You’re staring at the character select screen. It's been years since Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 dropped, but that familiar orange jumpsuit still haunts the ranked ladders. Most people just pick Naruto Storm 4 Naruto versions—specifically the Sage of Six Paths or the "ROAD TO BORUTO" Seventh Hokage—and honestly, who can blame them? They're broken. Or, if not broken, they're so fundamentally solid that playing against a high-level Naruto main feels like trying to punch a ghost that also happens to have a giant laser beam.
It’s weird. CyberConnect2 packed this game with over 100 characters, yet we always come back to the protagonist. Why? It isn't just "main character energy." It’s the frames. It’s the hitboxes. It’s the fact that his Tailed Beast Bomb Rasenshuriken has a hitbox the size of a small moon.
The Absolute Power of Sage of Six Paths Naruto
If you've played any amount of online matches, you know the drill. You see the yellow glow, the floating black orbs, and you already know your substitutions are going to vanish in about thirty seconds. This version of Naruto is widely considered the peak of the game's competitive tier list.
His neutral game is disgusting. Basically, his tilt—that move where you flick the analog stick and hit attack—is a long-range projectile that tracks. In a game where movement is everything, having a move that forces your opponent to stop dashing is a massive advantage. Most players use this to bait out a sub, then immediately follow up with a dash. It's a simple loop. It works.
But let’s talk about the Rasenshuriken. Specifically, the Sage Art: Massive Rasengan Mega-Barrage. This isn't just a flashy ultimate. In Storm 4, the "hit priority" of Naruto’s moves often overrides mid-tier characters. If you and your opponent strike at the same time, Naruto usually wins. That’s not luck; it’s just how the game’s engine handles his specific strike frames.
Why the Seventh Hokage (RTB) Version Changed Everything
When the Road to Boruto expansion arrived, it gave us a more mature, slightly more tired, but infinitely more dangerous version of Naruto Uzumaki. This version—the Seventh Hokage—is a different beast entirely. His combos are tighter. He feels heavier, more deliberate.
The coolest part? His Ninjutsu. You can choose between the standard Rasengan and the Kurama 5-Tail Massive Rasengan. Most pros stick to the classic because the startup time is nearly instant. If you’re buffering a dash and cancel into a Rasengan, it’s almost impossible to react to unless you’re already holding the block button.
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High-level play in Naruto Storm 4 isn't about landing the biggest jutsu. It's about the "Infinite Combo." The Seventh Hokage has one of the easiest infinites in the game. By jumping or chakra-dashing at a specific point in his neutral combo (usually right before the final knockback), you can reset the entire sequence. You can literally keep someone in a loop until their guard breaks or they run out of logs. It’s brutal.
Mastery of the "Storm 4" Mechanics
Let’s be real: playing Naruto is about mastering the "Chakra Dash Cancel." Because Naruto’s animations are so fluid, he can cancel out of a combo faster than characters like Pain or Jiraiya. This allows for insane pressure.
- Pressure: Constant attacking to keep the opponent from regenerating chakra.
- Sub-Baiting: Doing half a combo, stopping, and waiting for the opponent to substitute so you can immediately dash back into them.
- Support Synergy: Naruto works with everyone. Whether you’re running Sasuke (The Last) for the strike-back or Hinata for the defensive air palms, Naruto’s moveset doesn't clash with anyone.
The "Tailed Beast Bomb" is another story. In his awakened state, Naruto becomes a literal titan. The scale of the battle shifts. Suddenly, you aren't playing a fighting game; you're playing a bullet hell simulator. You have to dodge beams that take up 40% of the arena. If you’re playing as a smaller, "fairer" character like Iruka or Konohamaru, you're basically toast.
The Misconception About "The Last" Naruto
People often overlook Naruto from The Last: Naruto the Movie. They think he’s just a skin. He’s not. He has a completely different move set that emphasizes mid-range combat. His "999" combo—the one where he uses the massive golden fist—has incredible reach.
If you’re struggling with opponents who like to stay back and throw kunai, The Last Naruto is actually a better pick than the Six Paths version. His air combo is faster. It’s all about the snap-to-target speed. In the competitive scene, those milliseconds matter. If your air-to-ground recovery is 3 frames faster than your opponent's, you win the trade. Period.
Strategies That Actually Work in Ranked
Don't just mash the B (or Circle) button. That's how you get countered. And getting countered in Storm 4 means losing half your health bar because a good player will follow up with a Team Ultimate.
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First, learn the "hollow step." It’s a movement technique where you jump and immediately flick the guard button to drop back to the ground. Using this with Naruto allows you to stay mobile while keeping your Rasengan ready.
Second, utilize the "Switch Leader" mechanic. This is the biggest change Storm 4 brought to the series. You can start a combo with Naruto, switch to Sasuke mid-dash, and keep the combo going. Naruto’s first three hits are perfect for this because they have very little "knock-away" momentum. He keeps the opponent right in front of him, making the transition seamless.
Honestly, the meta hasn't shifted much because Naruto’s kit is so "honest" in its power. He doesn't rely on glitches or weird hurtbox bugs. He just has the best tools.
Visual Cues and Sound Cues
Ever noticed the "shimmer" when Naruto prepares a Rasengan? Experienced players listen for the audio cue—that distinct "sh-sh-sh" sound of the spinning chakra. If you hear it, you jump. You never, ever stay on the ground. Naruto’s ground-based Ninjutsu has a "splash" radius. Even if he misses you by a foot, the explosion will likely clip your toes and send you flying.
How to Beat a Naruto Main (If You're Brave Enough)
Look, it’s tough. To beat a high-level Naruto, you have to out-resource them. Naruto players are usually aggressive. They want to burn through their chakra to keep you pinned down.
- Patience is key. Let them dash. Use a character with a "counter" tilt, like Minato or Itachi.
- Watch the support gauge. Most Naruto players rely on a "Cover Fire" support. If you can knock out their support character early with a long-range jutsu, Naruto becomes much more vulnerable.
- The Guard Break. Naruto’s combos hit hard, which means they wear down your guard fast. If your guard turns red, you need to sub out immediately or use a "Guard Break Soldier Pill" if you have one.
The game is a dance. It’s a high-speed, high-stakes game of rock-paper-scissors where "rock" is a giant fox-demon and "paper" is a teleporting ninja.
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Actionable Insights for Improving Your Naruto Play
If you want to stop being a "scrub" and start actually climbing the ranks with Naruto, you need to stop playing like the CPU. The CPU is predictable. You need to be erratic.
Stop finishing your combos. This is the biggest mistake. If you finish the combo, you knock the opponent away and the "interaction" ends. If you stop the combo 75% of the way through and chakra dash back in, you keep the pressure on. You force them to make a decision.
Learn the tilt-cancel. You can cancel Naruto’s tilt into a cinematic jutsu if you time it right. It’s a great way to catch people who think they’re safe at a distance.
Master the "Ninja Move" into Jutsu. Instead of just standing still and charging, move constantly. Naruto’s movement speed is among the highest in the game. Use that to your advantage. Circle your opponent, wait for them to whiff a move, and then punish with a Rasengan.
Ultimately, Naruto Storm 4 is a game about management. Manage your subs, manage your chakra, and manage your opponent's expectations. When you play as Naruto, you have the best toolkit in the game to do exactly that. It's why, even years later, the Seventh Hokage is still the king of the arena.
Next Steps for the Aspiring Hokage:
Go into Training Mode. Set the CPU to "Auto-Substitute." Practice your neutral combo and try to "re-catch" the CPU after they substitute by immediately dashing or using a support. If you can do this ten times in a row without the CPU hitting the ground, you’re ready for the online ladder. Focus on the timing of the Seventh Hokage's third hit—that's the "sweet spot" for most cancels. Once you nail that, the game becomes much, much smaller. You aren't playing against the character anymore; you're playing against the person holding the controller. That's where the real fun begins.