Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi

Review

Common Sense Media says

Anime fighting game replaces skill with luck.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi is a fighting game based on the long-running cartoon anime series Dragon Ball Z. As with most other entries in this video game franchise, this game is comprised of little more than constant battles between characters from the anime. Players can relive intense moments from the TV series in the game's story mode, or just fight against any other character in the game, with no context or story background. While there is no blood or physical signs of damage in the battles themselves, some of the images that appear after battle include characters with bruises or bloody scars. The dialogue also contains some mild cussing. Kids playing online can play with open chat, so they may be exposed to unpredictable language and inquiries.

  • Positive messages1
    This is a fighting game and although the story mode explains that players are fighting for good, not evil, there is the ability to play the game without going through the story and thus eliminating the context for the constant battling. Even in the story mode, the story is winding and confusing, and the line between good and evil appears blurred at times.
  • Positive role models1
    There are several characters presented in the game as heroes and role models, although the story focuses mostly on constant conflict and combat rather than highlighting strong moral interaction between the hero characters. There is a slight level of ambiguity between good and evil at some points in the story, but for the most part players will easily align themselves with the good guys and learn that their mission is altruistic, despite involving a lot of violence.
  • Ease of play3
    Unlike most other fighting games, this title relies heavily on chance. To perform a powerful 'melee' move, players engage in a "rock, paper, scissors" style of attack. Thus, someone with no fighting game experience could manage to knock out a much more powerful opponent, and even the most veteran players may end up unable to execute successful attacks. Other, less powerful attacks do rely on players' ability to press the correct button combinations and perform strategic offensive and defensive moves.
  • Violence3
    This is a fighting game. The only gameplay mechanic is attacking other characters, specifically in one-on-one, protracted battles. Although the battles contain frenetic action, frequent shouts and cries of pain, and close-range attacks, everything is depicted in a highly fantastical context. The most powerful attacks come in the form of magical fireballs, lasers, etc. In addition, characters never show signs of damage during the actual battle sequences. Instead, damage is depicted in detached 'life meters' that deplete as characters get hit. There are, however, images that appear after battles that sometimes show characters with bloody wounds and scars.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language2
    There is some cussing in the dialogue, including the word "hell."
  • Consumerism1
    This is a game based on a world created in a TV show.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    Not applicable.
  • Privacy & safety2
    Some privacy concerns: It is possible for players to battle against other players online. If players have voice chat enabled, this may expose them to unfiltered comments from their opponent. It is possible to disable this feature, so parents should be aware of the settings on their game console.
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What's it about?

DRAGON BALL Z: ULTIMATE TENKAICHI follows the story of the Dragon Ball Z anime series and lets players live out some of the most memorable battles from the TV show. In the story mode, players engage in battle after battle, with short cutscenes interspersed between the action. There is also a mode that allows players to compete in battles without the story or cutscenes. During the one-on-one battles, players dole out a variety of attacks, some of which include hand-to-hand kicks and sword slashes though the more powerful attacks are fantastical combination moves that use magic spells and huge bursts of color and light.

Is it any good?

 

A game like Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi is no doubt geared to a specific audience. For the most part, only players who have played another game in the Dragon Ball Z series, or at least some other anime-inspired fighting game, will gravitate to this title. As such, it comes off as rather frustrating that the traditional skill-based fighting controls have been replaced with a system that focuses on luck. There is no strategy to performing a melee attack, since the outcome is played out like a game of "rock, paper, scissors." While this gameplay mechanic somewhat evens the playing field and allows novice players to have a better shot at winning, it will no doubt provide some frustration to the more seasoned fighting game aficionados.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the persistent fighting in this game. What drives these characters to violence?

  • Is there a sense of camaraderie among the hero characters?

  • Do you prefer playing as a good guy or a bad guy? Why?

This review was written by Mark Raby
Teen, 15 years old
November 17, 2011
AGE
14
 
DBZ Ultimate Tenkaichi
It's not as bad as the "uncut" episodes of the TV show, but it is more graphic than the average DBZ game. That is, keeping it on a cartoon level. I reccommend it for any of the major dbz fans, that are of age. The only language that's used is p**** and hell, so it's fairly mild.
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Adult
December 10, 2011
AGE
13
 
Ultimate Ten...KAI!
Common Sense, you have no common sense. Hell is not a bad word. Just some mild violence that could raise eyebrows. The only flaw in the game is that there are not many characters.
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide (10) | Had useful details (10) | Read my mind (9)
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This review was written by Mark Raby
Platforms:Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Fighting
Developer:Namco Bandai
Release date:October 25, 2011
Price:$59.99
ESRB rating:T for Cartoon Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language
This review was written by Mark Raby

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ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
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BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
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