Most Dragon Ball games follow a predictable rhythm. You pick Goku, you mash some buttons, and you watch a health bar deplete. It’s a formula that has worked for decades, from the early Budokai days to the visually stunning Dragon Ball FighterZ. But back in 1996, Bandai and developer BEC (Better Entertainment Company) decided to do something genuinely bizarre. They released Dragon Ball Z: Idainaru Dragon Ball Densetsu for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn.
If you grew up in the US, you might know it better as Dragon Ball Z: The Legend.
It’s a game that fundamentally misunderstands what a fighting game is supposed to be—and yet, it’s probably the most accurate simulation of the anime ever created. You aren't just punching a dude. You're managing a chaotic, 3-on-3 aerial dogfight where the actual "damage" doesn't even matter until the very end of a meter's swing. It's frantic. It's loud. It’s also incredibly polarizing among retro collectors today.
What the Heck is the Power Balance Meter?
Honestly, the biggest hurdle for anyone picking up Dragon Ball Z: Idainaru Dragon Ball Densetsu is the UI. Most fighting games give you a life bar at the top of the screen. This game says "no thanks" to that. Instead, you get the Power Balance meter at the bottom.
Here is how it works: you hit the opponent, and a green bar pushes toward their side. They hit you, and a red bar pushes toward yours. You can beat the absolute snot out of Frieza for three minutes straight, but unless that bar fills up completely on his side, his health stays exactly where it started. Once the bar is full, your character triggers a "Mansenki" or a cutscene attack—think a Kamehameha or a Final Flash—and that is what actually subtracts a life point.
It sounds tedious. On paper, it is. But in practice? It captures that specific DBZ feeling where two characters trade blows for five minutes of screen time without a scratch, only for one massive energy beam to end the fight. You aren't playing for chip damage; you're playing for momentum.
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The Chaos of 3-on-3 Combat
Before Marvel vs. Capcom made tag-teams the industry standard, Dragon Ball Z: Idainaru Dragon Ball Densetsu was throwing six sprites on screen at once. It’s a mess. A glorious, 32-bit mess. You control one character while the AI handles your two partners. You can swap between them on the fly, which is basically mandatory if you want to win.
The game uses a mix of 2D sprites moving in a 3D space. It feels floaty. Because the characters are constantly flying, there’s no "ground" to anchor yourself to. You just zip around. You might be targeting Recoome while Burter zooms in from off-screen to knee you in the ribs. It's the only game of that era that actually feels like the chaotic skirmishes from the Namek saga.
Interestingly, the Sega Saturn version is widely considered the superior way to play this. Why? The Saturn was a 2D powerhouse, and it handles the transparency effects and sprite counts much better than the early PlayStation hardware did. If you see the PS1 version, the sprites often have these ugly flickering boxes around them. The Saturn version is crisp. It’s one of those rare instances where the "weaker" console (in terms of 3D) actually produced the better-looking game because of its 2D architecture.
Why the Story Mode Still Holds Up
The "Legend" mode is essentially a speedrun of the entire Z-era. It starts with the Saiyan invasion and ends with Kid Buu. What makes it special isn't just the fights, but the "History" percentage.
To get 100%, you have to trigger specific events that happened in the show. For example, in the fight against Nappa, you shouldn't just kill him with Goku. You need to let the AI-controlled Piccolo take a hit for Gohan. If you do that, you get a higher score and a more "accurate" retelling. It rewards you for being a fan, not just for being good at the game.
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Most modern games like Kakarot do this with cutscenes. Dragon Ball Z: Idainaru Dragon Ball Densetsu did it with active gameplay triggers. It forced you to play "in character." If you’re playing as Krillin against Perfect Cell, you’re going to have a bad time, but the game expects you to try anyway because that’s how the story went.
A Note on the Japanese Imports
For a long time, this was the "holy grail" for Western fans. Since it didn't get a US release during the height of Toonami's popularity, kids had to rely on shady import shops or those old "Swap Magic" discs to play it on their American consoles. There was a European release (simply titled Dragon Ball Z: The Legend), but it was in French, Spanish, and Portuguese. Finding an English-friendly version was a nightmare.
The Japanese version is surprisingly playable even if you don't know the language. The menus are mostly icons, and let's be real—you know the story. You know that Goku needs to punch the guy with the pink skin.
The Technical Limitations and the Sprite Art
Let's talk about the visuals. By today's standards, they are chunky. But for 1996? Those sprites were huge. BEC used a technique that made the characters look like they were pulled directly from the cels of the anime. When you’re in the middle of a struggle and the camera zooms in for a special attack, the pixel art is remarkably expressive.
The sound design is also top-tier for the time. It uses the actual Japanese voice actors—Masako Nozawa’s iconic "Kamehameha" scream hits different through 32-bit synth chips. The music, however, is a bit of a departure. It’s not the Shunsuke Kikuchi score from the show. It’s a custom soundtrack that is very... 90s techno-synth. It’s high energy, but it lacks that orchestral "epic" feel of the series.
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Common Misconceptions and Errors
A lot of people confuse this game with Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Battle 22. Don't make that mistake. Ultimate Battle 22 is a traditional, sluggish 2D fighter that is almost universally hated by critics. Dragon Ball Z: Idainaru Dragon Ball Densetsu is a completely different engine and a much better game.
Another weird myth is that this game was "canceled" in the US because of the violence. That's likely nonsense. The reality is that in 1996, Dragon Ball Z wasn't a household name in America yet. The funky "Power Balance" gameplay was also considered too "niche" for a Western audience that just wanted to play Tekken or Mortal Kombat. It was a business decision, not a censorship one.
Actionable Insights for Retro Collectors
If you're looking to play this today, you have a few specific paths.
- The Saturn Version is King: If you have a Sega Saturn (or a Satiator/Fenrir ODE), get the Japanese version. It’s cheaper than the European release and runs smoother.
- The PS1 Version is Easier to Emulate: If you’re using an emulator like DuckStation, the PS1 version is much easier to set up, though you'll miss out on some of the sprite clarity.
- Check Your Region: Remember that both the Saturn and PS1 were region-locked. You’ll need an Action Replay cart for the Saturn or a modded PS1 to run the original discs.
- Learn the "Dash" Mechanic: The secret to winning isn't attacking; it's the dash. Double-tapping the directional buttons allows you to flank opponents. If you just stand still and punch, the AI will tear you apart in seconds.
- Focus on the Weakest Link: In 3-on-3 fights, the Power Balance meter fills based on any successful hit. Target the character with the lowest defense to fill your meter faster, then use the cinematic attack on the actual boss.
Dragon Ball Z: Idainaru Dragon Ball Densetsu isn't a perfect game. It's repetitive, the camera can be nauseating, and the learning curve is a vertical wall. But there is nothing else like it. It’s a relic from a time when developers were actually willing to experiment with the fundamental mechanics of a licensed property rather than just skinning a generic fighter with anime hair. It's a piece of history that every DBZ fan should experience at least once, even if it's just to see Goku and Vegeta beat each other up over a green bar at the bottom of the screen.