If you grew up in the mid-90s, you probably remember the sheer, unadulterated hype of seeing a Japanese import copy of a Dragon Ball game. It felt forbidden. It felt like a treasure. For many of us in the West, Dragon Ball Z Ultimate Battle 22 was that first contact, eventually landing on the original PlayStation in North America years after its Japanese debut. But man, looking back? It’s a weird one. Honestly, it’s a game that exists in this strange limbo between being a technical disaster and a nostalgic masterpiece.
The game first hit Japanese shelves in 1995. Think about that for a second. By the time it finally reached the United States in 2003, it was practically a relic. We were already playing Budokai on the PS2. Going from the high-speed, 3D cinematic combat of the newer generation back to the clunky, 2D sprites of the 32-bit era was a culture shock most reviewers at the time couldn't stomach. GameSpot famously gave it a 1.1 out of 10. That’s harsh. Like, "don't even use this as a coaster" levels of harsh.
But was it really that bad?
The Weird, Beautiful Mess of 2D Sprites on 3D Backgrounds
The core gimmick—and the reason for the "22" in the name—was the roster. At launch, having 22 playable characters (plus five unlockable ones) was actually pretty impressive for a fighter. You had the staples like Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan, but you also got Zarbon, Recoome, and even Captain Ginyu. The visual style used hand-drawn sprites that were literally ripped or inspired by the animation cells of the anime. They looked great in stills. They still do, kinda.
The problem was the backgrounds. Dragon Ball Z Ultimate Battle 22 tried to be modern by using 3D environments. This "2.5D" approach meant you had these beautiful, fluidly animated sprites floating over grainy, pixelated blocks that were supposed to be Namek or the World Martial Arts Tournament stage. When the camera zoomed out? Everything turned into a jagged mess.
Movement felt heavy. Unlike the Butoden series on the Super Famicom, which felt snappy, Ultimate Battle 22 felt like fighting underwater. You’d press a button, and there was this microscopic delay that threw off your timing. It wasn't "fluid." It was "deliberate." If we're being generous.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Combat
Most critics at the time complained that the game was just a button masher. They weren't entirely wrong, but they weren't entirely right either. If you actually dig into the movelists, there’s a surprisingly deep system buried under the clunk. Every character had their signature specials. We’re talking Final Flash, Kamehameha, the Special Beam Cannon—all there.
But the game didn't hold your hand. There was no practice mode that showed you inputs in real-time. You had to memorize the d-pad rotations. It felt like a "real" fighting game in that sense, demanding the same kind of execution as Street Fighter Alpha, just without the polish.
The Build Up Mode: A Forgotten Gem
One thing this game did exceptionally well—and something modern games like Xenoverse eventually perfected—was the "Build Up" mode. You could take a character and level them up through battles. Their stats would actually increase. You could save that character to your memory card and take it to a friend's house to see whose leveled-up Goku was superior. In 1995, that was revolutionary. It gave you a reason to keep playing long after you’d seen all the "Destructive Win" animations.
The 2003 North American Release Disaster
We have to talk about the timing. Bandai and Infogrames released this in the US in March 2003. By then, the PlayStation 2 had been out for nearly three years. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai had already redefined what a DBZ game could look like. Releasing a game that looked like a 1995 title in 2003 was a bold move. And by bold, I mean potentially suicidal for the brand's reputation.
The localization was... interesting. They stripped out the opening hand-drawn cinematic in the initial US version to save space or licensing costs, which was a tragedy because that intro is arguably the best part of the entire package. It was produced by Toei Animation and featured a killer soundtrack. Losing that was like losing the soul of the game.
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Does it hold up today?
Honestly? Only if you have a high tolerance for "jank." If you go into it expecting Dragon Ball FighterZ, you’re going to have a bad time. But if you view it as a digital museum piece, there’s a lot to love. The sound effects are ripped straight from the show. The Japanese voice acting (if you’re playing that version) is top-tier. There's a certain "crunchiness" to the hits that modern 3D games sometimes lose.
Secrets and the "Ultimate 27"
One of the coolest things about Dragon Ball Z Ultimate Battle 22 was the "secret" characters. If you performed a specific input on the title screen—up, down, left, right, up, down, left, right—you’d hear a chime. Suddenly, the "22" in the title would flip to a "27."
This unlocked the "Ultra" versions of characters:
- Super Saiyan 3 Goku
- Gogeta (making one of his first-ever game appearances)
- Kid Trunks
- Goten
- Mr. Satan (Hercule)
Gogeta was a beast. He was essentially a cheat code. Seeing him in sprite form back then was the peak of hype for fans who were following the series via fan-subs or magazines like Beckett Dragon Ball Z.
Technical Limitations and the "Split Screen" Legacy
One major departure from the Super Butoden games on the SNES was the removal of the split-screen mechanic. In those older games, if players flew too far apart, the screen would literally split down the middle with a line. In Ultimate Battle 22, the camera just zooms out. Way out.
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The problem? The sprites weren't high-res. As the camera moved back, the characters became tiny, shimmering clusters of pixels. It made long-range ki-blast battles feel detached. You weren't really "there" anymore. You were just watching two ants throw sparks at each other.
Why the Soundtrack Still Slaps
We can’t discuss this game without mentioning Kenji Yamamoto’s score. Say what you will about his later controversies regarding plagiarism, but the man knew how to compose for the PS1’s sound chip. The music in Ultimate Battle 22 is fantastic. It’s a mix of rock, synth, and that specific 90s Japanese flair that perfectly matches the intensity of a Saiyan showdown. "The Namek" stage theme specifically is a masterclass in atmospheric boss music.
Actionable Steps for Modern Players
If you’re looking to revisit this relic or experience it for the first time, don’t just grab a random copy and plug it in. There’s a "right" way to do it.
- Seek the Japanese Version: If you have a region-free setup or an emulator, the Japanese original (Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Battle 22) is superior. It has the full animated intro and the original voice acting, which fits the sprites much better than the later dubs.
- Use a CRT if Possible: These sprites were designed for scanlines. On a modern 4K OLED, the game looks like a blurry mess of pixels. On an old tube TV, the colors pop and the "jaggies" are smoothed out by the hardware.
- Master the Dash: The game feels slow until you realize you can double-tap to dash. It changes the entire flow of combat from a slog to a high-speed chase.
- Unlock the Extra 5 Immediately: Don't even bother playing with the base 22. The game is balanced (or unbalanced) around the secret characters. Use the title screen code (Up, Down, Left, Right, Up, Down, Left, Right) to get the full experience.
- Check the "Build Up" Mode: If you’re playing solo, this is the only way to get real longevity out of the game. Leveling a character to 100 is a grind, but it’s a strangely satisfying one.
Dragon Ball Z Ultimate Battle 22 isn't a "good" game by modern standards. It’s slow, the graphics are a clash of styles, and the AI is either brain-dead or cheating. But as a piece of history? It’s vital. It represents a transition point for the franchise—a moment where Dragon Ball was trying to find its footing in the 3D era while clinging to the beautiful 2D art that made the manga and anime famous. It's a flawed, loud, ambitious mess. And honestly, isn't that a little bit like the Z-fighters themselves?