Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z officially launches today in North America for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Vita (and is already available in both Europe and Japan!). Below you will find a quick overview of some of the most frequently asked questions we have seen. Stay tuned for our full review of the game both in written and podcast form!

Who developed the game?
Battle of Z was developed by Artdink for Namco-Bandai. The developer is most recently well-known for their work on various games in the Macross and Gundam franchises.

Which systems is/are this game available on?
Battle of Z is available on the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3, and the Vita worldwide. In North America in particular, the Vita version is download-only, and only contains the English language audio track.

Is there any connection between the game Battle of Z and the film Battle of Gods?
Goku’s new Super Saiyan God form is playable in the game, along with the God of Destruction, Beerus, and his attendant, Whis. There is also a section of the story mode dedicated to the film. The movie is not contained on the game disc in any way, however.

Is there an opening video? New theme song?
Yes and no. There is indeed a newly-animated 2D opening sequence. The first half features Son Goku and friends battling some of the usual villains, while the second half focuses on Super Saiyan God Son Goku versus the God of Destruction, Beerus. The song played — yes, even in the North American release — is FLOW’s (original Japanese language) cover of “CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA” from the film Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods (where Super Saiyan God and Beerus themselves come from).

Which languages are included?
There is a default English language track and a selectable Japanese language track on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions. Certain international releases of the Vita version (including the North American release) only contain the English language track.

What is the background music in the game?
Similar to the Raging Blast games, the Japanese version of the game features newly-synthesized versions of tunes from Shunsuke Kikuchi’s original score to the Dragon Ball Z TV series and movies, while the international releases of the game feature a combination of new and recycled tunes (this time from the Blast games).

Is Battle of Z a fighting game or not?
Yes and no. You are absolutely “fighting” against opponents, but the game is heavily structured on a team-based formula with characters having very specific roles. There are melee-focused characters, support-focused characters, etc. Think of it as a mix between the previous 3D fighting games for the franchise with Monster Hunter and a little dash of MMORPG goodness.

Is there a local multiplayer mode?
On the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, no. Multiplayer is available, but only via online matches. There is no full- or split-screen local multiplayer. On the Playstation Vita, local ad-hoc as well as online matches are available.

Is there a 1P versus CPU mode?
No. You can only fight against preset opponents in missions (solo or online) or against other players. There is no way to fight your own selection of computer-controlled opponents.

How many players can fight at once?
There is a maximum of four-versus-four matches (eight total players), both against the computer-controlled opponent in the story mode and then with freely-selectable characters online against human opponents.

Which characters are available to play as?
There are 69 selectable characters, three characters available as various types of downloadable content (first-pressing inclusions, pre-order bonuses, etc.), and five giant boss characters (who themselves are not selectable to play as). The entire roster is available for viewing on the game’s official Japanese website.

Does Battle of Z include “in-game transformations”?
No. Each stage of a character represents a different selection, and may play differently from an earlier/later form of the character.

How do I get Son Goku in his Naruto Sage outfit?
All first-pressings of the physical release of the game come with a code for the character/outfit in the box. While it is likely that first-pressing copies of the game will remain available for quite some time, there will eventually be no way to guarantee you will get the character/outfit unless you purchase(d) the game at launch.

How do I get Super Vegetto as a playable character?
In North America, Super Vegetto is a bonus made available as downloadable content for those pre-ordering at Best Buy or Future Shop. In Europe, most pre-orders should come with both Super Vegetto and Super Saiyan Bardock, regardless of where you purchase the game. In Japan, Super Vegetto will be available for purchase at ¥300 starting February 6th.

How do I get Super Saiyan Bardock as a playable character?
In North America, Super Saiyan Bardock is a bonus made available as downloadable content for those pre-ordering at GameStop / EB Games. In Europe, most pre-orders should come with both Super Vegetto and Super Saiyan Bardock, regardless of where you purchase the game. In Japan, Super Saiyan Bardock will be available for purchase at ¥300 starting February 6th.

Will the downloadable content be available for purchase later?
The North American branch of Namco-Bandai has confirmed to Kanzenshuu that there are currently no plans to offer the pre-order bonus characters as paid downloadable content. So far, it seems they will only be available for purchase in Japan. Downloadable content is generally not cross-compatible between different regions.

How do I get the special “Goku Edition” with all the extras?
Like with many of the recent games, the special edition is only available for purchase in Europe. It comes packed with a figure and an art book.

Is there a demo available?
Yes – a demo is available worldwide for all systems that it is available on (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Vita).

What can be carried over from the demo to the full retail game?
Your accumulated Dragon Points and Premium Points, player rank and level of computer-controlled partners, as well as progress in Story Mode will carry over to the full game. This includes unlocked characters and stages.

Is the game “cross-buy” / “cross-save” / “cross-play” on the Sony platforms?
A separate purchase is required for both the PlayStation 3 and Vita versions, and the console/portable players cannot play with each other. On the flip side, save files from either version can indeed be uploaded, downloaded, and then continued on the other platform.

I need more. I want to listen to super fans talk about it. Make this happen for me.
We have you covered! Check out Episode #0351 of our podcast here at Kanzenshuu to hear Mike (VegettoEX) and special guest Kirran (LordMoonstone) discuss the demo and hopes for the final game.

Remember that this is just a quick look at the game and some of the most frequently asked questions leading up to its launch — it is not a full review. A review is indeed coming, though, both in written form and on the podcast. Stay tuned for more!