It's good to see that Naruto fans have not one but two great games to turn to this week. Along with the prime choice fighting action found in Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution for the Nintendo Wii, you also have Ubisoft Montreal's much deeper Xbox 360 action/adventure Naruto: Rise of a Ninja. Not only does this game have an unmatched fighting engine, but the development team also adds several fresh gameplay ideas to make it a fun experience.

The story closely follows the events from the hit anime series. Naruto, a wily ninja wannabe, finds himself in hot water with the villagers of the peaceful city of Konoha. His past reveals the spirit of a devastating nine-tailed fox imprisoned inside his body. Fearing the worst, the villagers become angry and refuse to have anything to do with him. However, Naruto wants to prove to these people -- as well as the world -- that it's all just a misunderstanding. He's really a good person and sets off to prove it.

As the game begins, you clearly see who's mad at you, thanks to emotion icons above each of the villager's heads. However, not everyone is unapproachable. Your sensei, along with several side characters, asks you for favors and assistance in getting things done. For instance, the ramen shop owner finds himself a little short on paying for his latest delivery, requiring Naruto to track down coins to pay it off. The more side quests he completes, the more villagers start to warm up to him and ask him for assistance. Some of these favors might seem a little on the wacky side, especially when perverts ask him to perform his "sexy jutsu" spell. However, it all eventually pays off, tying in to the main storyline while rewarding him with health boosts, new fighting moves and chakra energy.

Ubisoft Montreal employed a few of Naruto's techniques throughout the game, drawing on his general appeal while remaining highly playable. His "jutsus" are the most noteworthy. To execute these special attacks, which range from the aforementioned "sexy jutsu" to the "shadow clone jutsu", you need to hold down the left trigger, execute hand motions with the left and right analog sticks and release the trigger at the exact moment. It takes a little practice, but you'll have plenty of time to get it down during your first combat scenario. The ability to run at fast speeds is superb as well, as Naruto can dart up the sides of buildings, across water and -- in one of the game's more thrilling scenes -- through trees.