Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot will retell the story of the iconic Dragon Ball Z anime in a way no other game has done before. Bandai Namco has promised fans a faithful retelling of this epic story, following Goku and the others in their quest to grow stronger and protect Earth. One thing which plays a pivotal role in both of these goals is the Super Saiyan transformation. Although there are many Super Saiyan forms, they are not all equal, and players may be wondering just how high in the Super Saiyan spectrum they can climb. Enough has been confirmed to verify certain benchmarks, but there is enough evidence for further speculation as well.
For those that don't know, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot will allow players to gain access to the many different forms of Super Saiyan, each granting boosts to the player's statistics. These transformation will be unlockable in the player's skill tree, requiring both a certain level and a certain amount of progression through the story (players will not have access to Super Saiyan 1 until their battle with Frieza, and Super Saiyan 2 will be unavailable until the battle with Cell). Players are curious about what level of Super Saiyan they will be able to reach while playing through Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot.
Super Saiyan 3
The obvious contender for most powerful Super Saiyan form in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is Super Saiyan 3. This form is obtained by Goku after his training in Other World, and is the successor to Super Saiyan 2. Although it requires immense energy to sustain, this form is clearly the most powerful seen in the original Dragon Ball Z anime. Players should have access to this form when Goku returns to life to face Majin Buu and later as Gotenks after Trunks and Goten's fusion.
Although Super Vegito was easily much stronger than Super Saiyan 3 Goku, that is likely because of the huge power boost that comes from fusion, not because of the form Vegito had taken. In fact, Vegito only assumed the form of Super Saiyan 1, a testament to his power should he ascend beyond that into Super Saiyan 2 or Super Saiyan 3.
This form is confirmed to be in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, meaning it is most likely to be the most powerful form available to players barring any sort of DLC or add-on content, with Super Saiyan 3 Goku/Gotenks holding the rank of highest Super Saiyan level. But should Bandai Namco decide to expand beyond the Buu Saga with additional stories from Dragon Ball Super, Dragon Ball: GT, or even Dragon Ball movies, there are many forms which have the potential to be more powerful than this.
Super Saiyan 4 - Dragon Ball: GT
As tense of a topic as Dragon Ball: GT is, most fans can agree that at least one good thing came of it. Although the Super Saiyan 4 form varies drastically from Super Saiyan 3, its appearance makes sense when one considers the method for attaining it. Basically, if a Super Saiyan turns into a Great Ape, they instead transform into a Golden Great Ape. If the Saiyan is then able to control this form, they reach a whole new level: Super Saiyan 4. This form is incredibly powerful, leagues above Super Saiyan 3, and will only be attainable by players if some kind of Dragon Ball: GT DLC is released.
The chances of a Dragon Ball: GT DLC with Super Saiyan 4 seem slim at best, given the huge changes the series made (like turning Goku into a kid), the general distaste fans have for the series, and the fact that Goku doesn't even attain this Super Saiyan form in the first arc, meaning the DLC would have to include the entirety of the Black Star Dragon Balls arc before even getting into this form.
Super Saiyan God (And Super Saiyan Blue) - Dragon Ball Super
On the other hand, reception of Dragon Ball Super has been mostly positive. Flawed though it may be, fans have accepted the show for what it is, and it is officially endorsed by Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama as the Dragon Ball Z's successor and the franchise's true canon. In Dragon Ball Super's first arc, Goku gains access to the Super Saiyan God form by taking part in a ritual with six righteous Saiyans. This form is stronger than the likes of Super Saiyan 3, and is attained relatively early in Super's story, meaning the developers wouldn't have to dive too far in before giving the players another transformation.
Beyond this, Dragon Ball Super introduces the Super Saiyan Blue form. This form is basically the result of a Saiyan who has mastered God Ki going Super Saiyan, and is even more powerful than any before it. Given Dragon Ball Super's status as canon and its general favorability among fans of the franchise, it seems much more likely that either of these two forms (though a far cry from guaranteed) would be made available at some point in DLC.
Whether a Dragon Ball Super DLC for Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot would go beyond the Battle of the Gods (where Super Saiyan God was introduced) into the Resurrection "F" arc (where Super Saiyan Blue came into play) is uncertain at this point, but it would be a welcome addition.
Super Saiyan Berserker
This form is interesting because it has representation in both the non-canon but more closely related Dragon Ball Z movies and in the canon yet exponentially more outrageous Dragon Ball Super. Regardless of what one chooses to call this form, it is undoubtedly monstrous. When Caulifla reaches this form first in the tournament of power, she absolutely destroys Super Saiyan Blue Goku with it. That said, even if a DLC were made that reached all the way to Tournament of Power, the Dragon Ball Super: Broly movie, or even the original Broly movie from Z, it is unlikely that this form would be usable by the player, and would instead be a boss to be faced.
There are other forms from Dragon Ball Super which are more powerful than even these, such as Super Saiyan Blue Evolution or Ultra Instinct, but these forms seem even more unlikely than the ones aforementioned, given how late into Dragon Ball Super they are attained and the relatively little screen time they receive. There is also the possibility that a completely original form will be introduced, similar to the introduction of Bonyu, an original character who was part of the Ginyu Force, but given Bandai Namco's propensity for a faithful retelling of this story, it will probably not happen. Most of the original content is stuff which is believable in the universe of Dragon Ball Z and which doesn't tread on the feet of what came after it.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot will be out on January 17, 2020, for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
