Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butōden

is a fighting game for the Nintendo 3DS published by Bandai Namco and developed by Arc System Works.
The game was first announced on the April issue of Shueisha's magazine and was released on June 11, 2015 in Japan. On June 9, 2015, two days before the Japanese release, there were reports that the game was classified on June 4, on the Australian ratings board, which hinted the localization of the game. It was confirmed by Bandai Namco on June 23 that the game was going to be released in the West, which got released October 16, 2015 in Europe and Australia and October 20, 2015 in North America.
The game features over 100 fighters in both one-on-one and team battles. It has a story mode where you go through sagas as either the heroes or villains. A demo has been released for Japanese 3DS's with the help of a code. In the demo you can play as Goku, Vegeta, Teen Gohan, and Buu. You can play on 5 stages.
==Gameplay==
Extreme Butōden is a 2D fighting game where players can create a team of consisting of both battle and support characters to fight against an enemy team in a 1-on-1 match. The main objective in the battle is to take out all fighters of the opposing team either by reducing their health to zero or by having more remaining health in total than the opponent when time runs out.
Every fighter can perform either a weak, strong, or special attack, which can be combined together to perform multiple combos, that is also viewable in controls screen in the pause menu. Most combos can be canceled out by a Hyper Dash, which can allow a fighter to perform more combos. The game also features a Spirit Gauge, which can initially charged up to 150% and be used to perform Special Attacks.
Much like the previous installments of the Butōden series, there are two stages of gameplay: the Ground Stage and the Air Stage. Successfully performing a Meteor Combo will launch the opponent into the air or ground depending on what stage both players are currently on. Grounded fighters who gets launched into the air will float momentarily in the air, allowing for more followups, while airborne fighters who get launched to the ground will receive additional damage when hitting the ground.
Each fighter has two different Special Attacks known as a Blitz Attack and a Burst Strike, which are unique attacks for each character. A Blitz Attack is an attack that consumes 25% of the Spirit Gauge and allows a fighter to perform a unique special attack (e.g. Goku Kaio-ken Finish) and a Burst Attack consumes 50% of the Spirit Gauge to make a fighter perform a more devastating special attack (e.g. Krillin Destructo Disc). Additionally, every fighter has two Super Special Moves that can be performed after performing an Ultimate Combo, which varies based on what stage the fighters are currently on. However, Ultimate Combos can also be countered by an Ultimate Counter, which then transitions to a beam-struggle battle.
Once the total health of a team's reaches 50% or less, they will become Awakened. Once in this state, the Spirit Gauge can be charged up to 200% and the fighter can perform a Final Ultimate Combo, which can be used by some fighters on the Ground Stage and others in the Air Stage. Additionally, fighters can either perform a Sparking attack, which is a burst attack that knocks the opponent away, or a Dragon Soul, a transformation that increases the power of all attacks, but slowly depletes the fighter's remaining HP and automatically deactivates when their HP reaches 1.
===Controls===
The control scheme can be changed by modifying the button mapping in the Options menu. Default control scheme is listed below:
*Y: Light Attack
*X: Strong Attack
*A: Special Attack
*B: Evade
*R: Charge Ki
*L: Special Button
*L + Y: Surprise Attack
*L + X: Blitz Attack
*L + A: Burst Strike
*L + B: Sparking (in Awakened state while being attacked)
*L + A: Dragon Soul (while in Awakened state)
*Touch Screen: Swap Character/Summon Z Assist
===Game Modes===
*Z Story: Z Story lets the player relive the major battles of the Dragon Ball Z franchise starting from the Saiyan Saga all the way to the end of the Kid Buu Saga. There are also five different scenarios that takes place through the eyes of the Dragon Team (Goku, Gohan, Krillin, Piccolo and Vegeta) along with a "what-if" scenario where you play as various DBZ villains (Frieza, Cell, Majin Buu, Broly, etc.)
*Adventure Mode: Adventure Mode is the main story mode in Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butōden that is unlocked after clearing all scenarios in Z Story. At the Supreme Kai's request, Goku goes on a quest to collect the seven Ultimate Dragon Balls to seal off the minus energy released by Omega Shenron, whose using its power to bring back all the villains Goku and his friends had faced in the past; including major foes like Frieza, Cell and Buu. In this mode, the player forms a team of any character and travels through multiple worlds to complete variable missions. While it's not required to fulfill the main objective, doing so will give the player a chance to achieve an S rank, which will unlock more Z Assist characters and some battle items.
*Extreme World Tournament: The player creates a team of any characters of their choosing and faces off against a variety of other CPU-controlled teams. Throughout the tournament, there is a chance that a character will interrupt the fight and must be defeated in order to progress. Unlocked by clearing Adventure Mode.
*Extreme Survival2: The player chooses a character and fights endless waves of CPU-controlled opponents. A small amount of health is recovered after winning each round.
*Battle Mode
**Free: The player creates a team for themself and the CPU and battle it out for fun.
**Training12: The player can practice their moves and combos against a CPU opponent.
*Versus Mode
**Local: Players can battle against nearby players using wireless connection.
**Online2: Players can battle against other players online over the Internet.
*Quest Mode: Players can use their StreetPass to collect the seven Dragon Balls and summon Shenron to grant a wish. Unlocked by clearing the "Dragon Team" scenario in Z Story mode.
1: Added in version 1.1.0 in Japan. 
2: Added in version 1.1.0 in international regions.
===Crossover Play===
On November 8, 2016 the game received an update which allows local and online cross-play with One Piece: Great Pirate Colosseum, allowing users of one game to battle users of the other. The gameplay mechanic mostly remains unchanged for both games with the exception of adding a cloudy floor from above which enables characters from One Piece franchise to battle on the Air Stage.
==Characters==
===Playable characters===
Name 	Playable Forms	Available at Start
Android 18 	 	Yes
Bardock 	 	Yes
Beerus 	 	No
Broly 	
*Legendary Super Saiyan	No
Captain Ginyu	 	Yes
Cell 	
*Perfect 	Yes
Frieza 	
*Final Form 	Yes
Future Trunks	
*Super Saiyan	Yes
Gohan (Kid) 	 	Yes
Gohan (Teen) 	
*Super Saiyan 2	Yes
Gohan (Adult)	
*Super Saiyan	Yes
Gohan 	
*Unleashed 	Yes
Goku 	
*Base 	Yes
Goku 	
*Super Saiyan	Yes
Goku 	
*Super Saiyan God	No
Goku1 	
*Super Saiyan Blue	No
Gotenks 	
*Super Saiyan	Yes
Kid Buu 	 	Yes
Krillin 	 	Yes
Majin Buu 	 	Yes
Nappa 	 	Yes
Piccolo 	 	Yes
Raditz 	 	Yes
Vegeta 	
*Base 	Yes
Vegeta 	
*Super Saiyan	Yes
1: Obtained through a special demo in Japan or a code in U.S.
===Z Assist Characters===
This game also features Z Assist characters, which are characters that enter the battle and provide support to the whoever summoned them. Up to 4 Z Assist characters can be added in a team (2 if two playable characters are selected). After an assist character is summoned, players need to wait a short time before they can summon them again. Multiple Z Assists characters can be summoned at once, but will consume more of the Z Assist Cost gauge at the top of the screen depending of the DP of that character (summoning Yamcha would cost only 1 DP while summoning him alongside Tien would cost 5 DP). All Z Assists characters are unlocked by playing through Adventure Mode, although some can be unlocked by entering a code in the title screen.
*Yamcha
*Tien Shinhan
*Chiaotzu
*Bulma
*Chi-Chi
*Kid Gohan3
*Master Roshi
*Turtle
*Puar
*Oolong
*Launch
*Dr. Briefs
*Mr. Popo
*Yajirobe
*Korin	
*Grand Elder Guru
*King Kai
*Bubbles
*Saibamen
*Dodoria
*Zarbon
*Guldo
*Recoome
*Burter
*Jeice
*Frieza (1st Form)
*Frieza (2nd Form)
*Frieza (3rd Form)
*Mecha Frieza
*Android 16	
*Android 17
*Android 19
*Dr. Gero
*Cell (1st Form)
*Cell (2nd Form)
*Cell Jr.
*Mr. Satan
*Videl
*Great Saiyaman
*Trunks
*Goten
*Shin
*Kibito
*Old Kai
*Mighty Mask (Trunks and Goten)1	
*Yamu1
*Spopovich1
*Yakon1
*Dabura
*Babidi
*Majin Vegeta
*Super Buu
*Super Vegito3
*Uub
*Garlic Jr.3
*Dr. Wheelo
*Turles
*Cooler (Final Form)
*Meta-Cooler3
*Android 13 (Fusion)
*Bojack (Transformed)
*Pikkon
*Super Gogeta1
*Super Janemba
*Tapion
*Hirudegarn
*Chilled
*Whis
*Vegeta (SSGSS)1
*Golden Frieza1
*Baby Goku3
*Kid Goku3
*Great Ape1
*Flying Nimbus1	
*Pilaf Machine
*World Tournament Announcer
*Jackie Chun
*Android 8
*General Blue
*Mercenary Tao
*King Piccolo
*Fortuneteller Baba
*Devilman
*Grandpa Gohan
*Goku (GT) (Super Saiyan 4)1
*Vegeta (GT) (Super Saiyan 4)1
*Gogeta (Super Saiyan 4)1
*Pan1	
*Majuub
*Super 17
*Haze Shenron1
*Eis Shenron1
*Nuova Shenron
*Rage Shenron1
*Oceanus Shenron1
*Naturon Shenron1
*Omega Shenron
*Shenron
*Gine2
*Jaco2
*Dende
*Monster Carrot
*1: Obtainable by entering a code in the start menu. 
*2: Only obtainable by ordering the game guide on release day in Japan or by a code in U.S. 
*3: Also obtainable by pre-ordering the game via a download code. 
====Additional Z Assist Characters====
In patch updates, the game adds more Z Assist characters that are unlocked whenever the player enters the title screen. The following characters listed are based off their release in the Japan version of the game.
;Added in version 1.1.0
*Goku (Farmer)1
*Vegeta (Dance)1
*Krillin (Policeman)12
*Mira1
*Towa1
;Added in version 1.2.0
*Goku & Gohan (Father-Son Kamehameha)12
*Broly (Super Saiyan 4)1
*Gohan (GT) (Super Saiyan 4)1
*Chronoa1
*Time Machine1
;Added in version 1.3.0
*See-Through the Invisible Man1
*Baby Vegeta (Super Baby 2)1
*Champa1
*Vados1
*Ninja Murasaki1
;Added in version 1.4.0
*Botamo
*Frost
;Added in version 1.5.0
*Magetta
*Cabba
*Hit
*1: Available in version 1.1.0 in international regions. 
*2: Obtainable by entering a code in the start menu in the following version. 
==Battle Stages==
*Rocky Area
*Plains
*Remote Island
*Urban Arena
*World Tournament
*Cell Games
*Temple
*Hyperbolic Time Chamber
*Planet Namek
*Namek-Destroyed
*King Kai's Planet
*Supreme Kai's World
*Snake Way
*Babidi's Spaceship
*Wasteland
*Nameless Planet (added in version 1.5.0)
==Limited Edition==
A European limited edition bundle was also released, which includes the standard size New Nintendo 3DS, a pre-installed digital copy of Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden, Dragon Ball Z themed cover plates and a download code for the Japanese version of Dragon Ball Z: Super Butoden 2.
==Trivia==
*This game has a glitch that causes a character's sprite to remain on screen even after switching out.
**This glitch is triggered by switching a character into Super Saiyan Gotenks' Galactic Donuts special, where it seems the game gets confused about which character is supposed to be getting hit, freezing the character's sprite on screen until they are switched back in.
**Interestingly, this glitch reveals that during a Ultimate combo cutscene, the characters are placed in the center of the stage.
*This is the second game to include Super Saiyan God, Super Saiyan Blue and Super Saiyan 4 together, the other being Dragon Ball Xenoverse.
**However, Super Saiyan 4 is the only form that is not playable, instead, it is a Z-Assist, as Dragon Ball Xenoverse had all forms be playable.
**Also, according to this game, Super Saiyan Blue is referred as the most powerful transformation, thus coming to the conclusion that Super Saiyan 4 is the third strongest and Super Saiyan God as the second strongest, although some fans still debate for whether which is the more powerful out of the three forms. However this is the only game that makes this claim.
*This is the first video-game to feature Gine, albeit as a support character.
*Despite the fact it says that Super Galick Gun as an Ultimate Combo in his move list, Vegeta instead transforms into a Super Saiyan and use Final Flash.
*If a player is in the U.S., they can enter a button input codes at the title screen to unlock certain characters.
*This is the first Dragon Ball Z game for the Nintendo 3DS in the U.S.
*In Nintendo eShop gallery for the game, both Super Saiyan Goku and Future Trunks each had 1 DP in-game. In the final release, they are 5 DP and 4 DP respectively.
*This is the first game ever to display exclusive characters originated from Dragon Ball Heroes, in this case, Gohan (GT) (Super Saiyan 4) and Broly (Super Saiyan 4).
*While Dodoria has five fingers in his character portrait, his in-game sprites displays him having three fingers, which is based off his appearance in the manga.
*Super Saiyan Gotenks' sash and leg wraps are colored green in the game, despite being blue in the anime.
**Interestingly, his sash and leg wraps are colored blue when he's using an alternate costume.
*Whenever Super Saiyan Vegeta, Super Saiyan Gotenks and Frieza perform a 200% Ultimate Combo while using an alternate costume, they will be seen in their regular costume until the attack is finished.
*Super Saiyan God Goku's in-game sprites are missing the "Go" kanji on his gi. This is due to him reusing most of the sprites in his base form with the exception of recoloring his black hair to red.
*Whenever Captain Ginyu uses his Body Change technique to switch bodies with his opponent, the camera will remained angled until someone else performs an Ultimate Combo.
*If Super Saiyan 2 Teen Gohan gets turned into a cookie by Majin Buu's Turn into a Cookie! technique or Majuub's Chocolate Beam, he uses Super Saiyan Goku's cookie sprite.
**A similar issue happens to Cooler in Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors 2, where he uses Frieza's cookie sprite.
*Even if a user is playing a crossover battle through Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butōden, the HUD will use elements from One Piece: Great Pirate Colosseum, although the Spirit Gauge is retained.
**This also applies to the in-game announcer.
*While playing a crossover battle, Super Saiyan Goku's Super Spirit Bomb functions differently as the clashing portion of the move has been removed, which makes it function similarly to a regular Spirit Bomb.
*If a character from the One Piece franchise gets turned into a cookie, their cookie sprite will be a skull rather than a unique cookie-based character sprite.
*This is one of the few games localized in America to not receive an English Dub.
*This is the only Butoden game to receive a English release, along with the Japanese version of Super Butoden 2, which was released as a virtual console.
==Gallery==
==Web Sites==
*Official Japanese Website
==Site Navigation==
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