Like the name says, this latest entry in the sprawling anime-based series uses Kinect to cast you as Goku, Vegeta, and dozens of other big-haired brawlers, letting you unleash punches, kicks, and colossal fireballs by moving your body. Despite the large, open arenas, the game’s single-player-only battles are tightly orchestrated, alternating between up-close and ranged moments, while story mode’s cutscenes flesh out a slimmed-down version of the anime that spans the Saiyan, Frieza, Androids, and Majin Buu sagas.
This setup takes a lot of the strategy (and player movement) out of the equation, but at least your core actions usually function as intended. Whether you’re throwing simple punch combos or projectiles, the game does a solid job of picking up your motions, and it does feel cool pulling your hands back to form a virtual fireball and then launching it forward. The game occasionally misses your prompted counterattack or dodge moves, where you mimic a simple onscreen maneuver, but thankfully, it’s not a consistent issue.
As much as we don’t miss the enormous rosters and overlong tales of past Dragon Ball Z games, the condensed story mode — which spans 23 battles at about five minutes a pop, and will take skilled players around three hours to beat — exhausts its bag of tricks after just a few rounds, revealing little more than a solidly functioning but uninspiring core. This Kinect offering works well enough, but Teen rating aside, it’s best suited for younger fans looking to live out their anime daydreams.
PUBLISHER: Namco Bandai • DEVELOPER: Spike Chunsoft • ESRB: Teen • MULTIPLAYER: None • ACHIEVEMENTS: Easy • COST: $40 • RELEASE DATE: October 9, 2012
+ Unleash iconic fireballs and more with your body.
– Guided approach makes for bland, repetitive battles.
– Occasionally misses your moves (particularly the prompted counterattack or dodge moves).
? How about a more diverse, less automated sequel?
