Review - Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans (DS)

As a game franchise, Dragon Ball is known for its hyperkinetic fighting titles. If you’re an avid fan who pays attention to everything that pastes Son Goku’s mug on the box, then you probably know that there are also a few Dragon Ball RPGs in existence and Attack of the Saiyans is one of them. The Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans story follows the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament and goes all the way to the Vegeta-Goku showdown. Like a Dragon Ball fight, Attack of the Saiyans is fast and action packed, but is it any good?

If you’re a console RPG fan, then everything that the game throws your way should be familiar. You grind your way through a variety of dungeons and get into random fights with enemies. Fights are turn-based affairs, but there’s a Dragon Ball twist to the proceedings: each time an enemy attacks one of your characters, you need to press a corresponding button to block the barrage and lessen the damage. You need to be alert—press too early or too late and you fail the block and get more damage. The system takes a bit of getting used to, especially when dealing with faster, more powerful enemies.

On the offensive end, each character has a variety of attacks to choose from. You can use the basic physical strikes, shoot powerful blasts like Kamehameha, unleash S-combos, and launch ultimate attacks for even more devastating damage. Unlike your typical console RPG where you only select either a physical or magical strikes, there are plenty of combat options to choose from in Attack of the Saiyans, making it more engaging than your typical handheld RPG.

Another thing that sets the game apart is its small dungeons, with some lasting a mere two to three screens. Because of this, the story’s progression is pretty fast too, so you’ll never get bored. However, parts of the dialogue aren’t very understandable for gamers unfamiliar with certain details in the Dragon Ball anime or manga, which originally required lengthy explanations. In the game, these details are crammed in a couple of speech bubbles. Naturally, there are also a few liberties taken with the plot, but they’re pretty helpful in making the game slightly longer. Interestingly, Attack of the Saiyans can be finished in a mere 15 hours; it’s pretty short by RPG standards but considering the smaller dungeons and quick pacing, it’s more preferable than suffering through those boring 40-hour “epic” RPGs.

If you’re a Dragon Ball fan, Attack of the Saiyans should be a fun romp that would keep you entertained on the go. The game could certainly use more depth, especially with its lean item selection, but its simplicity should appeal to those younger Dragon Ball fans. Newcomers beware—a couple of parts in Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans could leave you scratching your head. This game should be perfect for the hardcore fans of the series.

7/10

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