5 Reasons Why Super Dragon Ball Z is the best DBZ game

[DBZAOTA482]

5 Reasons Super Dragon Ball Z is the best DBZ game (MUSH-SERIES #1)

Any Super DBZ lovers out there? If so, I'm gonna share the 5 main reasons we love the game:

1. The graphics and presentation are manga-inspired

DBZ games tend to draw influence from the anime for visual cues. Super DBZ, on the other hand, is more like the manga in the virtual world so it's not as flashy and vibrant as say... Budokai 3. The color scheme is more like the manga (Goku's Gi is a regular orange and blue, Gohan has blue waistbands and red belt, Cell's exoskeleton is dark green, etc.), the main menu is set up like a manga page snd even the hit FX is like the FX from the manga.

Suppaman also makes a cameo.

2. Chi-Chi is a playable character

Chi-Chi is almost never playable in any Dragon Ball game. She usually just serves as a background prop but in Super DBZ, they made her the badass female fighter she deserves to be and what's more it's Adult Chi-Chi in her 23rd Budokai attire (the one that can actually fight).

3. Videl is actually a good character in this game

Ever since her debut to DBZ fighters in Budokai 2, Videl was usually pretty weak at best (Budokai 3) and almost completely worthless at worst (Budokai Tenkaichi series). However, Super DBZ made her into a character worth-playing as... a feat never again accomplished till Xenoverse.

4. Depth

Most DBZ fighters are often perceived as shallow button-masher but that is certain not the case for Super DBZ. Certainly an advantage due to having Noritaka Funamizu, the producer for Street Fighter II (there are numerous similarities it and SF as well as Mortal Kombat), working on it. You actually had to think about how you play it to git gud and it was a great mix of zoning, spacing, and 3D movement.

There was a competitive scene for it in Japan and China.

5. The roster is actually balanced... and play differently

Common compaint among DBZ fighters (notably Budokai Tenkaichi series) is how the characters feel identical or how some are useless compared to others. In Super DBZ, no character is outright better than the other. They all have their distinct advantages/disadvantages. The roster was small even compared to other non-DBZ fighters but it was a wiseful sacrifice.



So... mush away... and give me your reasons.

[Soppa Saia People]

Is there original dragon ball charcters or just Z charcters ?

[DBZAOTA482]

Is there original dragon ball charcters or just Z charcters ?

It has Piccolo Daimao.

[Soppa Saia People]

That's great. What is the roster ? Is it like tenkachi 3 roster or XenoVerse roster ?

[KND]

That's great. What is the roster ? Is it like tenkachi 3 roster or XenoVerse roster ?

Gohan (Base, Super Saiyan 2)
Krillin
Android 18
Frieza (Final Form)
Goku (Base, Super Saiyan)
Future Trunks (Base, Super Saiyan)
Cell (Perfect Form)
Vegeta (Base, Super Saiyan)
Chi-Chi
Piccolo
Android 16
Android 17
Ultimate Gohan
Videl
Cyborg Frieza (Base, Full Armor)
King Piccolo
Majin Vegeta
Majin Buu

This. It is a amazing fighting game. Great roster. Even an exclusive design Cyborg Freeza and Ultimate Gohan fighting style uses the sword. This game should have had a sequel.

[Soppa Saia People]

That's great. What is the roster ? Is it like tenkachi 3 roster or XenoVerse roster ?

Spoiler:

Gohan (Base, Super Saiyan 2)
Krillin
Android 18
Freeza (Final Form)
Goku (Base, Super Saiyan)
Future Trunks (Base, Super Saiyan)
Cell (Perfect Form)
Vegeta (Base, Super Saiyan)
Chi-Chi
Piccolo
Android 16
Android 17
Ultimate Gohan
Videl
Cyborg Freeza (Base, Full Armor)
King Piccolo
Majin Vegeta
Majin Buu

This. It is a amazing fighting game. Great roster. Even an exclusive design Cyborg Freeza and Ultimate Gohan fighting style uses the sword. This game should have had a sequel.

Geez thats a great roster, if I get another ps2 I might buy this.

[ShadowBardock89]

I have a rule regarding DBZ games:
No Raditz, No Buy.

[Quebaz]

I love it, I love it and I love it. I wrote a piece on why I think it didn't catch on and how it's THE competitive DBZ game to me awhile back.

But man, I just love this game, even ignoring the gameplay mechanics, it just does some little things that no other DBZ game does, or handle series staples in a different way. I'm totally going to copy the OP and share my own reasons as to why I love it.

1. The customization system lets you invest in the characters

Now since Budokai, DBZ games have done customization and still do it, and one could say that Xenoverse does it better because of the CaC but in Super the customization really reflects the player's style and it's not just a way to make a broken build or whatever and here's why, the base characters are already balanced between each other so everyone can use everyone and have a good time, now by customizing their skills you get to do 2 things, either compensate for your weaknesses, Ex: Giving C-16 extra movement options, or enhance your strenghts , Ex: Giving Krillin a Homing Blast so he's able to zone even better (and it goes both ways, I can make C-16 a better beast up close by giving him an attack boost and a Command Throw or if I think Krillin's already good enough at zoning I an give him a Counter Move so he fairs up better at close range), and this process happens while you play because the game lets you level up while playing alone or fighting other people, so you can learn on the spot if your decision was the one you wanted and make up for it.

And the best part about the Skill System is that you can inherit skills from other characters so if you want to customize even further than what your character allows you, you can always steal a move from someone else, which leads to things like Freeza firing a Kamehameha. Customization in this game doesn't stop there, since you get get different outfits with different colors for the characters, yes it's a little thing, but no DBZ game nowadays really lets me have multiple color choices for the characters' clothes.

2. Fanservice in every detail

Game is filled with plenty details that just put a smile on your face, from the Manga art-style, several cameos during stages (Puar and TB Announcer on Tournament, Chiaotzu and the little Ghosts on Snake Way, Upa on Karin's Tower, etc.), the entirety of Chichi and Mecha Freeza's movesets and design, Ultimate Gohan in Kaioshin's outfit with the Z Sword and another sword that resembles the one he had as a kid, Trunks can either get a Katana or a Light Saber, Goku has his Sphere Kamehameha from against Freeza, the whole point of Krillin's unlockable wish (Oolong even makes an appearance), Scouters break if you power level is too high and you need to wish for a new model. With the exception of the Japan-only Ultimate Butouden, DBZ games haven't shown this level of care in a while now and it's kinda sad really.

3. Just one more round

A good fighting game is a good fighting game and that's certainly what Super excels at. There's this flow to it that makes you keep playing even if just to see Mecha Freeza fire several mines from his tail yet again or Vegeta shouting as he fires his "Locura Gun", matches are super fuild and every move ties into one another making it so there's never a dull moment, characters are unique with various special moves that need to be utilized in different circunstances to get their best use out of.

It just feels good and it's super fun, It's the DBZ game I wish it had a re-release with Online the most.

[FoolsGil]

Ah, Street Fighter Z. Good times.

People love their Budokai games, well this game was my reply. I adored that game. Like OP mentioned, the character roster was smaller but more balanced And there was depth. That dash feature was the king on the parade that was Super Dragonball Z. And Chi Chi in her bikini armor was the best. :3 She was my best character too, she learned the Wolf Fang Fist and she would just go to town on folks! Oh and the Wolf Fang Fist was finally done correctly in this game. Not that...headbutt that was in the Budokai series (Whose idea was that? lol)

If only things were different. It was released after Budokai 3, and later that year Tenkaichi was rolled out. And while there was more substance than flash in the decision to only have 18 characters, less characters hurt it. Perhaps if came out shortly after the first Budokai, the polished turd that it was, the world would have given Super Dragon Ball Z a chance, and there could have been sequels of that as a series.

[Xeogran]

The music is also damn catchy.

[MCDaveG]

I enjoyed the game a lot, but it really was an arcade port. I would probably enjoy that more on arcade slot somewhere in mart, but for home console, it lacked lots of content to have a real replay value, outside of grinding for customization.
I did enjoy the game for some time, but then it started to be waste of my time (like Xenoverse after finishing all stories and PQs for the first time) and didn't touch it again.
But it is playwise one of the better DB titles