Fortniteand the battle royale genre has been continuously growing, taking over the shooter space with a winner-takes-all philosophy that makes claiming victory feel very rewarding. There’s games with a different emphasis for everyone, be it thepinpoint-accurate gunplay ofCall of Duty: Warzone, the cartoonish fun ofFortnite, or even the classic puzzle gameplay and competitive experience inTetris 99. The battle royale model doesn’t have to be restricted to the shooter genre, as anything competitive can be a viable way to pit one player against a plethora of others.
The fun visuals and endless customizability ofFortnitehelp it stand above the rest. However, while its building mechanics are unique, it still deploys a range of guns and weapons that are the go-to way to dispatch of enemies and incoming danger. There are franchises that could fit this mold while not leaning on guns as the primary method of offense, and with so many characters and abilities, Naruto makes a lot of sense to conjure its own competitive game, especially given the IP’s history with 3D fighting titles.
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Naruto’s Abilities are Diverse and Exciting
One of the biggest strengths ofNarutois its characters. Each one is not only wonderfully drawn, they also have unique abilities that are instantly recognizable: Shino is the insect guy, Shikamaru is the one with the shadows, andGaara is the Jinchuriki of the One-Tailed Shukaku. Story arcs like the Chunin Exams show combat between the shinobi can be fast, thrilling, and eclectic, but also focused. Using such abilities in a battle royale could be a lot of fun. TheUltimate Ninja Stormgames have showed a glimpse of this, and bringing more competitors into the fold would be a great idea.
The scope of ninjutsu and taijutsu in Naruto is vast, from the titular character’s rasengan ability to Sasuke and Kakashi’s chidori andRock Lee’s impressive martial arts displays. Each character could specialize in one skill, be it long range and low damage or short-range heavy hitters, offering unique ways to play instead of simply farming the best guns and having players use them to their advantage. Abilities could even be dotted around the map, with players having to acquire them and build a character that best takes advantage of their preferred style.
The World in Naruto Could Outdo Fortnite’s Ever-Changing Map
Fortnitedeploys an expansive and detailed mapin its battle royale mode for players to explore while they’re being hunted by other combatants. It changes over time with updates and seasons doing well to keep things fresh, and even small settlements or quirky spots can add to a landscape’s aesthetic and make it worth coming back time and again. The world ofNarutois huge, and each of the five great shinobi villages have different architecture and visuals to make potential battles in and around them fun. An open space that isn’t boring to traverse is important for the battle royale genre, and inNaruto’s world is one of the anime’s greatest strengths.
Naruto’s previous gaming outingshave shown that each character brings something unique to the table, and that fighting enemies using diverse abilities works well. There are well over 100 viable options for character a player could select, and their skills could be a welcome change from the pick-up-put-down firearms thatFortnitehas relied on - even using characters like Naruto and Gaara. Ninjutsu is flashy, interesting, and can be far more strategic than a gun.
Fortniteis available now for Mobile, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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