Dragon Ball Z Hyper Dimension

"The BEST Dragon Ball Z Fighting Game Ever"

This game was the last Dragon Ball Z fighting game that came out for the Super Famicom/Super Nintendo. You had better believe that they saved the best for last. This game has everything!

Graphics: 10/10
These are by far the best Dragon Ball Z fighting graphics around. It is like you are watching the show. The characters are large and colorful and look exactly like their anime counterparts. Hyper Dimension makes use of a special graphics chip which makes this game look as good or even better as the Playstation Dragon Ball games. When the characters perform their desperation attacks and specials like Kamehameha and Final Flash, you can feel the power. This game is just pure eye candy. Hyper Dimension, released in 1996, is a game that pushes the 16-bit hardware to it's limits.

Music/Sound: 9.5/10
The music in this game is very good. It really sets the mood for the battles, such as the tunes which are fast-paced and other tunes which convey a sense of urgency. Now, the sound is this game is even better. This game, like the Butouden series, once again makes use of real voice samples that sound exactly like the show's characters. The explosions and the sounds of the impacts are really something to hear.

Control: 10/10
This is another shining part of the game. The characters just move so fluidly. The controls are very responsive and I have always found it very easy to perform any of the special attacks. The characters also move very quickly allowing for fast-paced battles (just like the show) with combos and lots of action.

Gameplay: 10/10
This is another perfect part of this game. This game lets you choose from four modes. There is a story mode where you can play through the events of all of Dragon Ball Z. There is a tournament mode, a practice mode, and a 1-on-1 mode. There are 10 characters to choose from. This doesn't seem like a lot, but what this game lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. The characters are all unique and it is fun to try all of them out. Hyper Dimension puts together the most powerful fighters from all of Dragon Ball Z. You can choose from Son Goku, Majin Vegita, Gotenks, Son Gohan, Vegitto, Piccolo, Perfect Cell, Majin Buu, Kid Buu, Furiza, and Perfect Cell. This game is just so fun to do all their attacks and it never gets old for me.

Buy or Rent?
A definite buy for a Dragon Ball fan! However, getting this game will be expensive. It cost me $60 to buy this import over four years ago and since it is even more rare now, it will probably cost anywhere from $80-$100. Still, this game must be played!

Overall: 10/10

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/17/01, Updated 03/17/01