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AtomNamco Bandai games talk about Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles
Coming out in November is Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles (aka Naruto: Uzumaki Ninden in Japan). As most of you guys know it’s a 3D rendered adventure / brawler game instead of a straight up fighting title. You control Naruto from the Leaf Village, but you can switch it up by calling partner characters like Sasuke and Neji to help out. Some partner characters like Choji have skills necessary to progress through the game. Choji’s human boulder can breakdown walls so Naruto can move forward. Uzumaki Chronicles also has a unique geometric jewel system that gives imbues Naruto with more powers. Each jewel has different powers, maybe a bonus in attack or a new move like an instant jump. By rearrange these jewels into a plate Naruto can get a bunch of bonuses.
We asked Brian Glazebrook (localization manager) and Andrew Davis (localization specialist) questions that you guys submitted.
Is there going to be a Japanese language option in the game?
It’s something that we’re interested in doing, but we weren’t able to do it with this title. But this is something we’re considering for future titles.
Are there any improvements over the Japanese release?
Some of the things that might have been frustrating have been changed. For instance collecting orbs, they don’t “wink” out as quickly so it’s not as frustrating to collect them.
Read on for more Q&A and the answer to the burning question the name of “Rasengan”?
Which characters are playable?
Predominantly you are controlling Naruto, however you get seven partners throughout the game. Based on the missions you get access to certain partners. (Editors note: Sasuke, Neji, Choji, Kakashi and Shikamaru were mentioned in the conversation… there is one more playable character and if the game is the same as the Japanese release it isn’t Itachi. Sorry!)
Will be a side story or part of the actual story?
Andrew: How much can we divulge into?
“Let’s give a tidbit, like a reason to why Naruto is doing his thing”
Andrew: There is a problem with the leaf village. There have been more and more crises that keep drawing all of the high powered ninja away from the village and they are neglecting their duties. Naruto and other genin are taking on higher ranked missions because they need to help out their higher ranking buddies.
Will the game have spoilers?
Brian: There won’t be spoilers for fans of the series since it is an original storyline. It isn’t too far into the story line in the anime. So there won’t be any spoilers or anything like that. (Editors note: The localization directors were crystal clear about how the storyline is separate from the main anime series.)
Exactly what part of the anime series is the game set in?
Essentially it is within the same time frame where we are now leading up to the chunnin exam. Characters that appear now are in the game, however this doesn’t follow the anime series. It’s with in its own timeline and it’s on offshoot with original content. The characters personalities are the same, but it is separate from what you see on TV.
Is Tsunade the Hokage?
We are not discussing that at this point.
Is Naruto’s Rasengan (spiral wave) attack called Rasengan or Spiral Wave?
That’s something we’re not discussing right now.
As you can see Namco Bandai is being pretty secretive about the game’s setting. If you’ve seen the Japanese version of the game it is set around the Search for Tsuande story arc. In fact the game was released in Japan when the rescue Sasuke arc was airing, even though Sasuke is in the game. As for the Rasengan it really does look like it is going to be in the game irregardless of where the North American dub is. The cover art strongly suggests this and plus the rasengan attack is integral to gameplay. One possibility is that the game has been tweaked significantly to fit the timeline of the North American show. Who knows maybe the Third will deliver the missions instead of the Fifth. Or maybe the Fifth will be the Hokage’s “temporary replacement”? Here’s something else to consider, both localization managers kept saying that Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles was set around the Chunnin exam timeline. This might suggest that Namco Bandai is giving the game a massive overhaul to fit it in where the anime is currently running.
While we’re waiting in suspense what do you think is going to happen to the game?
46 Responses to “Namco Bandai games talk about Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles”
September 29th, 2006 at 6:12 pm
Woo hoo!They answered one of my questions!(I’m still wondering if they actually answered the question will Rasengan still be called Rasengan.)
September 30th, 2006 at 3:09 am
Great, no Japanese support so i’m skipping US naruto game again 
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Talking about improvments, they should have added skippable FMVs. Quick load in game would also be a great idea but guess it’s not gonna be a good localization. Maybe some 13yerd narutards will like it.. i won’t.
October 2nd, 2006 at 7:05 pm
In the November issue of Shonen Jump it has some screenshots and one says “Power Strike” and it looks a lot like Rasengan…
October 3rd, 2006 at 12:06 pm
well i say they should include diffrent people in the game. like shino,gaara they made it to the last round of the chuunin exam. that will make naruto fans go wild and way better than the japanees version of naruto uzumaki ninden. it will bring more shino and gaara fans
October 4th, 2006 at 4:07 pm
rasngan will be called powers trike which really sucks
October 5th, 2006 at 6:51 pm
It probably is a “Game Only” Name, so It doesn’t spoile it in the Anime/Manga, similar to Chidori in Ultimate Ninja
October 13th, 2006 at 4:36 pm
Will itachi , kisme , tsunade , jarya etc…. be in the gane and is there gunna be a sequel?
October 15th, 2006 at 4:53 pm
jesus i hope they dont ruin it ive been w8ing fo about 4 months i hope kisame and itchi and the fifth is still in it i h8 the name power strike its sounds gay.
October 18th, 2006 at 6:29 pm
There is going to be an actuall sequel, and its called “Konoha Spirits”, unfortinatlly Sasuke wont be a playable character in the sequel since hes been going for a year or so.
October 21st, 2006 at 6:00 am
they better leave rasengan the same, i mean come on, “power strike?!” what the hell is that?!!!
October 22nd, 2006 at 1:44 pm
i wish they would’ve left Tsunade-obaa-chan in….i would love to hear how she sounds in english, as long as they don’t mess that up too.
October 22nd, 2006 at 1:45 pm
“Power Strike”? what-in-the-hell are they thinking? coudn’t it have been coller to us instead of like, eight and nine year-olds? jesus friggin’ christ…i’m just gonna get the japanese version..and figure out just exactly WHAT they are saying on my own….maybe …>.>… i
October 22nd, 2006 at 1:45 pm
if we are lucky enough they’ll show tsunade before the release on CN. i wouldn’t know….i live in germany.i do hope that they do …believe it!
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sorry, couldn’t help myself…
October 22nd, 2006 at 1:45 pm
waiiit…if they’ve already done a voice for jiraiya, and resengan…maybe it might have tsunade…..buthten again, i can’t really count on CN any ways….i’ll check the CN episode guide later…
October 22nd, 2006 at 2:01 pm
n/m i just read the other article. they don’t have a hokage, the lazy bastards, just a menu screen telling you what to do. dammit! why can’t they just put her in there and delay the game? i mean, as long as the old lady’s in there, i’m fine, i don’t care how long it takes. i can tell you now, if they release the game as is, it isn’t going to sell very well.
October 27th, 2006 at 8:42 pm
OMG. I saw the trailer and Gaara is sooo HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IM OFFICIALLY ADDICTED TO THIS GAME AND I WILL GO CRAZY UNTIL I GET IT!!!!!
October 29th, 2006 at 8:18 am
there is a rumer later in the year around april they will release a uzumaki chronicles special editon with nothing cut out. which means tsunade is in and we dont have to hear naruto say power strike when he uses rasengan. so you wait till that comes out or buy both. then again it is jus a rumor
November 1st, 2006 at 3:03 pm
wiil there be an uncut editoin naruto uzumaki chronicles made for when the anime catches up with tsunade arc and the sasuke rescue arc and also itachi and kusamo will they be in it as well
November 1st, 2006 at 3:09 pm
willl there be an uncut editoin naruto uzumaki chronicles made for when the anime catches up with tsunade arc and the sasuke rescue arc and also itachi and kusamo will they be in it as well and when wil it be released
November 4th, 2006 at 11:29 am
Thats gay power strike. what the fudge is that. and if they cut out the fifth i will go crazy. Iheard it is comin out 11/14/06. I going get it but i bet u it will be gay with all the cut out parts of naruto.
November 4th, 2006 at 11:37 am
I just saw the english version for naruto chronicles where in the hell is itachi or the fifth. where? why is choji on the game with his fat self. I heard a rumor that Gaara will be the kazakage on the game and the demon will come out of gaara. I also hope that Haku And Zabuza r on da game even though they died. And how come the third is the hokage on the game when orachimaru killed him????????
November 6th, 2006 at 4:21 pm
i wingnut is gay belive it bitches and i love power strike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 9th, 2006 at 2:34 pm
will the secret character be rock lee in naruto uzumaki chronicles
November 9th, 2006 at 4:37 pm
man y do ya have to name resengan Spiral Wave its better if is is called resengan
November 19th, 2006 at 1:53 pm
I got this off of wikipedia:
Changes Made by BandaiNamco America
As to not spoil anything, BandaiNamco America removed additional characters and changed the storyline.
Tsunade was replaced with Sandaime Hokage on the mission select screen.
The Kisame boss battle was removed and replaced with a fight with Kabuto.
The Itachi boss battle was removed.
The evil clone Naruto boss battle was removed.
Orochimaru was added as a replacement for evil clone Naruto at the end.
The original game’s storyline was changed to remove references to Itachi, Kisame, and Tsunade.
The battle with Shukaku Gaara was removed.
As of now, there is a rumor circulating of a possible “special edition” version that contains no edits or character removal. There is no solid proof of release at the moment, but is speculated to be released sometime early next year after said characters are shown in the English dub of the Anime.
GOD DAMN i hope they will come out with that special edition version. I can understand kisame, itatchi, and tsunade even if i dont like it, but no shukaku gaara??!!!what the heck? the dub is on eppisode 60, theyl see the gaara naruto fight soon anyway…
November 19th, 2006 at 2:55 pm
DAMN, IT IS POWER STRIKE. however he dosnt say it when he uses it, thank god. try going to http://uzumaki.namcobandaigames.com/ its got all the information.
November 22nd, 2006 at 11:38 am
i got the game, its pretty fun, and hard on the boss battles, i still dont like the fact that itachi was cut off
December 11th, 2006 at 4:23 pm
the 2nd season of naruto look cool the fight between naruto and saSUke was cool NARUTO KILLED SASUKE
December 27th, 2006 at 6:26 pm
As to not spoil anything, BandaiNamco America removed additional characters and changed the storyline.
Tsunade was replaced with an empty chair on the mission select screen.
The Kisame boss battle was removed and replaced with a fight with Kabuto[3].
The Itachi boss battle was removed.
The evil clone Naruto boss battle was removed.
Orochimaru was added as a replacement for evil clone Naruto at the end.
The original game’s storyline was changed to remove references to Itachi, Kisame, and Tsunade.
Rasengan has been renamed “Power Strike”.
The battle with Shukaku Gaara was removed.
Shikamaru has not been promoted to Chunin.
Gaara is in his pre-Sasuke arc clothes.
As of now, there is a rumor circulating of a possible “special edition” version that contains no edits or character removal. There is no solid proof of release at the moment, but is speculated to be released sometime early next year after said characters are shown in the English dub of the Anime. [citation needed]
January 1st, 2007 at 11:31 am
i wish you could play as orochimaru =[
he rules! but atleast he is in the game!
March 25th, 2007 at 11:53 am
NARUTO IS CRAP GAME AND SHOW SO EVERY1 ONE DIS SITE CAN SHUT DA HELL UP COZ U R ALL SAD MOTHER F*****S OK SO KEEP QUIET AND STOP WHINNING ABOUT STUPID CHANGEZ!
March 25th, 2007 at 11:59 am
SORRY BUT ALL OF U R F***ING P**IES U PEOPLE R MOANING JUST BECAUSE DAY TOOK OF GARAA,ITACHI & KISAME STORYMODE BOOOHOOOOOOO I MEAN DERE IS MILLOINS MORE BOSS BATTLES AND U GET 2 FACE OROCHIMARU I MEAN U KICK OROCHIMARU ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLU U DON’T FACE OROCHIMARU IN DA JAPANESE VERSION SO STOP CRYING PS POWER STRIKE RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 29th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
Ok for one Oro is the gayest f***ing character in the whole story and I really want to beat the s**t out of akastuki dudes e.g itachi & kisame. And WTF is power strike…..
I have other things 2 say but seriously WTF is POWER STRIKE………………..
k… Im so……. Honestly! WTF is POWER STRIKE is that like a f**king name……
screw ths im not even gonna bother………..
BUT WHAT KINDA NAME is POWER STRIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
they should just say Rasengan
And who cares about spoilers they should just have it out uncut I like being spoiled XD
watched the whole show on the internet anyway
March 29th, 2007 at 7:09 pm
F**K I should just get the japanese version
I mean I reckon anybody who likes the name power strike must be under 6
OR MENTALLY RETARDED/UNSTABLE not looking at anybody in particular…. wink wink
-the guy above me(all of u)-
May 7th, 2007 at 8:32 pm
I object to the changed made just to pander to the dub.
I -was- going to buy this game, but I have a policy not to buy edited-for-catering-to-seven year-olds-and-those-who-can’t-use-a-computer material, so no go. I was highly anticipating buying it too.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:29 pm
how do you beat the mine kart whats the order to hit the track switchs to get out of the cave
Gaming Map
September 29th, 2006 at 4:59 pm
I just hope the game isn’t cut and raped to fit the dub. Itachi, Kisame, Gaara, Tsunade and Rasengan are the only big spoilers, and they could show all that without spoiling too much of the story.
I bet the reason there is no VO option is because they changed the script so much though.