Dragon Ball Z: Buyuu Retsuden

"A fair Dragon Ball title"

I consider this game a good backup in case you haven't played any of the other Dragon Ball Z titles. I think this is somewhat of a cross between DBZ 1 & 2 for the SFC(SNES). There are 11 characters, Son Gokou, Son Gohan, Piccolo, Vegita, Mirai Trunks, Freeza, #18, Kuririn, Cell, Recoome, and Captain Ginyu. Luckily there is a 1 player mode, although it's more of a sequence of fights rather than a story mode this some of the SFC titles. There are several different endings depending on who you choose, but the endings for Ginyu, Recoome and Freeza are pretty much the same. There are 3 buttons other than moving back and forth, punch, kick, and fly. Unlike the SFC titles, punch is the same as fireball, which can make things confusing. The characters also had their signature moves, and Gokou and Kuririn can even do a solar flare attack which blinds the opponent. Now for the bad points. The control is sometimes unresponsive, and I've found the computer can get INCREDIBLY cheap, mostly by sweep kicking you over and over again as you are trapped in the corner with nothing to do. The worst part about the game is lack of a REAL story mode. Anyone who disagrees, how is it possible that Trunks fights against Recoome and Ginyu, two characters who were killed in the series over a year before? Just something to think about. Pick this import up, but if you're paying like $70 you're getting cheated.

Graphics: 8/10 (most of the ki attacks looked cool)

Sound: 7/10 (as with most games nothing great but fitting)

Control: 6.5/10 (one again slightly unresponsive)

Fun Factor: 8.5/10 (after beating it with everyone you might find it laying on the shelf for a while)

Overall: 7/10

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 11/01/99, Updated 11/01/99