Honestly, it’s a crime. Most Dragon Ball games are just "press X to punch" simulators where you fly around a 3D arena until someone’s health bar disappears. Don’t get me wrong, Sparking Zero is incredible for what it is, but it doesn’t hit that same itch. Back in 2009, Monolith Soft—the geniuses behind Xenoblade Chronicles—decided to take a crack at Akira Toriyama's world. The result was Dragon Ball Attack of the Saiyans on the Nintendo DS. It wasn’t just good. It was arguably the most polished, mechanically sound RPG the franchise has ever seen, and almost nobody talks about it anymore.
It covers the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament through the fight with Vegeta. That’s it. Just one saga, really. But because it focused so narrowly, it had room to breathe.
You actually feel the weight of training. You feel the dread of the Saiyans approaching Earth. Most games rush you through the Raditz fight in five minutes. Here? You’re spending hours exploring the Northern Mountains and Muscle Tower. It treats the source material with a level of reverence that makes modern "all-in-one" games feel shallow.
The Monolith Soft Touch: Why the Combat Slaps
If you’ve played Chrono Trigger or Baten Kaitos, you know Monolith Soft doesn't do boring combat. Dragon Ball Attack of the Saiyans uses a turn-based system, but it’s fast. Very fast. You’ve got a three-man party, but you can swap characters out on the fly.
The Active Guard system is the real MVP here.
You can't just mash A and check your phone. When an enemy attacks, you have to time a button press to mitigate damage. It keeps you engaged. It makes a turn-based fight feel like a kinetic martial arts battle. Then there's the "Sparking" gauge. If you fill it up, you can unleash Ultimate Skills. But the cool part? If multiple characters are in Sparking mode, they can combine their attacks into "S-Combinations." Seeing Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien pull off a triple-threat combo is way more satisfying than just watching Goku do another Kamehameha.
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The customization is surprisingly deep for a DS title. You’re not just leveling up stats. You’re manually allocating AP (Ability Points) into different skills. Want a Gohan that focuses entirely on Masenko? Do it. Want a Piccolo that’s a tank? Go for it. You also have a "Capsule" system that functions like equippable accessories, allowing for status immunities and stat boosts. It’s a real RPG. It’s not an "action game with XP bars" like Kakarot.
Expansion of the Lore: More Than Just the Anime
What really sets Dragon Ball Attack of the Saiyans apart is the filler. Normally, "filler" is a dirty word in the anime world. In this game, it’s a blessing. Since the game only covers a small portion of the story, the developers added a massive amount of original content and side stories.
Remember the Princess Snake encounter on Snake Way? In the anime, it’s a weird episode you usually skip. In the game, it’s a full dungeon with bosses and loot.
The game also fleshes out what the other Z-Fighters were doing while Goku was dead. You get to play through Yamcha’s desert adventures and Tien’s training at Crane School. It gives these characters—who are basically benchwarmers in the modern Dragon Ball Super era—a chance to actually shine. They feel powerful. They feel necessary. When the Saiyans finally land, you’re actually attached to the whole squad, not just the guy with the spiky orange hair.
The pixel art is another huge win. 2009 was arguably the peak of 2D sprite work on handhelds. The animations are fluid, the backgrounds are vibrant, and the special move cinematics have a punchy, hand-drawn feel that 3D models still struggle to replicate. There's a certain charm to seeing a tiny 16-bit Nappa level a city.
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The Grind and the "Obscure Game" Problem
Let's be real for a second. The game isn't perfect. It’s a grind. If you don’t spend time fighting random encounters in the late-game dungeons, Vegeta will absolutely wipe the floor with you. The difficulty spikes are legendary. You’ll be cruising through the East City, feeling like a god, and then a random boss will hit you with an AOE attack that deletes your entire party.
It’s also surprisingly hard to find a physical copy these days. Since it came out late in the DS lifecycle and didn't get a massive marketing push outside of Japan, it’s become a bit of a cult classic. Namco Bandai hasn't touched the IP in years. No remaster. No port to Switch. Nothing.
This obscurity is a shame because Dragon Ball Attack of the Saiyans solved a problem that modern DBZ games still face: power scaling. In an RPG, it makes sense that you start weak and get stronger. In a fighting game, Goku being "level 1" feels wrong. Here, the progression feels earned. By the time you reach the final showdown in the wasteland, you’ve spent twenty hours building these characters. The stakes feel earned.
Key Gameplay Elements to Master
- The Guard Button: Seriously, learn the timing. Missing a guard against Nappa is basically a death sentence for your support characters.
- S-Combinations: Don't just fire off ultimates. Check the menu to see which characters can pair up. Some combos, like the "Turtle School" attack, deal massive bonus damage.
- AP Allocation: Don't spread your points too thin. Pick two or three main moves for each character and max them out early. A Level 5 Kamehameha is better than four Level 1 skills.
- Capsule Management: Always keep a "Senzu Bean" capsule equipped. It's your only reliable full-party heal in a pinch.
Why We Need a Sequel (That We'll Never Get)
The ending of the game is one of the biggest teases in gaming history. After you beat Vegeta and he flies off in his pod, there’s a post-credits scene. It shows a Frieza Force ship. It literally says "To Be Continued."
But it never was.
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The developers moved on to other projects, and the Dragon Ball license shifted focus toward the Xenoverse and FighterZ styles of gameplay. We never got to see the Monolith Soft take on Namek or the Android Saga. Imagine a turn-based fight against the Ginyu Force using these mechanics. It’s a tragedy of the highest order.
Despite the cliffhanger, the game stands alone as a complete experience. It’s a snapshot of a time when licensed games were allowed to be weird and experimental. It wasn't trying to be a "service game" with seasonal passes. It was just a rock-solid JRPG that happened to have Goku in it.
If you have a 3DS or a DS lying around, find a copy. It’s one of the few games that understands that Dragon Ball isn't just about the transformations; it's about the journey, the training, and the struggle.
Moving Forward with Attack of the Saiyans
If you're looking to jump back in or play it for the first time, keep these practical steps in mind to get the most out of it.
First, don't ignore the side quests. Many of them unlock specific "Statues" or items that are required for the best equipment in the game. Second, focus on building Gohan's Ki stats early. He starts weak but becomes a literal nuke by the end of the game if you build him right. Lastly, pay attention to the enemy's elemental weaknesses. Even though it's Dragon Ball, the game uses a rock-paper-scissors elemental system (Power, Speed, Technique) that can turn the tide of a boss battle more than raw level grinding ever could.
Check your local retro game stores or keep an eye on online marketplaces. Prices are creeping up, but for a 30-hour campaign that actually respects your time and the source material, it's worth every cent. You won't find another Dragon Ball experience quite like it.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check Compatibility: Ensure you have a Nintendo DS, DSi, or any 3DS system, as the game is region-free for those handhelds.
- Hunt for the Manual: If buying used, try to get the manual. It contains "S-Combination" charts that are extremely helpful for beginners.
- Prioritize AP: Focus on upgrading Goku's "Kaioken" and Piccolo's "Special Beam Cannon" first to handle the mid-game difficulty spikes.
- Explore Every Corner: The best capsules (items) are often hidden in "dead-end" paths of the early dungeons like the Mushroom Rocks.