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And with Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 delivering a fan’s dream of allowing their favorite characters to duke it out against each other, just who should be a part of their dream team? What do some of the game’s best characters have that make them a cut above the rest?

10 Gaara

Gaara is one of Naruto’s most terrifying characters. Prior to his fateful confrontation with Naruto, Gaara is a quiet shinobi from the Hidden Sand Village with a bloodlust rooted in his possession of Shukaku, the One-Tails. In UNS4, Gaara returns with the same vigor, this time as a long-distance specialist that stops melee loves in their tracks.

As a Support unit, he’s a Charge Guard capable of dishing out the assist while players are charging their chakra reserves. And when he unleashes his Awakening, his Tailed-Beast Mode packs a mean punch that transforms Gaara into a long-ranged behemoth with extra-strong attacks.

9 Pain

Serving as the main antagonist of the Pain’s Assault Arc, the leader of the Akatsuki proves his worthiness of the title by being an actual powerhouse of a shinobi. Unlike other ninja, Pain relies on summoning his Paths to dominate the close range and isolate opponents in various areas. It’s due to this that Pain can control both offense and defense, especially when his combos are used properly.

For instance, his ever-reliable Down Combo has the longest button input and the longest range that can break guards. Meanwhile, his Up Combo is arguably a fast-paced knock-up to set up more combo strings. Where Pain shines is in his stuns, as both his Chakra Shuriken and Tilt boast incredible stuns. These all work well with Pain’s Ultimate, which gives the character the space to move while it’s traveling, paving the way for devastating combos.

8 Obito Uchiha (Masked Man)

While fans of the series know the orange-masked Masked Man as Obito from the story, those people present in Konoha during the Nine-Tails’ attack only recognize him as a mysterious antagonist. Originally assuming the role of Tobi, this Masked Man was responsible for summoning the Nine-Tails for a rampage in Konoha. While he proved to be weaker than the Fourth Hokage, Obito is no slouch in UNS4.

The Masked Man boasts some of the most mobile melee attacks in the game, and he can disorient the enemy while attacking. He shines the most when using his Awakening (Sharingan Mode), which makes him immune to long-distance tools and perfect for closing the gap against opponents. As a Support, Obito is a Strike Back capable of dishing out Heaven And Earth Explosion Burial to clap back after blocking an enemy’s attack.

7 Sasuke Uchiha (The Last)

After the events of the series, Sasuke practically goes on a sabbatical to rediscover his sense of purpose before returning to the village to aid Naruto’s reign as Hokage. However, Sasuke makes a brief return during the events of The Last: Naruto The Movie, where he aids in stopping Toneri Otsutsuki’s assault on Earth.

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This is all the more apparent in UNS4, where Sasuke (The Last) boasts one of the more well-rounded arsenals in the game. Aside from being decent in long-ranged, he’s a powerhouse in melee. When threatened enough, Sasuke’s Awakening (Perfect Susano’o Mode) transforms him into his colossal Susano’o Mode with a couple of unblockable attacks. As a Support unit, he becomes a Cover Fire with Inferno Style: Fire Ball Jutsu, making him a great deterrent to those who want to close in on targets.

6 Naruto (Kyuubi Link Mode)

When Naruto and Kurama finally come to terms with their relationship and become friends, they coalesce into what fans call the “Kyubi Chakra Mode.” In UNS4, this is called the Naruto (Kyuubi Link Mode), where Naruto can finally access the full extent of Kurama’s chakra reserves, use Tailed Beast Bombs, and even enhanced versions of his attacks.

Naruto transforms into an all-rounder with this new toolkit. Thanks to this mode, Naruto can now incorporate his Rasengan variations into various attacks, practically guaranteeing close-to-mid-ranged supremacy. Naruto’s Awakening (Tailed Beast Mode) transforms him into a hulking Nine-Tails variant, practically dominating close-ranged with a variety of unblockables. And as a Support, his Strike Back variation will have him attack opponents with the Tailed Beast Bomb Rasenshuriken regardless of the counter-attack distance.

5 Sasuke Uchiha (Road To Boruto)

After the events of Naruto, Sasuke accepts the position of Sasaukage or Supporting Shadow, practically aiding Naruto from behind the scenes. While this normally means traveling around the world to gather information, Sasuke in Road To Boruto goes back to the village to help Naruto fight Momoshiki Otsutsuki. While Boruto Uzumaki mainly finishes the villain off, Sasuke is able to prove that he can fight toe-to-toe with an Otsutsuki without needing the blessing of the Sage of Six Paths.

Armed with his Rinnegan, Sasuke in this form is a fearsome opponent to face in UNS4. His combo is practically a more fast-paced variation of his original counterpart, augmenting highly-aggressive melee moves with stunning lightning or knock-back flames. Not to mention, his Rinnegan allows him to outmaneuver foes quickly. As a Support unit, this Sasuke retains Cover Fire and will use Heavenly Hand Power: Chidori to halt an opponent’s advance. And his Awakening (Perfect Susano’o Mode) adds a whole host of unblockables to his already-dominating toolkit.

4 Minato Namikaze (Edo Tensei)

In life, Minato Namikaze the Fourth Hokage is known for being the Yellow Flash, which quite literally describes his ability to nigh-instantaneously reappear in various places. When Orochimaru summons Minato Namikaze (Edo Tensei), his signature Flying Raijin techniques became quite the invaluable asset on the Shinobi’s side in the Fourth Great Ninja War.

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In UNS4, Minato’s Edo Tensei form is an enemy’s worst nightmare. At its core, a lot of Edo Minato’s combos are also mobility assets, allowing him to sneak up on enemies to outpace them through teleports and side-switches. This alone allows him to develop multi-directional combos to overwhelm opponents. What’s perhaps most terrifying is his Awakening (Hokage Mode), where Minato becomes immune to ranged tools and gets a massive attack boost, as well as access to the more potent Flying Raijin: Level 2.

3 Obito Uchiha (Ten Tails Jinchuriki)

At the crux of the Fourth Great Ninja War, Obito becomes the Ten Tails Jinchuriki, augmenting his already-impressive skill-set with the whopping power-up from arguably the strongest Tailed Beast. This is reflected heavily in UNS4, making this iteration of Obito (fondly called Juubito) one of the most annoying enemies to face.

Thankfully, he’s also one of the most compelling characters to control. Most of his combos are projectiles capable of catching opponents who even try to substitute their way into safety. Not to mention, Juubito’s Tilt can easily punish shielders and counters. His Awakening (Sword Of Nunoboko) allows Obito to dish out far deadlier attacks in the mid-range, potentially overwhelming foes who aren’t brave enough to get in up close.

2 Danzo Shimura

One might look at Danzo Shimura and think his rather robed and heavily-bandaged nature makes him seem like one to be underestimated. However, aside from his role in Konoha politics, Danzo packs quite a devastating secret: he has stolen various Sharingan and can use a vast majority of its basic abilities. In UNS4, this specialization alongside his mastery of Wind Style makes Danzo one of the most broken characters in the game.

Danzo’s combos favor knocking up the opponent and leaving them open for harsh punishments. In the right hands, this might have Danzo engaging foes in an infinite combo loop, provided he keeps them up in the air. It doesn’t help that his Secret Technique Substitution Support archetype allows him to keep enemies at bay through distraction. Not to mention, his Awakening (Seal Unleash Mode) gives him access to Reverse Tetragram Seal, which is practically an instant-kill.

1 Madara Uchiha (Six Paths Sage Mode)

When Madara Uchiha taps into the genetic material of Hashirama Senju, he also taps into the latent DNA of Hagoromo Otsutsuki, essentially transforming him into a Sage of Six Paths. In UNS4, this is called Madara Uchiha (Six Paths Sage Mode), and this is both the game and the anime’s most powerful Madara form.

Six Paths Madara already possesses a ridiculous ranged game that can knock opponents down or juggle them for successive combos. Furthermore, his Awakening (Limbo Jail Mode) gives him access to extreme zoning moves. When used properly, the knockdown effect of Sage Art: Thunder Cage Border Jail leaves opponents wide open for finishers.

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 is available for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

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