Sean Marshall Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is a great game that fused RPG elements with familiar Dragon Ball Z fighting mechanics. The story is pretty much like the previous Dragon Ball Z games where you’re fighting through the Saiyan Saga to the Majin Buu Saga minus the DLC add-ons that follow Battle of Gods’ storylines Ressurection of F & Future Trunks. Yes, the game was fun, but it still retained the repetitiveness we’ve been drowning in for years. I already discussed where I’d like to see the next Dragon Ball game from Bandai Namco go in another article, but I really want to point out one of the main reasons why I think they dropped the ball with Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot.
With the game’s title being Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, most would assume it would be grounded within the Z timeline & focus on the beloved Saiyan Kakarot/Goku; however, this is where we missed out on what could’ve potentially been an excellent & one of a kind game. This game would’ve exceeded the praise it received if it would’ve started from Dragon Ball & concluded with the final Future Trunks DLC. Dragon Ball consisted of the following sagas: Emporer Pilaf Saga, Tournament Saga, Red Ribbon Army Saga, General Blue Saga, Commander Red Saga, Fortuneteller Baba Saga, Tien Shinhan Saga, King Piccolo Saga, & Piccolo Jr. Saga.
Starting with a young Goku that meets Bulma on her search for the Dragon Balls & ending the Dragon Ball story with Goku’s final battle against Piccolo Jr. would’ve been great! Not only would we have seen how the strong ties Goku has with his friends in Dragon Ball Z were formed, but we also would’ve grown with Goku on each of his journeys throughout his childhood. Playing as Master Roshi, aka Jackie Chun, during that key moment in the 1st Tenkaichi Budokai where he turned into the Oozaru would’ve been special. Heck, taking down the Red Ribbon Army or going through that heartbreaking moment at the end of the 2nd Tenkaichi Bukokai when Tamborine killed Krillin would’ve been great.
Not only would it have been a much more enjoyable game to play through the early Dragon Ball arcs, but the game would’ve been longer & felt heftier than what we got with Kakarot. It also would’ve added a new taste to a table of dishes we’re very much familiar with. Yes, I know that “Z” is in the title of the game, which means that it should only focus on Z arcs, but the title could’ve been swapped out & again, the game would’ve covered the majority of Goku’s journeys as a child, teenager & adult.
Bandai could be working on a separate Dragon Ball game that focuses solely on the Dragon Ball arcs but not having those arcs included in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot was a big misstep to me. Well, what do you think? Do you feel that Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is perfect as is or that it would’ve been more enjoyable to go through the Dragon Ball & Dragon Ball Z arcs in one game?
