The Naruto TV series descended onto the gaming masses as a fla𓄧shy and frantic tweaked-up fighting romp. It was solid drive-by fun, yet it lacked the deep meat that keeps hardcore gamers chewing.

Maybe that's why the next in the Naruto lineage, Uzumaki Chronicles, is a thicker ღbeast, still 🔯centered on frenzied brawls, but with a few slabs of role-playing steak stapled to the sides. We've just played through the game's early stages, and we're not yet sure if this is real beef, or just another TV-to-game marketing-burger being shoved into our faces.

It's a quest to become the "Hokage" - the♓ strongest ninja of the village - and faithful consumers of the cartoon may drool to live that fantasy. You play as Naruto, the lowly (but powerful) ninja in the orange jumpsuit, with a few flamboyant attack moves.

You saunter across the worl💎d finding brawls, growing stronger and learning more fanciness, until you become the stylish assault king. The game's RPG twist is really just a backdrop for constant fighting.

The adventure starts in your hometown, Hidden Leaf Village, where you're assigned important missions of trademark Japanese quirkiness. Liಌke when there's a drought of highly-coveted candy, and one your friends goes into shock, you've got to hunt for a piece to bring him out of it.