Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is a game inundated with a plethora of effects and an expansive open world map that players can freely traverse through at nearly any opportunity. Which is why I was extremely surprised to see how well it ran on the Nintendo Switch. Usually, when it comes to Switch ports I’m a little hesitant since I know, in some way, something about the game will suffer significantly—usually in relation to its graphics or framerate. But Dragon Ball: Z Kakarot serves as a more than satisfactory Switch port of an already pretty great game.
The Switch version is more or less a complete bundle of content released through the lifespan of Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. This includes The History of Trunks DLC, and other optional content that came trickling in after its initial release. Almost immediately after the initial tutorial and introduction to several key mechanics, players can dive into this former DLC content without having to plow through the expansive story in the main scenario. Levels are adjusted for the content, though it can still be challenging for those who immediately want to jump in. Players can also jump out of any DLC content whenever they please and resume the main story. So don’t worry about potentially being locked into any one story once you start.
You can also adjust the general difficulty of the game at any time. I appreciated this a lot, as I used Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot as a means to re-experience the series I had watched fondly as a kid. It proved to be an immersive experience that benefited greatly from the nostalgia I already had for the Dragon Ball series.
It feels great getting to fight Android 17 and 18, and eventually Cell, through the events of the game. Even more so since the game performed incredibly well for a Switch port. Docked I had no issues with framerate, and even in its handheld mode Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot performed fairly well. The only issue I noticed was that character models in the menus were significantly downscaled and looked like rough PlayStation 2 models at best. But it wasn’t anything that impacted how I played the game. Additionally, there weren’t any major bugs I encountered during my time spent with it. I didn’t see any major performance issues. I was genuinely surprised at how well optimized this game is for the Switch.
I think the only real issue I had with the game was a lack of proper tutorials, which is more or less a general critique. Even the first few fights can be a bit hard to get into, since the game basically throws you into the thick of it. But, again, since you can freely adjust the difficulty it isn’t so much of a major issue. And if you’re feeling lost on the overworld map, you only need to idle for a few seconds for a pop-up that will remind you what the controls are to appear.
The font size is great both docked and undocked, and I had no problems reading any of the text. Players can also reassign keybinds at any time. All-in-all the accessibility features are fairly stock and standard, but serve their purpose well.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is one of those Switch ports that surprises you. Mostly because it’s clear that very little was sacrificed to make this possible. It’s an excellent introduction to the series, with its main scenario cutting out some of the fat found in the anime with its lengthy filler episodes, and is a treat for long-time fans of the series. If you were looking for a version of the game bundled with all of its extra story-related DLC content and want to take this game on the go, this version is perfect for you.
Dragon Ball Z Kakarot + A New Power Awakens is immediately available for Nintendo Switch.
