You know that feeling when a game just refuses to die? That's Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 4. It’s been out since 2016, which is basically an eternity in the gaming world, yet if you hop onto the servers on a random Tuesday night, you’re still going to find people ready to ruin your day with a perfectly timed Subtitution Jutsu. It’s wild. CyberConnect2 somehow captured lightning in a bottle, and honestly, even with Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections trying to take the crown recently, a huge chunk of the competitive community just went, "Nah, we’re good," and stayed right here.
What makes Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 feel so different?
It’s the weight. If you’ve played other arena fighters—think Jump Force or the various Dragon Ball titles—they often feel floaty. But in Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 4, every dash and strike has this specific, punchy impact. It’s easy to pick up. You press one button to punch, one to charge your energy, and another to jump. Simple, right? But the skill ceiling is actually terrifyingly high.
High-level play isn't about who can mash the "B" or "Circle" button the fastest. It’s about resource management. You’ve got four Substitution bars. That’s it. Use them poorly against a veteran player, and you’re basically a training dummy for the next twenty seconds. Watching a pro like AfroSenju or ShikasClouds back in the day showed just how much depth there is in "leader switching." This was the big mechanic introduced in Storm 4. You aren't just stuck with one character; you can swap to your support mid-combo, extending your attack until your opponent’s guard literally shatters.
The visuals still hold up too. CyberConnect2 used a stylized cel-shading technique that looks better than the actual Shippuden anime did half the time. When you trigger an Ultimate Jutsu, the game stops being a "game" and becomes a high-budget cinematic experience. It’s flashy, it’s loud, and it feels earned.
The Story Mode is basically a playable movie
Most fighting games treat story mode like an afterthought. You get a few static portraits talking to each other and then a fight. Storm 4 didn't do that. It picked up right at the height of the Fourth Shinobi World War and ran with it. The boss fights are massive. I’m talking "controlling a mountain-sized wood golem to fight a giant purple samurai" massive.
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There’s a specific sequence involving Kakashi and Obito that uses a split-screen mechanic to show them fighting as kids and adults simultaneously. It’s emotional. It’s technical. It’s something most developers wouldn't bother with for a licensed title. They even went as far as to finish the story before the anime did in some regions, giving fans their first look at the end of the Naruto saga in motion.
But let’s be real: the "Adventure Mode" that follows the main story is kinda mid. It’s a lot of running around empty maps doing fetch quests. It’s the one part of the game that feels like a chore, but you do it anyway because you want those unlockables and that sweet, sweet platinum trophy.
Competitive Nuance and the "Glitch" Meta
If you want to survive online, you have to learn about "Chakra Dash Canceling." It sounds like something out of a manual, but it’s basically the heartbeat of the game. You hit your opponent, then immediately dash to reset your combo.
Then there’s the controversial stuff.
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- Tilt attacks: flicking the stick and hitting a button.
- Guard pressure: forcing an opponent to block until their shield turns red.
- Infinite combos: some characters, like Minato or Neji, have loops that can go on forever if you don't have a substitution ready.
The community is split on some of the "tech." Some people think the unintended glitches make the game deeper; others think it ruins the balance. But that friction is exactly why people are still talking about it. A "perfect" game is often a boring one. Storm 4 is messy, loud, and occasionally unfair—just like a real ninja fight, I guess.
Comparing the Roster to the Rest of the Series
With over 100 characters (if you include the Road to Boruto DLC), the variety is staggering. You’ve got the heavy hitters like Six Paths Madara and Kaguya, but you also have weird niche picks like Hanabi Hyuga or the various Reanimated Kage.
Honestly, the balance is all over the place. Using someone like "The Last" Sasuke feels like playing on easy mode because his fireballs and tracking are so aggressive. On the flip side, trying to win with a character like Iruka-sensei is basically a flex. It’s a game where you can tell exactly how much someone loves the source material by who they pick.
The Road to Boruto Expansion
When the Road to Boruto DLC dropped, it added a whole new layer. It wasn't just new characters; it was a mini-campaign that followed the movie. This gave us Scientific Ninja Tools and a revamped version of Naruto as the Seventh Hokage. It felt like a passing of the torch. For many, this version of the game is the "definitive" one. It wrapped everything up in a neat bow.
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Why you should still play it in 2026
You might wonder if it’s worth buying now. Yes. It’s frequently on sale for the price of a sandwich. Even if you don't care about the online sweat-fest, the single-player content is a love letter to Masashi Kishimoto’s work.
The game isn't perfect. The netcode is "delay-based," which is a fancy way of saying if your opponent has bad internet, the game will lag like crazy. We’re in an era where "rollback netcode" is the standard, and Storm 4’s lack of it is its biggest scar. But when the connection is smooth? There’s nothing else like it.
Actionable Steps for New Players
- Skip the Online Mode Immediately: Don't do it. You will get "Perfected" by someone who has 10,000 hours. Go to Free Battle and practice against the AI first.
- Master the "Leader Switch" during a dash: Dash at your opponent, and while in mid-air, flick the right analog stick. It keeps your momentum and confuses the hell out of the AI (and humans).
- Learn to Jump: It sounds stupid, but jumping is often better than blocking. You don't lose guard health and you can transition into an air dash.
- Watch "Rebound" Mechanics: If you get knocked into the air, press the jump button the moment you hit the ground to recover instantly. If you miss this, you're open to an "OTG" (Off The Ground) attack.
- Check the "Road to Boruto" Edition: If you’re buying the game, make sure it’s this version. It includes all the DLC and extra characters like Momoshiki and Kinshiki that weren't in the base game.
- Manage Your Subs: Never use your last Substitution bar unless it's a life-or-death situation. Once you're out, you're a sitting duck. It's better to take a little damage and let the bar recharge.