Nintendo Okie

Dragonball Origins 2 for the Nintendo DS is a game that both excites and frustrates me. Although I love the characters, the levels, and the fighting, I hate, I hate, I hate getting stuck. And in this game, I get stuck, big time. If you don’t already know, I’m a huge Dragonball fan. I have the DVD’s, I have the manga, I have the games, and I even have the live action movie, Dragonball: Evolution. Yes, I actually bought the movie, and yes, I had seen it before.

I first got Dragonball Origins a few years ago right when it came out. Origins covers the story of Dragonball from when we first meet Goku and Bulma and the rest of the gang, all the way through the first Dragonball hunt and Goku’s first world tournament. How do I know this, you ask? Well, it’s obviously because I beat the game, right? No, it was in the recap at the beginning of Dragonball Origins 2. I didn’t beat the first game because I got stuck. Anyway…..

Dragonball Origins 2 is an action game. You are Goku, a child with extraordinary fighting abilities and a monkey tail, and you are on a quest to collect the seven magic dragonballs which if brought together, can grant you any wish. While on this quest, Goku discovers he’s not the only one searching for the dragonballs. The evil Red Ribbon Army is also searching for them in their attempt to wish for world domination. Goku decides that they must be stopped, mainly because they are evil.

The main objective in each level of the game is to beat up as many enemies as you can and loot them for everything they got. They can drop money, hearts for life, or power up orbs which make you stronger. You fight the enemies with two different fighting styles. You can fight using your fists, or you can fight using Goku’s trusty power pole. I like using the power pole to fight multiple enemies at once, but I prefer fists when fighting one on one battles.

Many levels have bosses at the end. One of these bosses was the cause of my initial getting stuck moment. In a level early in the game, I faced a fighting robot which almost drained my life down to nothing. After defeating him, there was a save point. I saved the game with almost no life. Next thing I new, I was defeated by a random pack of wolves. I said try again, figuring I’d start at the save point with my life back. Well, I did start from the save point, but instead of getting my life bar back, IT STARTED ME WITH THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT OF LIFE I HAD BEFORE!! AND GUESS WHAT? THE PACK OF WOLVES KILLED ME AGAIN!!! AND THEY ARE EASY ENEMIES!!

After a few more tries, I got past the wolves and they actually dropped hearts so I was good. I got to the end of the level and had to face Colonel Silver. Of course, he defeated me easily leaving me to go back to my save point, WITH NO LIFE!!! WHY?!! WHY?!!!!! Why doesn’t it save BEFORE EACH BOSS!!!! This, this angers me.

The game does have some awesome features. Goku can level up, gaining new attacks and strength. You can collect money to buy trophies of different characters as well as food and other power ups. There is also a survival mode where you can take on different villains as either Goku or one of his many friends. I played this mode with Krillin. Colonel Silver was the first villain. He killed me. I never played this mode again.

I don’t know what it is. When I get stuck in a game, it makes me want to play a different game rather than trying the level over and changing my strategy. In Metroid Prime, when the game wouldn’t tell me where to go next, I’d just shut it off. I guess what I’m saying is I have a short attention span and when the game doesn’t give me a new mission fast or let me beat a level the first time, I say “Screw this” and go back to the Beatles: Rockband. There’s just something about walrus’s and yellow submarines that calms my nerves.

Dragonball Origins 2 is a fun game with lots of fighting and action. It’s especially fun if you love the show. And yes, you can Kamehameha a wasp. Hehe. The only problem you’ll have is that you’ll probably have to play various levels multiple times to beat them. If that doesn’t bother you, then you’ll have a blast. If it does, then I’ll see you later on X-box live playing the Abbey Road Medley.

Final Score: 4/5 Above Average

Review Copy of the game provided by Namco Bandai.