Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Blazing tips, tricks, and hints

Posted by Nick Tylwalk on August 29th, 2016
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad

I'm not sure if it's possible to say you are an anime fan but also never have seen one episode of Naruto. If it is, then I resemble that remark, and if not, I offer a hearty apology.

Sometimes, though, playing games based on anime franchises without knowing the source material can actually be a boon, as it allows you to experience the narrative fresh. Such is the case with yours truly and Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Blazing. It's fun whether you already know the story or not.

It's also similar to but not exactly like other Bandai Namco mobile games based on popular anime properties. That doesn't mean it's exceptionally complex, just that it might help to read through our Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Blazing tips, tricks, and hints to gain some more confidence that you're headed for ninja stardom.


Positioning is power

Unlike other games where timing or reflexes are keys to victory in combat, Narutois all about positioning. Every character has a range that is represented by a glowing circle around them when it is their turn to attack.

Simply tapping the character and moving him or her so that an enemy is within range of that circle will perform a basic attack. If you can get multiple enemies in range, the character will attack all of them, but there generally is an inverse relationship between a character's range and the strength of the basic attack.

Countdown to incoming damage

Enemies have numbers beneath them that count down until it is their turn to attack. Every character on your side who attacks makes all of the numbers decrease by one beneath all surviving enemies. When they hit zero, it's on, and if more than one hits zero, they will all attack -- usually the nearest hero.

It goes without saying that you should prioritize defeating enemies who are going to attack you first so they never get the chance. There are exceptions to this rule, like during boss battles when you are unlikely to eliminate the boss but might take out some minions, but it's a pretty good guideline to keep in mind.

The buddy system

One other way positioning comes into play is that if you can get one of your other characters within your attacking range, you will do more damage as they will boost your output. Look carefully as you are sliding your attacker around, as you will notice the game displays arcs to characters who will help you, as well as the bonus effects they provide.

There's a downside to getting your whole group of three together in close proximity, and that's the fact that enemies can attack all of them in one shot if they can get them all in range. Naruto offers an interesting risk/reward calculation in every round of every fight, one you won't find in too many other games.

Tap for ninjutsu

Every character in the game has a special ninjutsu technique that can be activated when the chakra meter around their portrait is full and flashing. Simply tap it and you'll see the circle replaced by a different shape, which could be a rectangle, an 'X,' or something else. The same rules apply: Get enemies into that area and they'll be hit by a powerful attack.

Tag out when needed

You'll notice that even though you build teams of five ninjas and can bring a sixth character into battle loaned to you by a friend or random player, only three do battle at a time. The other three teammates are still there, but you need to swap them in when needed.

Doing so means just tapping on their portrait at the bottom of the screen and swiping it over the active character. Each substitute replaces a specific active ninja.

The best time to do this is right after using ninjutsu, as the substitute often has a full chakra meter and can use their own ninjutsu immediately. One thing you can't do is stave off defeat, as all six characters share one health meter, so swapping other ninjas in doesn't help with longevity.

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