
Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden is out now in both Europe and North America, giving Western 3DS owners a welcome dose of the popular franchise. It has a pretty decent range of content and a surprisingly deep combat system, prompting us to give it a recommendation in our review.
One complaint we had, though, was the lack of online functionality, saying the following:
However, since there's no online functionality you'll have to make do with challenging local players and the artificial intelligence, which isn't ideal when you're eager to test the true extent of your skills. In fact, given that the release encourages you to form your own dream team of Dragon Ball personalities, an online versus mode would have at least allowed friends to live out crazy battles that they had previously only imagined. As such its omission is puzzling, especially for a fighting game in this day and age.
It seems Bandai Namco is on the case, however, confirming in Jump magazine that online battles are on the way in Japan, presumably through an obligatory game update. At present it's not been announced for the West, though hopefully it's in the developer's plans worldwide. In Japan there'll also be a content tie-in with Dragon Ball Heroes: Ultimate Mission 2, but that's less relevant for most as that 3DS game has never been released outside of Bandai Namco's homeland.
We'll keep an eye out for Western confirmation of this online mode; are you excited by the prospect of online battles in this title?
Thanks to Kartio for the heads up.
[source shonengamez.com]
Comments 18
I will buy this if it has online.
That's a nice update!
Would be a welcome addition, been finding even the hardest CPU setting too easy...
I hope this does get released outside of Japan. The game's AI is unbelievably easy. You can win a battle with the game's weakest character (Raditz or Nappa) against a team with the strongest ones (Kid Buu, Majin Buu and Gotenks, for instance) and the difficulty set to the hardest setting, just by repeatedly pressing the Y button (weak attack). In fact, you can win every battle in the game and clear it just by doing this blindfolded. Try it. Absurd waste of money.
Interesting. And here I thought that the reason for the absence of online play was because the handheld market in Japan often doesn't require it. I base that belief entirely on Monster Hunter.
This is a good sign for us to get it, too, provided the title performs well.
So far I am really loving the game. Not only did i hear about the online mode, but we may get training mode! I would love to have training mode so one an harness skills.
There's a support character from the Battle of Gods movie that's gonna be in that update, I won't spoil who it is, but the fact that he's a support is just.....SWELLTASTIC!!!!!
Also, more playable fighters would be noice (just make some assists playable like Hercule : P), and maybe down the road, some English voice acting (even if they were to just reuse old voices from past games/dub), my two main complaints really, but it used to be three, but now it's two, because online is coming.
I assume that NamcoBandai will only bring online modes to us if the game sells well enough in the west. And frankly, it's not looking good for us...
It better be available for the version people won in the competition. Just found out it is a special edition although it is exactly the same game.
I hope so, cause this game is pretty damn good.
For now I just gotta wait for the copy I preordered for my girlfriend so I have someone to fight.
@DarthNocturnal That's a given, sir. The slow uptake you mentioned is exactly what I meant. Well, that and Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate.
I'll probably buy it, but it is 100% better if it has online.
Hmm maybe i'll get it then if it comes to the west. They should add more characters as DLC
@Kaze_Memaryu It's a DBZ game. Even if it absolute crap like DBZ Saga people will still buy it because it's DBZ.
If online ends up coming to NA, I'll definitely be purchasing this game. Lack of online is the only reason I didn't get it.
@Chaoz I wouldn't be so sure. We're talking about NamcoBandai here, the uncrowned kings of ridiculously overpriced DLC and bad business practices. I wouldn't put it past them to expect 500k or more units sold before even considering it.
Also, sales figures for Dragon Ball games on handhelds are a bit more difficult, especially now that the fanbase got spoiled by Xenoverse.
@Kaze_Memaryu You make a good point. I hope it sells well enough.
@Kaze_Memaryu You have a point, esspecially since Namco Bandai isn't even trying to advertise the game. I still think it have a chance though. Even though the 3DS is on the way of being one of the worst selling Nintendo handhelds, a fair share of kids still own the thing. With most kids liking DBZ and sports more than anything, I'm true it at least going to have a respectable amount of sells for a DBZ game. That and most kids don't know That and most kids don't know that Bandai Namco is a bunch of greedy business men most of the time.
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