Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden

I definitely feel like Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden is worth a look, but only if you’re willing to put up with the lack of online multiplayer.

It's a good game, but it doesn't have anything that makes it stand out from its competitors. If you're a hardcore Dragon Ball fan, of course, that will act as a big plus.

It's a beautiful looking game and has some bright ideas, but the pace and lackluster variety of the combat shrink the fun factor.

A pretty decent game, with fast paced combat and a good amount of gameplay modes, but the lack of online play and a lacklustre roster keep Extreme Butoden away from the best Dragon Ball titles.

While Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden has its fair share of disappointment with its heavy unlocking system and lack of online competition, it's also a not-so-bad take with its fighting, mainly because of the 2D setting. If Bandai Namco could somehow produce a version for consoles with a bigger roster, a less strenuous adventure system, and online play, it'd have a winner on its hands. For now, it's a decent pick for fans of the series, and maybe even for those that don't mind earning their keep in the fighting arena.

For the most part, Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden is fun and simple with creative visuals that is good in short playthroughs.

Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden is a step in the right direction, but it still isn't the 2D fighting game that the series deserves.

A good beat'em up, with all the characters you need, even if they seem all the same one at times. Extreme Butoden got some really good and exhilarating moments, but the lack of the online game is a real shame.

If Dragon Ball Z : Extreme Butoden had a great starting point with the 2D old-school fighting pedigree, Arc System Works blew it by making the game incredibly repetitive in its gameplay and because of the lousy Z-assist System. Still recommended to hardcore fans.

No online modes and a lacklustre character roster are a punch to the gut of Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden, but the day is saved by an accessible and fast paced combat system that houses an enjoyable amount of depth.

It could have been a great return for Dragonball 2D fighters, but its combat system is too simplistic, the roster too limited, and the modes not original enough to make it a truly good fighting game. What a waste. The fidelity of the moves and the good 2D sprites make it a good purchase for fans only.

Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden is in an unfortunate position where the core game is kind of good, but everything surrounding it is kind of bad.

If it may not succeed at making the now-classic and well-known story of Dragon Ball Z very interesting through its artistic choices, Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden does succeed at making players feel in control of the action and giving a good sense of thrill to whoever plays it in the actual battles.

With plenty of characters to try out, this game packs plenty of punch.

DBZ: Extreme Butoden has good intentions, and overall is a polished fighting game. I just wish the execution was a bit better.

It very much feels like a game of the past as far as the overall package is concerned, with a lack of online multiplayer and a focus on its single player elements. Unfortunately, while combat is solid and its audio and visual elements impress, there is simply not enough of a game here to enjoy them for too long.

Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden does a serviceable job of bringing a number of the iconic characters to Nintendo’s diminutive handheld, and fans in particular will find plenty to enjoy here with a serviceable amount of content in a well-presented package. However, the base challenge is set too low, and while the grading system adds difficulty, followers of Arc System Works’ other game series may want to look elsewhere for a serious handheld fighter.

In the line of fan service duty, Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden is a well-designed and visually appealing game that is bound to be appreciated by the series' fan base. It risks falling out of touch with the rest of the audience, though, as its cast needs to be enlarged and the lack of an online mode and of a training mode make the experience much more limited than what is usually expected from a fighting game.

DBZ: Extreme Butoden is promising, but it falls short in many key aspects. The foundations are very solid, so we can only hope that a hypothetical sequel fixes all those issues.

Kakarot forgets how to fight in a game that fails to offer a good gameplay balance and experience. Our wishes haven't been granted this time.

If there is one thing that you can't take away from Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden, it's that it's a gorgeous game full of fan service. But beautiful graphics and fun support characters can't hide the fact the game's content is pretty limited.

Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden is an accessible and frantic Dragon Ball game, but isn't the definitive 2D experience. The ASW game is a too casual experience with low AI difficulty and irregular roster, with some important absences.

The battles are spectacular, yes, but all the fighters have the same controls and is it's absurdly easy.

Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden isn't the game it could have been. It holds a few positives for Dragon Ball die-hards like myself, and fighting game fans will enjoy the depth and promised upcoming online mode, but there is little here to make it a solid recommendation to anyone else.

This definitely won't be the last game to feature Goku and his pals, though, so skip this warmed-over patty and sit tight for a juicy Angus on a toasted pretzel bun. [Issue #18 – November/December 2015, p.68]

As a whole, Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Budokai is just kind of there. If you can get past a few presentation issues, it looks fine, and the simple fighting system is fun enough for those who aren't seeking an advanced game.

The definition of average, Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden isn’t good enough to delight you with the subject matter, but nor is it terrible enough to incite your rage over how bad it is. It’s simultaneously very competent and very unspectacular.

Dragon Ball fans can definitely find some fun here for awhile, but a far from deep experience will not keep you coming back for more in Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden.

I really couldn’t muster up feelings either way on this game. It’s a competent fighter with nice sprite work, but it also does very little interesting with narrative presentation, combat mechanics, or gameplay modes. It all feels very safe, and I didn’t really feel much by the time I was done.

To say that the final product is possibly one of the most disappointing games I’ve ever experienced is not an exaggeration, this is coming from a guy who has had to review some pretty disappointing ones over the years.