Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo Review for Nintendo Wii

Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo box art

System: Wii	Review Rating Legend
Dev: Media Vision	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: Namco Bandai Games America	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: Oct. 20, 2009	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1-2	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

The sound in the game is also very good. One thing that was very surprising was the quality of the voiceover. Though it has been almost a decade since the original Dragon Ball was dubbed, the voice actors for the game sound almost identical to those who did the English dub. In addition to the spectacular voiceovers, the game also has some pretty sweet tunes. In keeping with the game's retro feel, the background music has a distinctive synth feel to it, and boss battles feature some 8-bit-sounding music that is sure to take you back to your retro gaming days.

Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo screenshot

Control, sound, and gameplay are great, but once you really get into the game, you may be dismayed to find out that it has ended already. Length is definitely an issue with this game, as most gamers will probably complete the main story mode in less than six hours. The short length is definitely an issue, as the game has little to no replay value as a strictly linear adventure. However, there is an extra mode in the game that will help to ease the sting of the game's short length: tournament mode. This mode allows you to take control of all the characters in the game and battle with a friend. However, even though there are plenty of characters to use in tournament mode, I was disappointed by it overall.

The combat in tournament mode is taken directly from the game's story mode, and it features very simple one-button attacks, two or three combos, and one special attack. The dearth of combat options really sinks the replay value of tournament mode, and matches involve little in the way of strategy and skill and are reduced to simple button-mashing contests.

Despite the lack of replay value, the time you do spend with Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo is time well spent if you are a Dragon Ball fan. The story follows the anime and manga serial, and the gameplay is perfect for older fans of the anime. Although the visuals are most certainly not up to par and the game's length is a little lacking, the better aspects of this title make up for its shortcomings. This game is not the most original thing to hit the Dragon Ball universe, but you are pretty much guaranteed a good time with it, as long as you don't mind its retro platforming structure and are interested in the early adventures of Son Goku.

By Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Staff Contributor

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

2.0

Graphics
These are GameCube graphics at their worst. Jagged lines, repetitive textures, and bland environments make this game look terrible.

3.9

Control
Classic Controller scheme works perfectly. Although the Nunchuck and Wii-mote combination works well enough, it is a little bit too complex.

4.1

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Old-school synth sounds and 8-bit effects are great. Title theme is awesome.

3.8

Play Value
The main story mode is short, and there isn't enough depth to the battle system to keep tournament mode relevant for long. Still, Dragon Ball fans will still have a great time with this one.

4.0

Overall Rating - Great
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

An all-new adventure game - Run, jump, explore and fight in a full 3D world using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, the Classic Controller or the Nintendo GameCube Controller.

Exciting gameplay modes - Goku can lock onto enemies and perform different stun and combo attacks.

Cut scenes from the original anime - View key events from the series refined in full CG and in an all-new dramatic detail never before seen.

Fight in the World Tournament - Choose your favorite character from the Dragon Ball series and challenge your friends in head-to-head battle.

Shop at the store - Purchase items that will aid your quest in the Adventure Mode or unlock fun items for the Gallery.