Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Battle 22
Developer(s)	TOSE Software Co.
Publisher(s)	Bandai (Japan & Europe) Atari, Infogrames (USA)
Series	Butōden series
Release date(s)	July 28, 1995JPN July 1996EU March 25, 2003USA
Genre(s)	Fighting game
Mode(s)	Single-player, Multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: Teen T
Platform(s)	PlayStation
Media	CD-ROM (PS1)
Input	PlayStation controller
Video games Listing - Category

Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Battle 22 (ドラゴンボールZ アルティメイトバトル22, Doragonbōru Zetto Aruteimeito Batoru 22) is a 2D/3D fighting video game based on the Dragon Ball Z anime series. It was released for the PlayStation in 1995 in Japan and 1996 in Europe.

OverviewEdit

The game is called "Ultimate Battle 22" because it features 22 characters at the beginning of the game (5 more characters can be unlocked). The game is notable for using actual cel drawings from the animators as character sprites and cutscenes before the fights which were a novelty at the time of its original release in Japan (these cutscenes were removed on the European and US releases). When Ultimate Battle 22 was officially released by Atari in North America, eight years after its Japanese release, no English dub track was produced and the pre-battle cutscenes were removed.

Another fighting game, titled Dragon Ball Z: Shin Butōden (which never received an American release), was released for the Sega Saturn a short time after Ultimate Battle 22 in Japan and is very similar to Ultimate Battle 22. Notably, the character sprites from Ultimate Battle 22 were reused in Shin Butōden.

GameplayEdit

Characters have two different meters to display status: a basic health meter and strength meter (latter explained below). The fighters have an array of basic close-up punches and kicks, as well as special attacks that require a motion with the directional buttons and attack input (each character has a "hypermove" by doing different combos). Most special attacks are based on actual moves used by characters in the manga/anime (i.e. Goku's Kamehameha), but require a large strength reserve to be used repeatedly. Other basic special attacks include a variety of Ki Blasts and explosion-based attacks.

Like the previous installments of the Butōden series, Ultimate Battle 22 has two levels of gameplay: grounded or in the air. By pressing triangle, the player's character will rise up and levitate, and if the other character does so, the camera goes to a dynamic aerial view. It does not have major effects on gameplay except for the different camera angles. In addition, if a character is hit with an attack that does heavy damage while aerial, they will plummet downwards an receive additional damage (much like fights in the regular anime).

Most characters have some sort of Ki Blast attack, melee attack, or approach attack. Doing special attacks drains the strength meter. Like in the previous fighting games of the series, when the meter is fully drained, the character will be exhausted and cannot move until strength is recovered or until being hit. To restore strength, one must hold square, X, and circle. The character will then do the signature charge pose by glowing in yellow aura and yelling. The player can also create a large Energy Shield (or Force Field in the case of Androids) for a brief moment by pressing right, down, and left on the control pad, and then pressing circle. While doing so, the player cannot be harmed by energy-based attacks, but is completely vulnerable to melee attacks.

Playable charactersEdit

The 22 characters are comprised of:

• Super Saiyan Goku
• Super Saiyan 2 Teen Gohan
• Majin Vegeta
• Super Saiyan Future Trunks
• Piccolo
• Krillin
• Tien Shinhan
• Frieza
• Zarbon
• Recoome
• Captain Ginyu
• Cell
• Android 18
• Android 16
• Great Saiyaman
• Super Saiyan Goten
• Super Saiyan Trunks
• Super Saiyan Gotenks
• Supreme Kai
• Dabura
• Majin Buu
• Super Buu

There are also five secret characters. Those characters are:

• Super Saiyan 3 Goku
• Super Gogeta (he was mistakenly called Vegito, and given his biography and Fusion method, in U.S. releases)
• Kid Goku
• Master Roshi
• Mr. Satan

Battle StagesEdit

• Plain
• Namek
• Ruined City
• Coast
• Desert
• Cell Games Arena
• Kami's Lookout
• Hyperbolic Time Chamber
• World Martial Arts Tournament
• Barren Planet
• Crystal Room

ReceptionEdit

Ultimate Battle 22 was the subject of an overwhelming number of negative American reviews. The original Japanese game came out in 1995, and thus, by comparison to the more recent titles of the time, the game paled.

• GameSpot give it a 1.2/10, calling it a "really, really terrible game."
• X-Play said it was "a waste of time and money."
• Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine gave it a 1/5, the second lowest score possible.
• Electronic Gaming Monthly said that "someone crapped in a jewel case and passed it off as a game."
• Overall, it has a 32% on GameRankings.
• IGN gave it a 4.0.

TriviaEdit

• Like Shin Butōden, this game marks the return of almost every character from the Super Butoden series. Missing characters are Frieza (100% Power), Dr. Gero, Imperfect Cell, Cell Jr., Zangya, Bojack, Broly, and adult Gohan (Super Saiyan 2).
• The method to unlock the five secret characters is mentioned in the instruction booklet that comes with the game. To unlock them, the following buttons must pressed in order while at the title screen: Up, Triangle, Down, X, Left, L1, Right & R1. After inputting the code, a sound is heard and an intro which features the five hidden characters is shown. After that, the title screen changed from "Ultimate Battle 22" to "Ultimate Battle 27" (due to the addition of the five hidden characters) appears.
• Mr. Satan is the only character in the game who does not have a strength meter, due to the fact that he does not use ki but instead uses weapons.
• Mr. Satan and Master Roshi are the only characters who cannot fly in the game. Kid Goku also cannot, but uses Flying Nimbus instead. Later video games, starting with Dragon Ball Z 2: Super Battle and the Budokai games, remedied the "Mr. Satan cannot fly" issue by giving him a jetpack.
• If two Kid Gokus fight each other, the one who loses the match transforms into Oolong after he falls, revealing him to have been an impostor.

GalleryEdit

Japanese boxart US boxart US disk Tien Shinhan in the opening Frieza in the opening Supreme Kai in the opening Majin Buu in the opening Majin Vegeta in the opening Great Saiyaman in the opening Goten and Trunks in the opening Gotenks in the opening Tittle screen Loading screen Character select screen (without secret characters) Puar Roshi (secret character) Oolong Kid Goku (secret character) SS Goku SS3 Goku (secret character) Goku and Vegeta fuses Gogeta (secret character) The World Tournament Announcer Mr. Satan (secret character) Roshi's Max Kamehameha Great Ape Goku attacks Master Roshi (Meteo Kong) Tien's Meteo Brute Combo Recoome's Ultra Fighting Bomber Gohan kicking Ginyu in the stomach Gohan giving Ginyu a flying kick Goku attacks Captain Ginyu Gogeta attacks Captain Ginyu Captain Ginyu powers up Captain Ginyu kicking Majin Buu Meteo Ginyu Strike Zarbon in his Monster form Frieza's Explosive Breaker Future Trunks' Renzoku Energy Barrage Future Trunks' Meteo Hell Slasher Vegeta punches Future Trunks 18's Energy Wave Piccolo using the Mystic Attack 16's Meteo Hell Flash Combo Gogeta's Perforating Spinner Mr. Satan's Megatron Special Mortar Majin Buu vs. Cell Trunks fires the Big Bang Attack at Goten Mr. Satan's Meteo Muscle Bomber Supreme Kai's Renzoku Energy Distortion Supreme Kai fires Gekiretsu Shin'ou'hou Dabura's Flames of Pain Dabura's Meteo Lance Slicer Vegeta's Meteo Barrage Vegeta's Exploding Wave Majin Buu's Angry Explosion Majin Buu's Meteo Dance (1) Majin Buu's Meteo Dance (2) Majin Buu's Meteo Dance (3) Vegeta's Final Explosion SS3 Goku charges a Kamehameha SS3 Goku fires a Kamehameha Super Buu's Meteo Liquid Bomb Super Buu's Energy Shower Gotenks' Super Ghost Kamikaze Attack Gotenks' Super Saiyan 3 Meteo Missile Piccolo blasting Majin Vegeta Add a photo to this galleryAdd a photo to this gallery