Common Sense Media Review
By Mark Raby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Anime fighting game replaces skill with luck.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi
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.
Talk to Your Kids 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?
Game Details
- Platforms : PlayStation 3 , Xbox 360
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Namco Bandai
- Release date : October 25, 2011
- Genre : Fighting
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : November 19, 2019
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