"So This Is What It Would Be Like If Goku and Ryu Fused..."

There have been many fighting games in the Dragon Ball Z universe. Some were respectable, such as Budokai 3; others were downright atrocious, such as the American release of Ultimate Battle 22. Super Dragon Ball Z is a very good fighting game, which not only provides enough fan service to please Dragon Ballers, but also offers deep enough fighting action to quench the thirst of the serious hardcore fighting game fan. Using my patented GAMES (Gameplay, Artwork, Music, Entertainment, Score) system, I will go over why the game created by Street Fighter II producer Noritaku Funamizu is so very good.

Gameplay- The fighting system is easy to pick up, hard to master. Each character has several strike combos, as well as super Ki attacks. The amazing thing about this is that each character plays differently, unlike most Dragon Ball Z games to date. For example, Trunks is a melee-based character, Vegeta is balanced, while Frieza will try to use more of his ki attacks. The system is very deep, allowing massive combos to be done at times. It also adds a strategic element by creating an action gauge that runs out every time you use certain attacks, so movement has to be timed well. Overall, the best playing DBZ fighting game since Hyper Dimension.
Score: 10/10

Artwork- The artwork is very well done as well, reflecting the manga. Characters look like their manga counterparts; beam attacks are stylish and amazing. My only complaint, and this is where it loses a point, is in the fact that words like "KRAK" and "ZWANGG" show up occasionally during attacks; this game should've taken note of Naruto:Ultimate Ninja and left the Kanji in the game, making it more like a manga and less like 1960's Batman.
Score: 9/10

Music: The music is very well done as well; it's your standard arcade fighting music fare, but it is very enjoyable and memorable. I also like the varying instrumental styles, from the slap bass heavy character introductions, to the heart-pumping techno-like music during some stages. Very well done.
Score: 9/10

Entertainment- This is another spot where the game shines. The game utilizes a deep character customization system; you gain EXP and Battle Points after fighting in Z-Survivor, Original, or Versus Mode; once you reach a certain EXP level, you can upgrade your character by teaching him/her a variety of skills, from extra attacks(Vegeta's Big Bang Attack) to other skills like increasing your action gauge or gaining the ability to cancel a super move into a ultimate attack. The game has six secret characters that you can unlock and raise, as well as many other goodies through Dragon Summonings. This game will leave you interested in it for a long time.
Score: 10/10

Story:...there is none! Come on, this is an arcade fighter! You fight 7 randomized characters, fight Cell, and it's done, a very refreshing fact due to the fact that most DBZ fans have played through the story umpteen times in other games.
Score:8/10

Rent or Buy: If you are a DBZ fan, it's a definite pick up. If you are a Street Fighter fan, it's a definite pick up. If you like fighting games, it's a definite pick-up. Either way, get this game ASAP; you won't regret it!

Score (out of 10): 9.2 or 9 by GameFAQS standards.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/24/06