King Piccolo

Lore & Background

In the world of Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo, the story unfolds across two distinct phases. First, players navigate the chaos caused by the Red Ribbon Army as they attempt to gather the Dragon Balls. Once that threat is addressed, the narrative shifts to the Demon King Piccolo arc, where Goku must prevent Piccolo from completing his own plans for global conquest. The game's Adventure Mode functions as a side-scrolling beat-em-up and platformer, requiring players to run from point A to point B while fighting various enemies and bosses. Key gameplay mechanics include using simple melee attacks or the Kamehameha wave. The lock-on system is essential for delivering powerful connecting attacks or grabbing devices to cross difficult gaps. Every defeated enemy rewards the player with health, power-ups, or zeni, a currency used in the shop to purchase upgrades.

In Their Own Story

The journey begins as Goku takes on the role of protagonist to stop the Red Ribbon Army's initial bid for world domination using the Dragon Balls. As the story progresses, the threat escalates when King Piccolo emerges with his own plans for conquest. The game features a World Tournament mode where players can battle as any fighter unlocked in Adventure Mode, facing off in a classic VS format. Development details reveal that the game was announced in the May 2009 issue of V Jump magazine, which confirmed the focus on both story arcs and revealed screenshots showing Wiimote integration. On September 25, Namco Bandai confirmed the game was complete, setting its release for October 20.

Reader's Guide

To succeed in Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo, players must master the dual nature of the gameplay, shifting between platforming traversal and combat encounters. The lock-on system is critical; use it to chain attacks or grab environmental objects needed to traverse hard-to-pass places. Managing resources is equally important, as defeating enemies yields zeni, which should be spent in the shop on upgrades, music, movies, and collectables. For those seeking more than the main story, the World Tournament mode offers a way to test skills against other fighters using characters from the Adventure Mode. The game was designed with a specific control scheme in mind: the Wiimote and Nunchuk allow for combos and special ki attacks like the Kamehameha. Additionally, an RPG-like element exists where zeni can be used to power up Goku, adding a layer of progression to the arcade-style action.

Did You Know?

• The game was released in Japan on July 23, 2009, before hitting other territories in October of the same year.
• Development news was first revealed in the May 2009 issue of V Jump magazine.
• King Piccolo's story arc is paired with the Red Ribbon Army saga within the game's Adventure Mode.
• Players can use zeni earned from defeating enemies to buy upgrades and collectables in the shop.