Dragon Power
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Dragon Power | |
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| Developer(s) | Bandai |
| Publisher(s) | Bandai |
| Release date(s) | 1986 |
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo Entertainment System / Famicom |
| Media | NES cartridge |
Dragon Power (Japanese: Dragon Ball: Shenron no Nazo or Mystery of Shenlong), released in 1986 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, was the very first Dragon Ball console game published in Japan, the United States and Europe. The game stars Son Goku and very roughly follows the first two volumes of the Dragon Ball manga, culminating in the first wish from Shenlong. (In the US, this portion of the storyline is often called the Emperor Pilaf Saga.) The game consists of 2D overhead areas where Goku must fight many enemies and side scrolling sequences for the boss fights. This was notably the only Dragon Ball-related game to be released in the US for the original Nintendo.
This game is one of the two Dragon Ball Famicom games not part of the Card Battle series.
[edit] Modifications for American Release
Although the Japanese and European editions of the game used the familiar art and music from the Dragon Ball anime, the US edition made several graphical and translation changes to make the game more easily understood by the audience as the series would not be dubbed into English for another ten years. Goku now more closely resembles an Americanized Kung Fu stereotype and is pictured on the box with a white gi (instead of his traditional orange which he wears in the game itself) and blue headband. Master Roshi, similarly has been changed to look more like a traditional martial arts master. Despite these cosmetic changes, the game is still very recognizably a Dragon Ball game and all other plot elements (the search for the Dragon Balls, etc.) remain the same.
The US version of the game also famously has been censored: In the original Japanese version of the game, there is a sequence where Master Roshi is depicted with panties floating around his head. (He had just negotiated to be allowed to see Bulma's panties, in exchange for a Dragon Ball.) In the US version, the sprite for the panties was turned upside down and called a sandwich instead.
As typical for early Dragon Ball imports, character names are not wholly consistent with the ones from the current translations. Bulma here is called "Nora" and Oolong is called (aptly, perhaps) "Pudgy", and the Kamehameha is the "Wind Wave".
It should be noted that the game was released in the US at the time when Harmony Gold USA had the dubbing license for the series.
[edit] External links
- Dragon Power at MobyGames
- Dragon Power (US Edition) at dbz.superpope.com
- Mystery of Shenlong (Japanese Edition) at dbz.superpope.com
