Dragon Ball: Shenron no Nazo
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| Dragon Ball: The Mystery of Shenlong | |||
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Japan  USA  France  "Dragon Ball: The Mystery of Shenlong" Title Screen | |||
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| Release Date |
27 November 1986 (JP)[1] March 1988 (USA) 1988 (FR) | ||
| Genre | Action | ||
| Price | ¥5,300 + tax | ||
| Copies Shipped | 1.2 million (JP)[2] | ||
Dragon Ball: The Mystery of Shenlong, released in France as Dragon Ball: Le Secret Du Dragon and localized in America as Dragon Power, is the Dragon Ball franchise's second video game, and first in a long line of games for the Nintendo Famicom. Players directly control Son Goku from a top-down perspective similar to other action/adventure/role-playing console games of the era, and are tasked with collecting the seven Dragon Balls across the game's various stages, battling mooks and boss characters alike.
Like other Dragon Ball video games of its era, The Mystery of Shenlong is presumed to have been developed by TOSE Software for Bandai.[3]
Game Modes
The Mystery of Shenlong is a single-player game with its sole gameplay mode being its main story. In addition to working toward completing the story, players also have a score point tally indicated on screen which increases as the player defeats enemies and acquires items.
Gameplay
The directional pad moves Goku around the screen, while the "A" button jumps up or down and the "B" button punches (or swings the Nyoi-Bō when equipped). Pressing the "A" and "B" buttons together allows Goku to perform the Kamehameha once learned. Players can collect various items along the way, such as food that will restore power or increase run speed.
Goku's power meter is indicated on screen as a numerical value. Goku is defeated when he loses all of his power or falls into a hole.
Gameplay takes place in a quasi-overhead perspective, where Goku is able to freely move in 360 degrees within the map, jumping and attacking at will. Gameplay occasionally shifts to a side view perspective for boss fights.
Characters
Playable Characters
| Son Goku: Japanese Version | Goku: American Version |
|---|---|
  |
 
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Story Characters
| Name | Japanese Version | American Version |
|---|---|---|
| Bulma |  |
(no change) |
| Turtle Hermit |  |
|
Enemies
TBD
Items
- Hoi-Poi Capsule (ホイポイカプセル)
It explodes and an item comes out from within. - Question Point (クエスチョン·ポイント)
Provides 100 to 1,000 points. - Bone-in Meat (骨付肉)
Increases Goku's power. - Cake (ケーキ)
Goku's power is set to 100. - Panties (パンチー)
Goku moves faster. - Nyoi-Bō (Yellow) (如意棒（黄）)
Goku can use Nyoi-Bō. - Turtle Mark (Yellow) (カメマーク（黄）)
Goku can use the Kamehameha. - Nyoi-Bō (Red) (如意棒（赤）)
TBD - Turtle Mark (Red) (カメマーク（赤）)
TBD - Nyoi-Bō (Blue) (如意棒（緑）)
TBD - Turtle Mark (Blue) (カメマーク（緑）)
TBD
Stages
The Mystery of Shenlong follows Son Goku through three story arcs: stages 1-6 roughly follow the first couple story arcs of the original series, stages 7-10 comprise a kung-fu tournament, and stages 11-14 follow an original story with the MB Army's attack. If players are able to reach stage 12, pressing "Continue" at a game over screen will result in the player starting at stage 11, rather than at the very beginning of the game.
- Stage 1: Meeting the Turtle Hermit (亀仙人との出会い, Kame-sen'nin to no Deai)
- Stage 2: Oolong Appears (ウーロン現る, Ūron Genru)
- Stage 3: The Desert Thief, Yamcha (砂漠の盗賊ヤムチャ, Sabaku no Tōzoku Yamucha)
- Stage 4: The Ox Demon King of Frypan Mountain (フライパン山の牛魔王, Furaipan Yama no Gyū-maō)
- Stage 5: The Rabbit Gang (ウサギ団, Usagi-dan)
- Stage 6: Emperor Pilaf's Ambition (ピラフ大王の野望, Pirafu-daiō no Yabō)
- Stage 7: Kung-Fu Tournament Round 1 (カンフー大会一回戦, Kanfū Taikai Ichi-kaisen)
- Stage 8: Kung-Fu Tournament Round 2 (カンフー大会二回戦, Kanfū Taikai Ni-kaisen)
- Stage 9: Kung-Fu Tournament Semifinals (カンフー大会準決勝, Kanfū Taikai Junkesshō)
- Stage 10: Kung-Fu Tournament Finals (カンフー大会決勝, Kanfū Taikai Kesshō)
- Stage 11: The Rabbit Gang's Revenge (兎人参化の復讐, Toninjinka no Fukushū)
- Stage 12: The Seven Islands (セブンアイランド, Sebun Airando)
- Stage 13: Binbo, King of the Jungle (ジャングル王ビンボ, Janguruō Binbo)
- Stage 14: Konpei Tower (コンペイ塔, Konpei-tō)
Codes & Secrets
French Version Debug Options
Pressing "B" on the second controller in the French edition of the game allows the player to skip levels. Likewise, pressing the "Down" button on the second controller in the French edition refills the player's health (though going above 255 will cause the counter to loop around, killing the player). These are presumed to be unremoved, leftover debug options from the development and localization team.
Merchandise
Guide Book
A guide book for various games including The Mystery of Shenlong was released shortly after the game's release on 15 December 1986 by Shueisha under the "Jump Comics Selection" series for ¥360.
Apparel
In 2019, Bandai's Apparel Division in collaboration with EDIT MODE released an official retro clothing line inspired by the game.[4] The clothing line included three T-Shirts under the titles "MYSTERIOUS ADVENTURE", "THE PANTIES OF A HOT BABE" and "BUYON KA, ME, HA, ME, HA Wave~", along with a collection of pins replicating sprites from the game. The pin sets were released in sets:
- Pin Set A: Goku and Kuririn from the World Martial Arts Tournament
- Pin Set B: Goku with Nyoi-Bō and Carrotizor Rabbit
- Pin Set c: Goku riding Kinto'un and Goku in his Kamehameha pose.
Releases
Domestic Releases
The Mystery of Shenlong was originally released on the Nintendo Famicom 27 November 1986. As with most Nintendo Famicom games, the game comes packaged in a cardboard box. The plastic packaging inside holds the game cartridge, while the instruction manual and promotional material slide in and fit on top. A silver Toei Animation sticker is affixed to the front of the box.
The game was included as a bonus in Dragon Ball DS 2: Charge!! Red Ribbon Army on the Nintendo DS on 11 February 2010, and is accessible via the main menu screen. The bonus game is not included in the international Dragon Ball Origins 2 localization.
The game was also later included within the Nintendo 3DS compilation J Legend Retsuden on 07 November 2013 as one of three Dragon Ball franchise games on the Nintendo Famicom.[5]
The game was once again included within the Nintendo Classic Mini Family Computer Weekly Shonen Jump 50th Anniversary Version on 07 July 2018, a Jump-specific edition of the Nintendo Famicom Classic.[6]
International Releases
The Mystery of Shenlong was faithfully localized in France in 1988 as Dragon Ball: Le Secret du Dragon, though chapters 7-10 are cut from the game.
The game was in many ways heavily adapted and localized for America in 1988 as Dragon Power, removing the Dragon Ball license and changing various characters' and items' names and actual sprite presentations. Most notably:
- While Goku retains his name, his sprite is adjusted to remove the spiky hair and add in a bandanna.
- Bulma is renamed "Nora"
- The Turtle Hermit retains a faithful title translation, but his sprite is adjusted
- Goku's Nyoibō is localized as the "Magic Pole" and the Kamehameha is localized as the "Wind Wave"
- Underwear is adapted into sandwiches
The same stages are removed from the American version as are removed in the French version.
Domestic Media Coverage
The Mystery of Shenlong was reviewed in the No. 13 issue of Biweekly Famicom Tsūshin, receiving scores of 5, 8, 8, and 8 from the four respective reviewers. Of the five major Famicom game reviews that issue — Transformers: Mystery of Convoy, Doraemon, Moero TwinBee: Cinnamon-hakase o Sukue! ("Stinger" in America), Pro Yakyū: Family Stadium ("R.B.I. Baseball" in America), and Dragon Ball: The Mystery of Shenlong ("Dragon Power" in America) — The Mystery of Shenlong was the second-worst reviewed (above the Transformers game).[7]
"Tofuya Famibo" (Gōzō Shiozaki) – 5
Despite having such a large map, it's such a shame that it's the kind of game where you can only go in one direction and the places you can go are so limited. I wonder if they were maybe restrained by the confines of the original story. With Goku as the main character, I wonder if making the game with a bit more freedom wouldn't have been a better choice?"Manager Mizuno" (Shinji Mizuno) – 8
The game really looks and feels like the original comic, and the way the characters move is so cute. The difficulty is about average, so I would recommend it even for girls. Though of course, it's also good for adults. Though for some reason, even though Goku is the main character, he's the only one that doesn't look cute.Mariko Morishita – 8
I'm really happy this game isn't overly difficult. Furthermore, the characters look cute, and there are a lot of hidden rooms and characters that let you power up, so I'm really having a lot of fun. It's really good when you can find a game where you can just play and have fun regardless of your skill level."Gascon Kanaya" (Taku Moroga) – 8
If Dragon Ball is pretty popular as both a manga and an anime, it goes without saying that the game should sell like hotcakes, too. With how cute Goku is, all the kung-fu action and all the RPG-ness of looking for seven Dragon Balls, it's like this story was made with the intention of turning it into a video game from the beginning.
Commercials & Trailers
International Media Coverage
Alongside a version of Dance Aerobics (also on the Nintendo Entertainment System), Bandai brought Dragon Power for display at the January 1988 Consumer Electronics Show, where it was being solicited at a $34.95 MSRP.[11]
The April 1988 issue of Computer Entertainer gave Dragon Power a "not recommended" verdict:[8][a]
DRAGON POWER (★★½/★★) from Bandai is an action-adventure in which you control Goku, a young warrior on a ragon's seven crystal balls. There are six stages in the first story and four stages in the second story. If Goku finds all seven crystal balls in each story, the great Dragon Emperor grants him a wish.
Off to Find the Crustals
In the first story, Goku starts off in a field-and-forest setting, punching his enemies into oblivion and picking up bonus objects. As time passes, his power level decreases. His power also lessens with each hit taken from an enemy character. Goku's power can be replenished by food items or by finding certain power-increasing objects in his travels. He can also find special weapons, such as the Magic Pole and the Wind Wave, which can help him conserve power by defeating enemies more easily than with his bare hands. Early in the first story, Goku meets his friend Nora, who is soon abducted by the enemy, and then he meets his other friend, Pudgy. As he fights on, comic book interludes of "conversation" among Goku, Nora and Pudgy appear from time to time. Some of the interludes contain hints. For the most part, however, the interludes simply interrupt the flow of the game itself. As he moves deeper into the game's settings, more dangerous enemies appear. When Goku completes the first quest for seven crystal balls, he can move to the second quest. Here he encounters a mysterious army that tries to thwart his progress.
Not As Good As "Ninja Kid"
We had hoped that DRAGON POWER might be as enjoyable a game to play as Bandai's best previous game, "Ninja Kid." While there is a certain cute quality to thecartoon-like characters in DRAGON POWER, the game lacks the charm and the play variety of "NinjaKid." The game also lacks a sense of having a cogent story behind the action. We know that Goku is out to find seven crystals, but we're not too sure WHY he wants to find them. We had a difficult time maintaining our interest level in this game because there is nothing special to distinguish it in any way. (Solo play; Pause; Continue feature.) Available for NES only.
Not recommended. (MSR $34.95)
The January 1989 issue of Computer Entertainer ontains a small blurb in its "Discontinued and Cancelled NES Titles" section noting an apparent final shipment and subsequent discontinuation of Dragon Power's ongoing release in America:[12]
Bandai has announced that there will be one more shipment of DRAGON POWER to its dealers this spring before the title is dropped from the company's line.
Additional international coverage of Dragon Power included:
- Nintendo Fun Club News: April/May 1988, p.19, "Dragon Power™ Coming Soon from BANDAI"
- Nintendo Power: July/August 1988 issue, "Dragon Power™ from BANDAI"
- Game Player's Nintendo Buyer's Guide: Volume 1, Number 1 (est. March 1989), p.88, "Hot Hits"
Legacy
Dragon Ball: The Mystery of Shenlong was featured on the season ten opening (episode 70, aired 22 October 2008) of GameCenter CX, a Japanese television show featuring Shinya Arino attempting to complete various (generally older and difficult) video games. After 14 hours of gameplay, Arino was unable to complete the game. Following his defeat, Assistant Director Tomoaki Nakayama played and completed the game in eight hours.[13]
Additional Notes
Akira Toriyama's original designs for the some of the game's enemies ― "Kurilien" (an alien that resembles Kuririn), an "Asura Robot", and the MB Army General ― were published in the 22nd edition of Toriyama's fanclub newsletter, Bird Land Press, in December 1986. These designs were featured as the Dragon Ball Official Site's 85th entry in its The Nearly Complete Works of Akira Toriyama ongoing weekday column in May 2018.[14]
The title screen and story dialog screens use a variation of the original Dragon Ball television series' opening theme, "Mystical Adventure!" This particular piece of music is replaced in the American Dragon Power localization.
Game Credits
No bespoke credits are provided either in the game itself or within supplementary material such as instruction manuals or guide books.
Notes
- ↑ This review is pasted verbatim, typos included as-is.
References
- ↑ @nappasan (24 December 2018). Twitter. Retrieved: 12 June 2026.
- ↑ "Dragon Ball Video Game Data". 30th Anniversary: Dragon Ball Chōshishū –Super History Book–. Japan: Shueisha, 21 January 2016. ISBN 978-4-08-792505-0. (p. 216)
- ↑ Sam Kennedy, 1UP.com, ("TOSE: Gaming's Dirty Little Secret")
- ↑ "[リリース懐かしのソフト「ドラゴンボール神龍の謎」が甦る！？ゲーム内のモチーフを使ったTシャツ・ピンズが一挙登場"] (20 March 2019). Bandai-Fashion. Retrieved: 28 December 2020.
- ↑ 2013 #46 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump ("SCOOP" column)
- ↑ "ニンテンドークラシックミニ ファミリーコンピュータ 週刊少年ジャンプ創刊50周年記念バージョン". Nintendo. Retrieved: 21 January 2019.
- ↑ "新作ゲームクロスレビュー". BIWEEKLY ファミコン通信, No. 13. Japan: Kadokawa. 28 November 1986. (p. 9)
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "THE VIDEO GAME UPDATE". Computer Entertainer, April 1988 (Volume 7, Number 1). USA: Marylou Badeaux and Celeste Dolan; The Video Game History Foundation. ISSN #0890-2143. (p. 10)
- ↑ "Video Shorts". Nintendo Power, July/August 1988 (Issue 1). USA: Nintendo of America Inc., Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co., Ltd. (p. 82)
- ↑ "Hot Hits". Game Player's Nintendo Buyer's Guide, Volume 1, Number 1. USA: Signal Research, Inc. ISSN #1041-0376. (p. 88)
- ↑ "Nintendo Makes Big Impression at CES". Computer Entertainer, January 1988 (Volume 6, Number 10). USA: Marylou Badeaux and Celeste Dolan; The Video Game History Foundation. ISSN #0890-2143. (p. 10)
- ↑ "Discontinued and Cancelled NES Titles". Computer Entertainer, January 1989 (Volume 7, Number 10). USA: Marylou Badeaux and Celeste Dolan; The Video Game History Foundation. ISSN #TBD. (p. 16)
- ↑ "The Game Center CX Episode Guide: #70". Crunk Games. Retrieved: 29 January 2019.
- ↑ "“The Nearly Complete Works of Akira Toriyama”: Work #085" (21 May 2018). Kanzenshuu. Retrieved: 23 January 2019.
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