Play Dragon Ball Origins Online

Dragon Ball Origins for Nintendo DS

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Release year: 2008 | Players: 1 player | Developed by Game Republic

Game Info

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Game Review

If there’s one thing we’ve learned about manga video game adaptations over the past 30 years, it’s that you can never have enough Dragon Ball. However, while many contemporary games in this franchise opt for the more widely known Dragon Ball Z saga, sometimes it is good to go back to your roots. Such is the case with 2007’s Nintendo DS game, Dragon Ball: Origins, developed by Bandai Namco and Atari. This game harkens back to the original storyline that fans fell in love with back in the 80s and 90s, following the adventures of Goku and Bulma as they search for the seven mythical Dragon Balls. 

Indeed, Dragon Ball: Origins is an excellent way for younger gamers to experience the story that started it all. The primary campaign is split up into various chapters – each of which begins with a short cinematic that brilliantly captures the humor and heart of the source material. Even if the sparse voice acting is slightly disappointing, the writing and art style makes up for it and immediately immerse you into this whacky, fantastical environment. 

Akira Toriyama’s iconic character designs are given outstanding service through these 3D models, even if the DS graphics look slightly dated by today’s standards. However, the cartoony art style masks a lot of the aged technical qualities, and it isn’t long before you ultimately buy into the game’s world.

But what about the gameplay? Well, Dragon Ball: Origins takes heavy inspiration from The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks, in the sense that you control Goku entirely through the touch screen with the stylus. The perspective is top-down, and by tapping on the touch screen, you can move Goku, attack enemies, and dash around by sliding the stylus in the direction you wish to go. While movement can be controlled with the D-pad, attacks can only be inputted through tapping on the enemies. 

While this gameplay style isn’t for everyone and should not be the norm for every action-adventure game, Dragon Ball: Origins is still an enjoyable gameplay experience regardless. The inputs are largely accurate, and there’s no denying that a touch-based control scheme will be more accessible for gamers. While your hand may start to cramp up after a couple of hours of play, I still enjoyed my time blasting away pigs and bulls as Goku with the stylus. 

Goku is joined on his adventure by Bulma, who is armed and ready to provide assistance during combat encounters. However, there are also sections where you need to complete puzzles for Bulma to progress along with you. These sections add a nice variety to the gameplay, keeping it fresh and breaking up the combat. There are also racing sections between Goku and various rival characters. Again, these sections speed up the gameplay and add a sense of urgency to how you play. 

Overall, Dragon Ball: Origins is a delightfully whimsical experience that introduces a new generation of gamers to the story that started it all. The gameplay may not be for everyone, but there’s no denying that the touch-based movement and combat work for what they set out to do, and for that, the developers have to be commended. The cartoony visuals and catchy music do a fantastic job capturing the energy and spirit of the original manga and anime, transporting us to a time in our childhood when all that mattered was going on an unforgettable journey with these beloved characters. 

For an enjoyable experience that makes the most of the system, it is running on, play Dragon Ball: Origins today!


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