10 Things You Didnt Know About The Sega Genesis Dragon Ball Z Game – Verve Times

Akira Toriyamas Dragon Ball Z has achieved a prolific level of popularity thats turned it into one of the most evergreen shonen anime of all time. Dragon Balls success has allowed its manga and anime to spin-off in many different directions and there are dozens of video games that are set within the beloved series. The most recent Dragon Ball Z video games have set a new standard for whats possible in an anime fighting game, but its also important to remember the series humble origins.

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The Sega Genesis was a crucial video game console during the 16-bit era and theres surprisingly only one Dragon Ball Z game for the system. 1994s Dragon Ball Z: Buyu Retsuden, also known as Dragon Ball Z: Fierce Bravery Legend, is a game that often gets forgotten even though it makes some creative decisions for a Dragon Ball fighting title.

Dragon Ball Z has celebrated many landmark fighting titles across different gaming generations, but the Super Butoden titles for the Super Famicom were some of the first 16-bit hits. Segas 16-bit alternative to the Super Nintendo didnt have any Dragon Ball games and the success of the Butoden releases had the Mega Drive eager for their own adaptation. Curiously, Segas Mega Drive was more successful in Europe than the Super Famicom, which also increased demand for a Genesis-exclusive Dragon Ball game. Development for Dragon Ball Z: Buyu Retsuden actually lasted longer than the Super Butoden series, but the game didnt perform as well.

Theres so much crossover between different Dragon Ball Z video games that one of the most important elements in a title is what stretch of the long-running franchise will receive representation. The Sega Genesis Dragon Ball Z game specifically keys into the Frieza and Cell Sagas, deciding to forego the introductory Saiyan Saga. The existing Super Butoden games already cover this material, but its still an exciting period to pull from for the Genesis fighter. Representation from both Dragon Ball Zs earliest and final episodes would be appreciated even though the title is creative with its character roster.

The fighting genre has evolved in such drastic ways that its completely natural to have a roster of at least 50 characters. These expectations are pushed to the extreme with Dragon Ball games, which have hundreds of unique characters to pull from the anime and manga.

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The Genesis Dragon Ball Z title comes from a more humble time where 11 playable characters still seemed impressive. Buyu Retsuden features several Dragon Ball staples, but its encouraging to also have members of the Ginyu Force as playable characters, as well as Frieza, Cell, and Android 18. Krillin even makes the cut before he was included regularly.

Many Sega fans were grateful to finally have a Dragon Ball Z fighting game at their disposal, but Dragon Ball Z: Buyu Retsuden didnt receive a North American release since Dragon Balls dub had yet to take off. However, the Genesis Dragon Ball Z game wasnt restricted to Japan and it received a surprising push in French and Spanish regions. In these regions, the game was released under the title Dragon Ball Z: The Call of Destiny. There was such interest in the title that Portugal even sold Japanese versions of the game that included a region converter so that it would work on European hardware.

The 16-bit gaming era containing many secrets for intrepid gamers and cheat codes that could be activated through specific button combinations was a frequent highlight. The Sega Genesis Dragon Ball Z game doesnt contain any unlockable characters or elaborate secrets, but theres still one extra feature that players can discover and experience. Theres a special Turbo Mode, which speeds up the gameplay. Its unlocked by holding down A and B while powering up the system, then pushing start when Gokus face first appears. An orange background on the title screen means that its been activated.

The Super Butoden video games on the Super Famicom were so popular that nobody would have questioned direct ports for the Mega Drive. Genesis versions of these classic games would have likely sold well, but Buyu Retsuden takes a much more interesting approach by adapting aspects of the first two Butoden games.

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Accordingly, the Genesis game reflects Butodens gameplay and popular mechanics like split-screen ki battles and the ability to fight on both land and air, but it still develops its own voice and ditches what previously didnt work.

Effective marketing is crucial in the video game industry, especially when games are adapting popular franchises and want to take advantage of the built-in fandom. The original box art for Dragon Ball Z: Buyu Retsuden is nothing special, but its appropriate for a fighting game that covers the Frieza and Cell Sagas. The release of Buyu Retsuden in Portugal resulted in three slightly different releases, all of which have become coveted collectors items as a result. The second version of the game, which was distributed by Ecofilmes, took Japanese versions of the game and replaced their covers with the art from a Dragon Ball Z VHS cassette.

It takes some time for the powerful Super Saiyan transformations to emerge in Dragon Ball Zs manga and anime, but they become a crucial component for combat. Dragon Ball Z video games manage Super Saiyan powers in different ways and some titles allow for in-battle transformations, while others delineate Super Saiyan forms as totally separate characters. The Genesis Dragon Ball Z game fully celebrates the Super Saiyan fad and it makes it the standard with its characters. Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, and Future Trunks are all Super Saiyans by default and dont fight in their base forms.

A common feature in modern Dragon Ball Z video games is hypothetical What If? storylines that push the franchises narrative in unexpected directions. This is a strong way to offer audiences something new rather than continually adapting the same storylines. Buyu Retsuden is way ahead of the curve in this department and its storylines for Android 18 and Krillin deviate from the animes plot. Minor changes, such as when Krillin and Android 18 are married and why he wants to defend her against Cell, hold a lot of weight.

Dragon Ball Z: Buyu Retsuden makes its mark in the grander scheme of burgeoning Dragon Ball video games, but the longevity of any fighting game also depends on how it compares to the other triumphs of the genre. Some people turned to Buyu Retsuden for the Dragon Ball connections, but others just want a good fighting game. Theres a strong and unique foundation in place, but Buyu Retsuden isnt as tight or varied as the Genesis other breakout fighter titles, Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat. The evergreen nature of these superior franchises ultimately hurt Buyu Retsuden.

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About The Author

Daniel Kurland is a freelance writer, comedian, and critic, who lives in the cultural mosaic that is Brooklyn, New York. Daniels work can be read on ScreenRant, Splitsider, Bloody Disgusting, Den of Geek, and across the Internet. Daniel recently completed work on a noir anthology graphic novel titled, Sylvia Plaths The Bell Noir: A Rag of Bizarre Noir and Hard Boiled Tales and hes currently toiling away on his first novel. Daniels extra musings can be found @DanielKurlansky on Twitter.

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10 Things You Didnt Know About The Sega Genesis Dragon Ball Z Game - Verve Times