Family movie night? There's an app for that
Download our new mobile app on iOS and Android.
Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit
By Chad Sapieha,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Manga/anime-inspired game big on cartoon battles.
Add your rating
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this game.
Where to Play
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What’s It About?
DRAGON BALL Z: BURST LIMIT, the latest game in the prolific Dragon Ball Z canon (which in addition to games includes TV shows, comics, toys, and DVDs), is firmly entrenched in the franchise's established universe. It features a roster of fighters with whom fans will be familiar and follows a well-known plot for fans of the shows and comics. The game is essentially a long series of epic battles in which muscle-bound heroes kick, punch, throw, and blast each other around large, open environments. Dramatic scenes punctuate the action at appropriate intervals. The formula will be recognizable not only to Dragon Ball Z devotees, but also anyone who counts him or herself a fan of story-driven fighting games.
The Dragon Ball Z mythos is difficult to crack if you aren't a devout follower. It involves some fundamentally odd metaphysics (death isn't exactly what you'd expect it to be), dozens of characters, and flows over several story arcs called \"sagas.\" If you're new to the franchise, best simply to reconcile yourself with the fact that you will be confused much of the time. You'll learn more about the game's universe through its many dramatic sequences, which play out not only between battles but also during brief pauses in the fighting. The melodramatic dialog is unlikely to be confused with Shakespeare, but, on the bright side, it doesn't leave any shades of gray; you'll never be left wondering about motives or consequences.
Is It Any Good?
Story aside, the action is about what you'd expect of a Japanese fighting game. It's fast, frenetic, and over-the-top. There are plenty of satisfying combinations for ambitious players to master, which will allow them to actively pursue mini battle objectives -- such as landing a "vanishing attack" or finishing the fight with an "ultimate move" -- but button mashing works well, too. Indeed, a healthy selection of difficulty settings and a comprehensive tutorial help ensure that players of all skill levels will be able to play through the story mode without trouble.
That said, all bets are off once you enter the new online arena (a first for the franchise), where accomplished players who have been playing Dragon Ball Z games for years and have an intimate understanding of the franchise's characters will pound inexperienced players into the ground.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the game's distinct Japanese style. Can you point out differences in Japanese animation compared with Western animation or the ways in which the two cultures depict action and violence? Also, why are there so few female fighters in this world? What games have more?
Game Details
- Platforms: Xbox 360 , PlayStation 3
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Atari
- Release date: June 10, 2008
- Genre: Fighting
- ESRB rating: T for Animated Blood, Cartoon Violence
- Last updated: November 4, 2015
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Play
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate