the most climactic moments in the TV series. The other mode, Ultimate Contest, is where you get more freedom to explore the Hidden Leaf Village and build your characters. With regards to the Summoning mode, various characters have the ability to use their Ultimate Jutsu to summon a huge creature to fight for them. The summoner actually controls the attacks of the creature, while the opponent has to dodge and try to sneak in their own attacks.

 

Crave Online: What Easter Eggs can fans of the series look forward to discovering throughout the game?

Hiroshi Matsuyama: Players can unlock more characters as they progress in Hero’s History mode. Also in Ultimate Contest mode, if players go above and beyond the call of duty to finish the final round with more than 350 points, they’ll get an extra scene where they get to try their skills against a powerful character. 

 

Crave Online: What sets Naruto apart from other anime-based games?

Hiroshi Matsuyama: I believe that our passion for the series is apparent in each of the games we release.