Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot + A New Power Awakens Set
Nintendo Switch Owners ‘Rock The Dragon’ With Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
In January 2020, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot was released on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows to mass appeal from both the die-hard and casual fans. Part of what made Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot an amazing game to most players was its authenticity to the source material. Goku and the other Z-Fighters were playable characters in a vast open world, filled with various side-quests that gave players ample amounts of fan service. The gameplay was also praised for its combat mechanics which heavily improved from Xenoverse's 3D fighting gameplay.
The Switch version was notably missing from the line-up of available platforms upon release date. After a year of absence, Nintendo Switch owners are finally able to enjoy the one Dragon Ball Z title that fans have favored upon release. As an added bonus, both parts of A New Power Awakens are bundled with the game as included DLC, making the Nintnedo Switch the "definitive" edition. There are, however, several catches to an otherwise sweet deal.
Trunks and The Androids Come At A Premium
The highly anticipated Trunks: The Warrior of Hope DLC was released on June 2021, giving players a chance to play through the in-game version of The History of Trunks movie. Unfortunately, players expecting to destroy some androids with Future Trunks will have to shell out some dough as the DLC is sold separately. Other separate DLC includes a music pack, replacing the music in-game with songs from the anime, and Tao Pai Pai's pillar, which equates to $35. Hence, while the Switch version is the definitive version when it comes to the base versions of other platforms, it is far from the "complete" edition.
The transition from the main story to A New Power Awakens is seamless for Switch owners, allowing them access to the DLC with a simple menu option. While the game suggests to play through the base story first, fans of the God of Destruction, Beerus, can enjoy the content even as a "Level 1 Goku." Returning to the campaign is as easy as entering via a portal, returning the player right where they last saved. This means that players can alternate between the DLC and base game without a hitch in-game to their content.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Shows No Compromise On The Switch
From the moment the player engages in battle with Piccolo, the lack of a dip in framerate and its classic cel-shaded graphics are just as crisp as they are on their PS4 and Xbox counterparts. The gameplay is responsive as Goku dodges projectiles, vanishes from an ambush, and blasts with his Kamehameha Wave. Cutscenes and gameplay is seamless and loading screens are surprisingly quick, while not as instantaneous, only lasting a handful of seconds.
The open world is expansive and detailed with even the wildlife showing emotion and character. An example of this is a flying dinosaur that travels past Goku and Gohan. The giant fish that Goku reels in with his tail is also a prime example of how expressive the fish are to Goku's attempt at dinner. Fishing is a bonus mini-game included in the game as a way to procure resources for Chi-Chi to cook, in which Goku uses an artificial tail as a fishing rod.
There are also board pieces in the form of medals that can be placed in specific "community boards," which increases the stats of party members depending on the medals used. The combination of "action game" and "RPG game" is evident in Kakarot, yet the game places action and story-telling first. Nintendo Switch owners who have yet to play Kakarot will enjoy an experience similar to their counterparts, even if it is a year late to the party. While the other platforms are better optimized in terms of graphics, the core gameplay and elements remain the same.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is now available on the PC, Switch, PS4, and Xbox One.