Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 26
  2. Negative: 0 out of 26
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  1. Feb 14, 2022
    90
    Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is one of those excellent Nintendo Switch conversions. Its artwork, along with the soundtrack and sound effects, transport the player to the fantastic universe of the Z Fighters and gives them freedom to experience it outside of combat through a fun gameplay. In the end, Kakarot is a gift to longtime Dragon Ball fans and an excellent first entry to anyone willing to meet the franchise.
  2. Oct 25, 2021
    90
    Overall, this Switch version stands up right next to the other versions of Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, and I was pleasantly surprised by it. While some things could be better in the game as a whole it doesn’t deter from the overall enjoyment of the story of Dragon Ball. I personally would like to have seen this one start all the way back in Dragon Ball when we first meet everyone, which would truly be a Kakarot story.
  3. Sep 27, 2021
    90
    Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot has wonderful characters, an amazing story, and makes me incredibly nostalgic. I would wholeheartedly recommend this title to anyone who asks about it. Oh boy, I just really love Dragon Ball Z.
  4. Oct 4, 2021
    86
    Overall, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is a highly entertaining game that’s faithful to the franchise. It accurately depicts the nostalgic events of the series’ earlier stories, and the gameplay engages the player while doing so.
  5. Nov 1, 2021
    85
    DBZ: Kakarot + A New Power Awakens Set is packed full of epic fights, side quests, and a good amount of free DLC. The game looks and plays great on the Switch. I highly recommend it for fans of the series.
  6. Jan 4, 2022
    80
    If you’re a fan of Dragonball Z, you owe it to yourself to try out Dragonball Z Kakarot in whatever form you can experience it in. There is truly no wrong way to go when it comes to this game. The Switch version is certainly a value with the extra DLC that it comes packed with. As usual, the Switch version also has the advantage of being portable. The game looks great whether in portable form or on an HDTV. Dragonball Z Kakarot is the ultimate companion piece to have while watching the DBZ anime series so don’t miss out on this game!
  7. Oct 7, 2021
    80
    The full, compact story, an equally complete cast of memorable characters and an abundance of opportunities to unleash our Kamehameha, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is a title that players should not miss. Despite some inconsistencies in gameplay and poor development decisions, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot brings forth the nostalgia and glory of Goku’s saga, leaving only a sweet sense behind.
  8. Oct 4, 2021
    80
    Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot + A New Power Awakens Set is a great title that combines RPG, action and adventure with tons of content that will give us dozens of hours of fun. If you are a fan of Dragon Ball you cannot miss it.
  9. Oct 1, 2021
    80
    Sadly, I cannot claim that Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot + A New Power Awakens Set is the complete experience. But for the same price as the base game on any other console, the Switch version is definitely the way to go for new players. Anyone who already owns the base game and DLC on other systems might only be interested for portability purposes. Any Dragon Ball Z fan, who has not played Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, need to do themselves a favor and play this strange hybrid of cinematic storytelling, 3D fighting game aerial combat, JRPG mechanics, and open world exploration.
  10. Sep 29, 2021
    80
    Dragon Ball fans can enjoy now Kakarot on Switch with a solid version that also adds some additional content.
  11. Sep 27, 2021
    80
    Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot on Switch is a stunningly uncompromised port of last year’s massive RPG. It looks and runs fantastically, while also including all three DLC chapters in a perfectly portable package.
  12. Sep 23, 2021
    80
    Overall, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot + A New Power Awakens Set is a solid enough port of one of the more enjoyable Dragon Ball games. It's not quite as smooth or shiny as its bigger brothers, but it does the job well enough and has the advantage of being portable. The added DLCs are nice bonus content, but only Trunk's story stands well enough on its own. Fans of the franchise who haven't yet played Kakarot will find the Switch version a perfectly fun experience. Just don't be surprised when you're only playing the title character for short periods of time.
  13. Sep 23, 2021
    80
    Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot on Switch delivers the same high action available on other platforms at the cost of some visual graphics. Frame rate is crucial to the experience, and if things have to get a little out of focus to keep the fights moving, so be it. There’s so much to enjoy about this game, and the Switch is a fine place to experience all the stories, exploration, and intense battles that it has to offer.
  14. Sep 23, 2021
    80
    Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot was a gorgeous game on other platforms and one of the better Dragon Ball games when it launched a little while ago. It's great to see it translate so well to Nintendo's hybrid system in a better-than-expected conversion that includes new features, and some DLC right from the get go.
  15. Sep 23, 2021
    78
    Dragon Ball Z Kakarot comes to Switch with all its pros and cons and the free DLC does not add much in terms of quality or longevity.
  16. Sep 23, 2021
    77
    CyberConnect2 knows how to develop and port games, no question about that. It may not run at 60fps, but this pocket-sized version of Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is still able to live up to its counterparts on other platforms. A pity that the last DLC was not included, considering it would have made the game even more appealing.
  17. Oct 23, 2021
    75
    In the epic battle between the forces of bad Switch ports and great Switch ports, Goku and his friends take the size of the good guys, with this game being a great port of a good game with loads of extra content and good performance on Nintendo's small hybrid console.
  18. Sep 28, 2021
    75
    The technical limits of Nintendo Switch are well known, yet Kakarot's aura expands from second to second even on the hybrid machine of the Kyoko House, which in spite of the predictions has in fact been able to guarantee us an always fluid experience and a shot of ' remarkable eye.
  19. Although it is the weakest choice in terms of graphics among the platforms, it has the advantage of experiencing the Dragon Ball Z adventure on a portable console. Anime lovers should not miss it.
  20. Oct 27, 2021
    70
    While its game world is not as fully explored as in other JRPGs, what we have here is a real work of fan service, topped off with praiseworthy graphics and art style, and a fantastic audio work. All this might not be enough to convince those who are not keen on Dragon Ball, but its fans will be delighted with Kakarot.
  21. Sep 30, 2021
    70
    Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot might not do much more than retelling the story of Dragon Ball, but it does that well enough that existing fans will find joy in exploring the world and fighting iconic villains from the franchise. Despite the lack of depth to its combat and a minor internet-based technical inconvenience to work around, the game saves itself by expanding on the already massive amount of Dragon Ball lore available and giving fans the slice-of-life moments we've so sorely needed. Non-fans won't find much to love here, but it's a more than serviceable retelling of an iconic story.
  22. 70
    For people that are already big fans of Dragon Ball Z, as a whole, Kakarot has some value as a walk down memory lane and a way to re-experience the show in an entirely different manner. However, if you’re not already a big fan of Goku and Co’s adventures, Kakarot sadly has absolutely nothing for you. Without the nostalgia factor this game ends up being a slow slog of samey gameplay that likely won’t keep your attention for very long.
  23. 70
    Despite some issues here and there, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is a worthwhile investment for fans of the series on Nintendo Switch.
  24. Sep 24, 2021
    70
    Quotation forthcoming.
  25. Feb 24, 2022
    60
    While far from bad, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot + A New Power Awakens is a hard sell for anyone who is not already a fan of the series. Even then, franchise diehards will likely notice the changes and omissions in adaptation to the point of annoyance. Combat also leaves much to be desired, lacking in depth and devoid of real strategy more often than not. At the same time, overworld exploration is surprisingly relaxing, side content outside of side quests is engaging, and the story mode does make for an enjoyable way to revisit Dragon Ball Z thanks to stellar cutscene direction. Those who connect with the gameplay will also be delighted at the sheer amount of content available, from the three DLC packs to new playable characters. Kakarot is a Dragon Ball love letter that often forgets to be an action RPG, but never loses the unique charm that has defined the series.
  26. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Nov 8, 2021
    60
    Someone's bound to get a DBZ action/adventure game right one of these days, but unfortunately this one's a few Dragon Balls short of summoning Shenron, if you know what I mean. [Issue #56 – November/December 2021, p. 68]
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  1. Oct 1, 2021
    It's not easy to port all the greatness of Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot to a Nintendo Switch, but the work from Bandai Namco to make a reality this new games was outstanding. One of the best adventures of Son Goku and his friends in the last years now in the hybrid console of Nintendo. [Recommended]
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 29 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 29
  2. Negative: 4 out of 29
  1. Nov 30, 2021
    10
    Dude play this game if you’re a fan of Dragon Ball or Dragon Ball Z get this game it’s amazing probably one of the best Dragon Ball games everDude play this game if you’re a fan of Dragon Ball or Dragon Ball Z get this game it’s amazing probably one of the best Dragon Ball games ever made in my opinion it might be better then Dragon Ball FighterZ on the switch also but it’s still an awesome the graphics are awesome the intro is outstandingly awesome it’s got the head cha land from the original Dragon Ball Z intro and the Gameplay is awesome definitely recommend this game it’s awesome. Full Review »
  2. Oct 16, 2021
    8
    Thus, Bandai Namco and the developers from CyberConnect2 created a playful and comprehensive title for newcomers and especially for fans ofThus, Bandai Namco and the developers from CyberConnect2 created a playful and comprehensive title for newcomers and especially for fans of the series with the new version of "Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot". The storyline with the numerous characters and pretty cutscenes is neatly told and provides good entertainment for the most part. The excitingly staged battles are always a joy thanks to the simple controls and only gradually become rather one-sided. In addition, the various approaches in the course of the game, such as cooking and hunting, cut a good figure and loosen up the gameplay enormously. The implementation for the Nintendo Switch is also really fun and the new content is also convincing. Those who would like to have another interesting game of the well-known series should definitely take a closer look at "Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot" for the Nintendo console. Full Review »
  3. Sep 28, 2021
    10
    Runs really well imo and honestly I am enjoying myself. This will be my 3rd play through since I did two on playstation.