If you grew up watching Naruto and had a Game Boy Advance, this was probably one of those games you rented at least once. It’s a straightforward fighter where you pick your favorite ninja—Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, or a few others—and throw down in some surprisingly fast-paced battles for a GBA title.

The jutsu animations are simple but satisfying, especially when you pull off a Rasengan or Chidori. The controls take a minute to get used to (why is the jump button so stiff?), but once you figure out the timing, chaining combos feels pretty good. Some characters definitely feel stronger than others—I remember Kakashi being borderline unfair with his Sharingan moves.

It’s not the deepest fighter out there, but for a portable Naruto game from this era, it nails the energy of the show. Just don’t expect a story mode or anything fancy. You’ll mostly be smacking around AI opponents or a friend if you had that link cable. Still, it’s a solid pick if you’re craving some old-school ninja brawling.