Plot Summary: Naruto Ultimate Ninja 3, known as in Japan as Naruto: Narutimate Hero 3 (ＮＡＲＵＴＯ－ナルト－ナルティメットヒーロー3 Naruto: Narutimetto Hīrō 3?), is the third installment of the fighting game series Naruto: Ultimate Ninja. This game was released in Japan on December 22, 2005 in North America on March 25, 2008, in Australia on September 18, 2008. It was also released in England on September 15, 2008, but is only available in specific Tesco stores. This game features the largest character roster upon release, and third largest roster in the Ultimate Ninja series, with 42 characters, and follows the storyline up to and including the Sasuke Retrieval Arc. The player can use equippable jutsu, a trend that began in the second game. When two jutsus of the same strength clash, the game cuts to a jutsu clash, in which the player or players must rapidly press a specific button repeatedly, until either jutsu wins out over the other. In this installment, the player is to both induce temporary transformations (such as Sasuke's Curse Mark, and Rock Lee's Eight Inner Gates) through special jutsu, and other, more permanent ones, that last the entire rest of the fight (like Nine-Tailed Naruto or the Second State Curse Mark). The game also heavily expands on the previous game's RPG mode, and is the first in the series to use CGI cutscenes. The player also has the ability to summon other characters, such as Gamabunta.
Additionally, the Japanese version comes with a bonus DVD that includes a special 26-minute Anime OVA. It features many characters from the series, both living and dead, making it a non-canon release. The basic plot centers around a Battle Royale tournament, providing players with hints to be used in the RPG mode contained in the game.