| Dragon Ball Z: Taiketsu | |
|---|---|
 North American cover art | |
| Developer | Webfoot Technologies |
| Publishers | |
| Producer | Dana Dominiak |
| Programmer | Patrick Alphonso |
| Artist | Gerry Swanson |
| Composer | Yannis Brown |
| Platform | Game Boy Advance |
| Release | |
| Genre | Fighting |
| Modes | Single-player,multiplayer |
Dragon Ball Z: Taiketsu (ドラゴンボールZ 対決,Doragon Bōru Zetto Taiketsu) is afighting game developed by Webfoot Technologies and published byAtari. Based on theDragon Ball Z anime series, it was released for theGame Boy Advance (GBA) in North America in 2003 and Europe in 2004.
Dragon Ball Z: Taiketsu is afighting game that includes 15 characters, includingGoku andBroly.[3] Some can be selected by default to play with instantly while others can only be unlocked by winning fights.[4] The selection of the roster represents a mix of villains and heroes throughout the history ofDragon Ball Z.[5] Each character has his or her own arsenal of attacks (a projectile and three special attacks), and the power to transform into a more powerful form. All special attacks require a certain part of the super meter, which fills up while standing still and holding down buttons to charge up some energy.[6] Fights are typically ground-based, though the players can take part in an optional "Sky Battle". The fighter on the ground can either accept the challenge or wait around few seconds for the challenger to return.[7]
The game consists of two game modes:One Player andMultiplayer, where One Player consists of events like endurance, sparring, time challenge and tournament and the Multiplayer allows linking with anotherGBA user. There is also a "Z-Store" where the earned in-game currency can be used to unlock music, images, and bonus modes and settings.[8]
Dragon Ball Z: Taiketsu was developed by American studio Webfoot Technologies. By the early 2000s, theDragon Ball Z anime series had been enjoying immense global popularity, particularly in the US. According to Webfoot president Dana Dominiak, the developer was instrumental in helping publisherAtari acquire the license forDragon Ball games fromEnglish language distributorFunimation by submitting proposals andtech demos.[9] Webfoot was first responsible for the successfulThe Legacy of Goku duology ofaction role-playing games on theGBA.[9][10][11] When Atari requested afighting game adaptation for the handheld, Webfoot provided the initial concept forTaiketsu and development began in late 2002.[9]
The leadprogrammer anddesigner was Patrick Alphonso who had worked on a slew of games for PC and home consoles the previous decade including theSega Genesis port ofMortal Kombat 3.[12] Dominiak, who was theproducer onTaiketsu, said that while the team took small bits of inspiration from previousDragon Ball Z fighting games,Taiketsu was built "from the ground up" and was specifically tailored for US fans "clamoring for an intense, 2-D,Street Fighter-style game featuring all their favorite characters."[9] Staff studied slowed footage of character movements from the show and made the models large all in attempt to make them accurate and recognizable.[9] Its roster was chosen based on character uniqueness and their popularity among fans.[10] Dominiak describedBroly as "by far the most popular of all themovie characters".[9] Although Broly did appear in the Japan-exclusiveSuper Butōden 2[13][14], his inclusion inTaiketsu was the latter game'sselling point.[15][16]
Taiketsu was first unveiled at theElectronic Entertainment Expo in May 2003[17] and was formally announced by Atari the following month.[11] It was originally intended to have connectivity with a futureGameCube title for unlockables.[10] However, Dominiak said that this feature was deemed infeasible due release dates not lining up.[9] Atari also advertised a multiplayer mode with four on-screen fighters, consisting of two human players and two computer AI opponents.[11] The game was released in North America on November 24, 2003[2] and in Europe the week of March 26, 2004.[1] Distribution was handled byBandai in the latter region.Taiketsu saw a limited bundle release in North America alongside the GBA gameYu Yu Hakusho: Spirit Detective. The bundle included a bonus DVD with clips from both theDragon Ball Z andYuYu Hakusho anime series.[18]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| GameRankings | 37.4%[19] |
| Metacritic | 40/100[20] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Computer and Video Games | 34/100[21] |
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 13/30[22] |
| Game Informer | 6/10[23] |
| GamePro | 2.5/5[3] |
| GameSpot | 2.7/10[5] |
| GameSpy |   [7] |
| GameZone | 4/10[8] |
| HobbyConsolas | 67/100[24] |
| Hyper | 40/100[25] |
| IGN | 4/10[4] |
| Jeuxvideo.com | 4/20[26] |
| Nintendo Power |  [28] |
| Nintendo World Report | 3.5/10[6] |
| Official Nintendo Magazine | 41%[27] |
| Joypad | 2/10[29] |
| MAN!AC | 38%[30] |
Upon its release,Dragon Ball Z: Taiketsu was met with "generally unfavorable" reviews from critics, with an aggregate score of 40% onMetacritic.[20]HobbyConsolas included it as one of the worst video games based on an anime, criticizing the characters art direction.[31]Screen Rant observed that the game felt "unpolished", while giving signs that "no real effort or care went into its creation".[32]
PublisherArari reported thatTaiketsu was its sixth best-selling product for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2004.[33] According toNext Generation, the game sold approximately 620,000 copies in the United States, earning $14 million by August 2006. During the period between January 2000 and August 2006, it was the 45th highest-selling game launched for theGBA,Nintendo DS orPlayStation Portable in that country.[34]
{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)| Butōden | |
|---|---|
| Idainaru Densetsu | |
| Budokai | |
| Origins | |
| Raging Blast | |
| Xenoverse | |
| Other series | |
| Standalone games |
|
| Crossover games | |
