Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is the action RPG that retells the entire Dragon Ball Z story, from Raditz's arrival to the defeat of Majin Buu. It was developed by CyberConnect2, the studio behind the Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm series, and published by Bandai Namco in January 2020 for PS4, Xbox One and PC. It is less a fighting game than a way to live the saga as Goku and his friends, between battles, exploration and everyday life.
What it is and how it plays
The game has two halves. On one side are real-time battles in open 3D arenas: melee strings, ki blasts, dodges and a quick menu for special techniques, with up to two support characters fighting at your side. On the other is a semi-open world split into large zones that you explore by flying. You collect Z Orbs to power up your moves, go fishing, cook, eat for stat boosts and drive a hover car.
Side quests are the heart of the RPG layer: short, often goofy stories starring minor characters from the series. Finishing them earns Soul Emblems, medals bearing characters' faces that you slot into the Community Board. Placing related emblems next to each other unlocks bonuses for combat, cooking and training.
Story and characters
The story follows the anime closely and is split into four arcs: Saiyan, Frieza, Cell and Buu. CyberConnect2 also brought in some anime-only moments and added new scenes that shed light on the supporting cast and on what happens between the big fights.
In the main story you control seven characters: Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, Future Trunks, Gotenks and Vegito. Support fighters include Krillin, Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, Android 18, Goten and Kid Trunks. The game also introduces Bonyū, an original character designed by Akira Toriyama specifically for Kakarot.
DLC and expansions
Kakarot kept growing for years thanks to extra content that pushed it well beyond the Z saga:
- A New Power Awakens Part 1 and Part 2 (2020): the events of Battle of Gods and Resurrection 'F', with Beerus and Golden Frieza;
- Trunks: The Warrior of Hope (2021): Future Trunks' timeline plus a bonus story with Babidi and Dabura;
- Bardock: Alone Against Fate (2023): the story of Goku's father;
- The 23rd World Tournament (2023): the tournament against Piccolo Jr. from the original series;
- Goku's Next Journey (2024): Goku's meeting with Uub;
- DAIMA: Adventure Through the Demon Realm, in two parts (July 2025 and early 2026): the Demon Realm of Dragon Ball Daima, with Mini Goku, Mini Vegeta and Super Saiyan 4 Goku.
A card battle mode with online play, Dragon Ball Card Warriors, arrived in 2020. Its servers shut down in 2023, but an offline version stayed in the game.
Did you know? The game was announced in January 2019 under the working title Dragon Ball Game: Project Z. Its final name, Kakarot, is Goku's Saiyan name and was revealed at E3 2019.
Platforms and versions
- PS4 and Xbox One: January 16, 2020 in Japan; PS4, Xbox One and PC: January 17, 2020 worldwide.
- Nintendo Switch: September 24, 2021, bundled with the A New Power Awakens DLC.
- PS5: January 13, 2023 (January 12 in Japan); Xbox Series X/S: February 3, 2023, delayed by a save-transfer issue.
Bandai Namco notes the game is also playable on Nintendo Switch 2. It came to Stadia as well in 2021.
Reception
Metacritic lists "mixed or average" reviews for the PS4, Xbox One and PC versions, with a warmer response for the Switch and PS5 releases. Critics liked the combat and the way the story is staged, but found the RPG systems thin and the side activities repetitive. Players, on the other hand, turned up in force: Bandai Namco reported more than 1.5 million copies sold in the first week and over 10 million by early 2026.
Who it is for
It is ideal if you want to revisit Dragon Ball Z at your own pace, maybe for the first time, or if you know the story by heart and want to experience it from the inside, from the legendary fights to the small stuff: a fishing trip, a meal cooked before a boss, a side quest with a long-forgotten character. If you are after a competitive fighter, Dragon Ball FighterZ is the one to pick.
Our take
Kakarot is not a deep RPG and does not really try to be one: levels and upgrades are there for pacing, not strategy. Its strength lies elsewhere. It is the first game that lets you breathe in Goku's world outside the fights, and certain moments, like Raditz's death or the first Super Saiyan transformation on Namek, are staged with blockbuster swagger. The DLC turned it into a playable encyclopedia of the saga, which is why it holds a permanent spot on our list of the best Dragon Ball games.