Naruto Shippuden: Naruto vs Sasuke on DS is basically the ultimate throwdown between the two most stubborn ninjas in the Hidden Leaf. You jump right into these fast-paced 2D battles where chakra management is key—spam too many fireballs early and you’ll be stuck dodging while your meter refills. The jutsu animations are surprisingly slick for a DS game, especially when you pull off a Rasengan or Chidori clash.

What I didn’t expect was how much the game leans into the story beats. Between fights, you get these little manga-style cutscenes that actually make the rivalry feel weighty instead of just slapping two sprites together. The roster’s small but focused—no filler characters, just the core ninjas who matter in this arc. Controls take a minute to click (why is the kunai throw on that button?), but once they do, the fights flow like a proper anime brawl.

It’s not the deepest fighter out there, but nailing a combo into a substitution jutsu fakeout never gets old. Perfect for quick sessions between classes or if you just want to relive that Valley of the End drama.