Naruto to Boruto Shinobi Striker: Complete Controls Guide for PS4 & PS5 and Gameplay Tips for Beginners

Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker (NTBSS), first released in 2018, is now free for PlayStation Plus subscribers for June 2022. The game deviated from the previous Naruto games in eschewing battles from the story for a new story and new system of four-on-four battles (for the most part). Unlike the previous games, where you basically navigated as Naruto, you’re also able to create your own avatar for NTBSS.

Below, you will find a controls guide for PS4 and PS5. Following the controls will be gameplay tips on being successful in Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker. The tips will focus more on solo gameplay and for beginners to the game.

Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker PS4 & PS5 controls

• Move: L
• Pan Camera: R
• Jump and Double Jump: X, X while in midair
• Close-Range Attack: Square
• Strong Attack: Triangle
• Ninja Tools: Circle
• Ninjutsu 1: L1
• Ninjutsu 2: R1
• Secret Ninjutsu Technique: D-Pad↑
• Guard and Dodge: L2, L2+ L
• Deflect: R2 (just after successful Guard)
• Chakra Jump: R2 (hold for more distance)
• Substitution Jutsu: R2 (while flinching)
• Lock-On: R3
• Confirm: X (in conversations and Konoha)
• Exit and Decline: Circle (in conversations and Konoha)
• Pause Menu: Options
• Game Menu and Map: Touchpad

Note that the left and right analog sticks are denoted as L and R, with pressing either L3 and R3, respectively.

Below are gameplay tips for beginners. These are also more geared toward solo play. If you do want to play online, head to the Hokage’s Office once you’re able and hit one of the modes pictured.

1. Have fun with character creation

When you begin, you can create an avatar (a man or woman) from one of five villages: Hidden Leaf Village, Hidden Sand Village, Hidden Mist Village, Hidden Stone Village, and Hidden Cloud Village. Each has their own standard style, which will be reflected when you select the village you’d like to represent.

There are a number of options to customize your avatar’s face and hair with hairstyles, eyes, and even pupils that will be familiar to those who are fans of Naruto and Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. There are many colors to choose from regarding hair and eyes, so be as expressive as you’d like.

You will be able to unlock more tops, bottoms, outfits, hairstyles, and more through playing the game. Some will be rewards from solo missions, some from playing online, and many from the appraising scrolls you receive for multiple reasons (more below). However, some will cost in-game currency which you can collect in various ways as well.

Once you gain access to the Inn, you’ll be able to customize the loadout of each character role in NTBSS. The four are Attack, Ranged, Defense, and Heal. Attack types are great at close combat and move quickly. Ranged types are great at long range, use a wide variety of ranged ninjutsu, and move quickly. Defense are the tanks of NTBSS, moving slowly with lots of strength and health, their ninjutsu geared toward defense. Heal are the healers who are weak to direct attacks, but are invaluable to any group because of their individual and group healing abilities.

Figure out your ideal type by experimenting with each. There are also four separate loadouts you can have with all four roles per loadout (you just select the one you want). This means you can have one for each role, customize all four for each loadout, or focus only a certain type and have four separate loadouts of that role.

2. Nab the daily login bonus and check the weekly missions

Like many games that are mostly or solely online-based, NTBSS includes a daily login bonus. The login bonuses are five-day bonuses and in order of reward, they are a Plain Scroll, Quality Scroll, 15 thousand ryo (in-game currency), Valuable Scroll, and Esoteric Scroll. Who doesn’t like receiving rewards just for logging into a game?

Next, pay attention to the weekly special missions – you can find them on a bulletin board to the left in the village. Scrolls are your best bet for unlocking more avatar items, including weapons, with the higher-ranked scrolls carrying a greater chance of unlocking items up to SS rank.

Most weekly missions are simple, though players who aren’t as confident in their skills may find the online-based missions (Quick Matches and Ninja World Face-Off) a bit intimidating. Still, those two Esoteric Scrolls for completing all five missions are very enticing considering they carry a higher chance of A-rank and up items.

3. Appraise your scrolls and equip higher-ranked items

Once you have scrolls, you have to get them appraised by Tenten at the Ninja Tools Shop. Luckily, this is free. It’s really just redeeming the scrolls for random items, though the quality of the scrolls do determine the chances of finding higher quality items. You can appraise scrolls individually or, as pictured, do a mass appraisal to see all of the items you gained at once. The Esoteric Scrolls above even rewarded an SS-rank item, Rhapsody!

Don’t forget to browse Tenten’s shop for a bevy of items. What might interest you most is the vast array of ninjutsu Tenten has for sale through the Ninjutsu Manuals. There are three categories: Ninjutsu, Substitution Justu, and Secret Technique Ninjustsu. When it comes to items like weapons, some are only available after raising your rank to Chunin and above. Once you have your scrolls appraised and items bought, head to the Inn.

Once you receive items, you can equip them at the Inn run by Sakura. This is also where you can receive your daily login bonus or any other rewards you may have received. When you change your items and clothes, you’ll be taken to the role screen from earlier and then select by role what you want to edit. As with the character roles, weapons and items also have an associated role and only able to be equipped by that role. For example, Rhapsody is for a Defense role.

However, just because something is SS-rank doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be the best item for your playstyle. For example, while Rhapsody is SS-rank, it’s speed and hit rate are a bit low even though it deals massive damage. Basically, don’t overlook items just because they’re not SS-rank and make sure to equip those that mesh the best with your playstyle and role.

One last note about the Inn: if you’re disgruntled with your character, but do not want to start a new game, then there is the option to remake your character. At the Inn, select Ninja Remake to recreate your character. However, this requires a Ninja Remake Op. Seal, which can be found through training, online events, or purchased for ten thousand ryo.

Luckily, the Ninja Tools Shop and the Inn are next door to each other. This makes it quick and easy to gain items and equip them. Don’t be surprised to always see a group of players milled around both as they do exactly what you’re doing!

4. Check the bulletin board for a detailed FAQ

To the right of the main square in the village, you will find a bulletin board. Access it for a detailed rundown of everything in the game. There are explanations for controls, the facilities in the village, playing online, and more. Each subject comes with a description and screenshots, ending with the controls on how to perform the chosen subject (if it applies).

It’s recommended to take some time reading through these, particularly the controls, before you head out on either your first solo missions or online play. With no traditional training mode where you could practice moves and combos, this is your best bet at understanding the intricacies of the game as much as possible before embarking on more advanced play.

5. Streamline the solo missions in the VR Ninjutsu Arena

Sure, you can jump straight into the online modes to face other players from around the world, but considering the game has been out for a couple of years, there are probably many players who have an advantage both in terms of experience and equipment. As such, it’s recommended to streamline the solo missions once you complete the training mode.

Completing the solo missions, especially at first, is going to be a lot of grinding because the rewards aren’t as large as later ranks. Still, these missions are perfect for experimenting with and finding your ideal character role, though some of this might be influenced by the items you’re able to equip on each type early in the game.

Also, always aim for S-rank on missions! You’ll see a post-mission screen with your rank, including your kills and deaths, and if you have a master selected (more below), the experience gained with them. One thing to be aware of is the timer and time elapsed for a mission. The quicker you complete a mission, the higher you will score. You also don’t want the timer to hit zero.

In solo mode, you’ll also encounter many swarm battles that sort of resemble those in Dynasty Warriors, for example. Do your best not to be overwhelmed and chain your attacks together for combos that strike the most amount of enemies. Don’t forget to use your ninjutsu, particularly those with AoE damage, when there are many enemies in your way.

The solo missions are also a great way to build up experience with your chosen master from the Ninjutsu Library. Note that in the picture below, everything after the first option (Select VR Master) requires either purchasing the season passes or the trainer from the PS Store.

Once you select a master, you’ll need to gain experience with them to help unlock their skills and items for your character. You’ll notice that many characters, particularly toward the bottom of the list, also have roles associated with them. This means it’s best to train a Defense role, for example, with Boruto (Karma), who is also a Defense role.

You can see the list of items and ninjutsu you’ll unlock with a chosen master prior to selecting them. This should help you narrow down your list and select the best master – not just by role – for your character. It’s highly recommended to gain a master as soon as you’re able and work to unlock their rewards to make your character more formidable in battle.

Now you have what it takes to build up your created character to become a strong shinobi in Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker. Which village will you hail from, what role will you take, and who will be your master(s)?