It's a great time to be a Dragon Ball Z fan. In addition to persistent DLC releases for both Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot and Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, developer Bandai Namco announced last month that the legendary Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series is making a comeback. The series' next installment, currently referred to as Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 4, is in a position to evolve the franchise's arena-fighter for a whole new generation. With over 15 years worth of installments to build upon, Budokai Tenkaichi 4 can learn from past fighting titles' strengths and weaknesses. Likewise, the title can carry forward the legacy of 2020's Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, the series' best single-player installment to date.
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 4 is the legacy sequel to one of the franchise's most successful series. Popular in the 2000s, the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series was many international fans' first experience playing a DBZ video game. The titles were best known for their incredibly deep rosters, featuring even the most obscure characters across Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball GT. The titles also featured a solid story mode, taking players through the major events of both the Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT anime and allowing them to reenact their biggest 1v1 battles.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Modernized The Game Series' Storytelling
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot attempted something that the series had not done in quite some time - release a fully single-player Dragon Ball game. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot's story mode covered the 4 major sagas of the Dragon Ball Z anime, later receiving DLC that added Dragon Ball Super and some original scenarios. Anticipation for the title was high, but no one could have predicted just how big of an impact Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot would make.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot wasn't just a solid adaptation of the anime, it was one of the 10 best RPGs of 2020. Its approachable RPG elements made the age-old tale of Goku feel fresh and exciting. Players could do various side quests and explore an open world, while still closely following the classic story beats featured in most Dragon Ball Z games.
In defying the odds, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot raised the bar for both the franchise's video game storytelling and single-player mechanics, creating a legacy that will likely stretch far into the future. Moving forward, Dragon Ball titles have the best foundation in the series' history on which to build their own single-player modes, with Budokai Tenkaichi 4 likely to be the first to do so.
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 4 Needs to Continue Kakarot
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 4 needs elements from previous Dragon Ball games as it attempts to deliver a next-gen combination of multiplayer and single-player gameplay. The title can practically pick and choose pieces to adapt from its fighting game predecessors, but Budokai Tenkaichi 4 needs only to carry forward the strengths of Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot to build a solid single-player experience. Were the title to combine its legacy of extensive representation with that of Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, fans could be presented with the most thorough exploration of the anime from start to finish.
News of the game's development is still fresh, having only been announced last month. However, some fans are already theorizing about what changes Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 4 can make. With the popularity of both Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot and the series' current fighting game offering, Dragon Ball FighterZ, the next entry in the Budokai Tenkaichi series, seems primed for success. Fans awaiting more news on Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 4 likely have to wait a while. If Budokai Tenkaichi 4 follows in the footsteps of Dragon Ball Z's current game offerings, however, fans can rest assured that it will be more than worth the wait.
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 4 is now in development.