Parent's Guide: Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 Full Burst - Age rating, mature content and difficulty

Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 Full Burst is a beat 'em up based on the popular anime, Naruto. A kind of "complete collection", this is essentially the same game as Ultimate Ninja Storm 3, only with all the previously downloadable extras included on the disc, alongside a new boss fight, new chapter of the game, and a few other tweaks and additions.

At its heart, Naruto is a beat 'em up that sees you facing off, mostly one on one, against other characters from the series in battles that are anything but realistic. With gigantic explosions, the ability for some characters to duplicate themselves, and some distinctly fantastical baddies, the fights are suitably spectacular, but can take some getting used to. Later fights especially may be frustrating to younger children, as chances to heal yourself grow further and further apart, forcing you to take on fresh enemies without the chance to heal your wounds.

In terms of things younger children may struggle with, Naruto is a mixed bag. While the basic controls of battles are easy to get to grips with (you can mostly just mash a single button), you'll need to rely on more complex moves to survive, and the game doesn't actually have anything in the way of a tutorial. Meaning players have to essentially figure things out for themselves, it gives the game quite a steep learning curve, making this one for older players only. It's also worth noting that, if you're not already a fan of the series, Naruto can be very difficult to get into, with characters, places, and concepts never really being introduced or explained, which can leave a novice's head spinning...

Based on the anime of the same name, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 may have an incredibly long name, but thankfully, there's a lot less that parents need to be concerned about. Although it's a beat 'em up, any violence here is distinctly cartoony and unrealistic in format, with giant explosions, characters that seem to be able to jump five times their height, and some spectacular super attacks. While there is some blood shown on the claws of one of the enemies, because of the heavy anime stylings, it's not entirely obvious that what you're seeing is blood. While swearing is similarly thin on the ground, there is the option to make some of the characters rather scantily clad by equipping some unlockable costumes - mostly swimwear. That said, there's no nudity, so it's likely nothing beyond what you'd see at the beach - only much more cartoony.

Age Ratings

Format Reviewed: Playstation 3