Naruto Ninja Council 2 is one of those solid GBA platformers that actually makes you feel like you're playing through the early arcs of the anime. You start off as Naruto (obviously), running and jumping through the Hidden Leaf Village, throwing kunai and pulling off basic jutsu. The controls are simple but tight—no weird floaty jumps here.

What surprised me was how much they packed into a GBA cart. You unlock other characters like Sasuke and Sakura as you go, and each one plays a little differently. Sasuke's fireball jutsu feels way more satisfying than it has any right to on this tiny screen. The levels aren't just straight left-to-right either—there's some decent verticality, and a few hidden scrolls if you poke around.

It's not perfect—the enemy variety is kinda thin, and some of the later stages get repetitive—but for a licensed game, it holds up way better than most. If you ever wanted to relive the Chunin Exam vibes on the go, this one's a solid pick.