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---Super DragonBall Z--------------
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---System: Playstation 2------------
---Developer: Crafts & Meister----
---Publisher: Bandai-----------------
---Genre: Fighting-------------------
---# Of Players: 1-2-----------------
---Price: 6800 Yen-------------------
---Available: Now (Japan)-----------
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Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90OdCHuT5WY&mode=related&search=
(Shows some great examples of how the game engine works about halfway through)
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Super DragonBall Z is a breath of fresh air for fans of the series looking for a
well-crafted fighting game featuring their favorite characters. Developer Crafts
& Meister may be a new company, but at the helm are Noritaka Funamizu and Katsuhiro
Sudo, two former Capcom producers who were behind the likes of
Street Fighter
II, Street Fighter Alpha, Street Fighter III, Power Stone, Monster Hunter,
and more.
The roster features 18 characters, mainly from before the Majin Buu saga:
-Son Goku
-Krillin
-Chi Chi
-Piccolo Daimyo
-Son Gohan (child)
-Piccolo
-Vegeta
-Freeza
-Future Trunks
-Mecha Freeza
-Videl
-Android #16
-Android #17
-Android #18
-Cell
-Majin Vegeta
-Majin Buu
-Ultimate Gohan
Majin Vegeta, Piccolo Daimyo, Ultimate Gohan, Videl, and Mecha Freeza are PS2-exclusive
characters, and must be unlocked.
Super DragonBall Z's game play is fully 3D-based, but also contains some 2D fighting game elements as well. The game uses a four button control scheme, with light attack, heavy attack, block, and jump buttons. You can move your character, as well as dash, in 8 directions, which is useful for avoiding projectile attacks and super moves. You can also
fly/hover in the air by double tapping jump, however all of these defensive manuevers use an action bar, which automatically refills itself when not in use. All of the stages feature multi-level environments and walls or trees that can be used for cover. All of these areas are destructable, so you can't hide behind something or stay up on top of a roof or cliff for very long.
Unlike the Budokai and Sparking games, Super DragonBall Z's roster has a more diverse feel, due to each character having special moves more unique to him/her. Special attacks and super moves are done in the standard 2D fighting game style, with fireball, dragon punch, and charge-style (Although no charging is needed) motions. Each character has several preset combos, such as hard, hard, light attack, but you can also perform juggles and super cancels, giving the combo system a more free-form feel.
The "meat" of Super DragonBall Z comes from the character upgrading system. When you first start the game, you need to make character card. Making a character card allows to give a character a unique name, change his/her appearance, and add/edit moves and abilities. Every time you win or lose a fight, your character's power level also goes up, so a player who takes a single character through a large number of fights will end up with a very strong character, with new abilities and attacks in comparison to the regular version of that character. But while this makes for a longer lasting single-player game, and also makes for some different match-ups with other players' edited characters, those wishing to just jump into Super DragonBall Z and play two player matches right away will find the characters a bit lacking in moves and abilities compared to the upgraded versions.
Super DragonBall Z features the original arcade mode, where you fight seven characters (the first five are random, but you always face Freeza and Cell in the last two matches), gaining Dragonballs and more power along the way. The new Z Survival mode lets you fight in a tournament, that not only raises your power level, but also has a roulette wheel that can raise other stats after every fight. There's also the standard versus and training modes. Training only lets you play on one stage, but you can modify the layout to include different types of platforms.
As you go through the original mode or the Z survival mode, you will also gain the Dragonballs, which can then be used to summon Shenron. Summoning Shenron allows you to unlock hidden characters, alternate outfits and colors, and a host of options that can be used in upgrading your character's abilities, such as new moves, a move taken from another character, extended action meters, an extra bit of life that revives a character who lost a round, and more. Some characters,like Mecha Freeza and Trunks, can also get new weapons to use.
Super DragonBall Z's visuals are entirely cel-shaded, and the presentation, right down to the loading screens, do a great job of mimicking Akira Toriyama's distinct art style. Hit effects also use text, just like in the comics. All of the stages are based on familar DragonBall landscapes as well, and if you look closely enough, you'll find cameos from other characters, like Mr. Satan on the Cell Games stage. The anime's original voice actors all return to reprise their roles as well. The music (I believe; not quite sure yet) is done by some members of Arika, as it sounds similar to the BGMs from games like
Street Fighter EX, Mega Man Network Transmission, and
Technictix; the music gives off a catchy, mostly upbeat vibe that feels like something out of the glory days of 2D fighting games from the early 90s.
Super DragonBall Z is not only a great fighting game for fans, but also is also worth trying for those into fighting games. Super DragonBall Z is easily the best DragonBall Z fighting game ever made, and certainly the best DragonBall Z game since Hyper Dimension on the Super Famicom.
HIGHLY Recommended for fans, nonfans should consider giving this game a try as well.