Author: Austyn "Lazybones2020" Roney

Ah, remember the good old days of character unlocking? They’re back!

With Dragon Ball FighterZ release on the horizon, there are still plenty of questions waiting to be answered about its content and how to access it. We now know that there are three unlockable characters in the title and they can be made playable through a variety of methods. Some are as easy as buying the game the day it comes out and others require a good amount of skill and patience.

Just two guys and we’re having a good time.

Those who pre-ordered Dragon Ball FighterZ will have instant access to Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Goku and Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Vegeta, (SSGSS for short, Super Saiyan Blue and SSB for extra short.) through an unlock code packaged with their “Day One Edition” of the game. Those not on the pre-order boat will have a little bit of a challenge ahead of them to add the two azure Saiyans to their team.

There are two in-game unlocking methods for the dynamic duo. You can either grind for the characters by saving up Zeni, the in-game currency, or by complete specific game modes under certain circumstances.

If you want to grind for the characters, you will need to earn 300,000 Zeni to unlock SSGSS Vegeta and 500,000 Zeni to add SSGSS Goku to your roster. You don’t need to purchase the characters either, just have that amount of Zeni total. So you can spend your Zeni and still have it go towards these goals.

Alternatively, completing the Extreme Gravity Spaceship Course on hard with an A-Rank will grant access to SSGSS Vegeta and finishing the Hyperbolic Time Chamber Course on hard with an A-Rank to unlock SSGSS Goku. Take note that in order to gain access to the harder difficulties of these game modes you will need to beat them on the normal difficulty first.

Make way for the leading lady to join the ranks of Dragon Ball legends

Android 21’s unlocking method is a lot more straightforward because there is currently only one way to play as the character worldwide. Players in Japan have the opportunity to purchase a guidebook for the game that comes bundled with an instant access code to Android 21.

Folks elsewhere will need to complete the Story Mode to add the cunning android to their roster. According to Game Informer, the story mode can run anywhere between 15-20 hours if you are going for a comprehensive playthrough. It is possible to complete the game mode in around 5 hours if you plan on just dragon rushing through it to unlock the character.

It is great to see Dragon Ball FighterZ‘ approach to character unlocks and pre-order bonuses. While pre-ordering the game certainly decreases the time needed to unlock the blue Super Saiyan Gods, it is not necessary to use the characters. Those who didn’t pre-order aren’t punished for purchasing the game after day one and can obtain them through regular play, not additional pay. This information coupled with the friendly loot system makes FighterZ a strong contender for responsible content distribution in an era that has certainly seen its missteps.

Sources: Game Informer; Prima Games; Shonen Games

But don’t fret — they seem nice.

Dragon Ball FighterZ may release in about a week, but it appears some players have gotten their hands on early copies, and are diving into the mechanics of the full game. The information that is presented in this article was found through Reset Era Forums after reporting by Attack of the Fanboy.

One new feature that has not been officially addressed is the game’s capsule system. Similar to loot boxes, these capsules — from the trusty Capsule Corporation, of course — contain randomly-assorted cosmetic items like lobby avatars, character colors, and titles. The capsules can be purchased with two different currencies. There is Zeni, which is unlocked by regular gameplay (like completing Arcade Mode or playing through the story), and there are Premium Z Coins. The latter currency is gained when duplicate items are obtained through the capsules.

There is no confirmation on whether or not Premium Z Coins can be purchased with real money — due to the full-version game servers still being down — but it is assumed, by those who have gotten access to the title by a link to the Xbox Store found on the menu.

The unlock system is very similar to the one Arc System Works used first in Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR-. There is a fishing mechanic where players use in-game currency to unlock similar collectibles. Here is an in-depth look at the system -REVELATOR- presents.

This system appears to be one of the most friendly forms of the loot box practice. Everything can be earned in-game, and while it has not been confirmed, allowing the option to instead purchase the Premium Z Coins isn’t all that bad, either.

We will know all the details soon when Dragon Ball FighterZ finally releases on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on January 26. It has been a heck of a ride since Xbox’s E3 conference last year! I can’t wait to see what this title has in store.

Sources: Reset Era Forums; Attack of the Fanboy; The Gaming Mole: Brad_Ry

Plenty of free goodies are on the way too!

After the epic announcement of Jiren coming to Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, more details arrive surrounding the latest expansion to Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2. Extra Pack 2 is so far confirmed to include Fu, Jiren, and most recently announced, Android 17 (Dragon Ball Super). This version of the android has a host of new abilities witnessed during the Tournament of Power saga of Dragon Ball Super. While he is an unexpected addition, the character has more than proved his capabilities in the most recent arc.

There is also a free update coming alongside the DLC release that will be adding even more surprising content to the game. A brand new “Overlimit” skill is going to be added which can be used by any custom character. It provides a one-time boost to your character’s capabilities that’s extent depends on the number of enemies defeated and the kind of warrior used. The Saiyan custom character race will get a huge power up with the “Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan” awakening skill. Which is certainly awesome — but curious — to bypass the original Super Saiyan God form, I’m sure we can assume our custom heroes pulled a Vegeta and are capable of using the form, but seldom use it. (Unless you count the manga.) And last and certainly not least, the most unexpected of additions to the game, Android 18 and Videl will be able to fight in swimsuits. Neat!

Xenoverse 2 feels like the gift that keeps on giving. Bandai Namco has more than fulfilled their promise of supporting the title for a year after the release. More information on the DLC and the free update is bound to be on the way with accompanying trailers before the contents’ release! Only a few more questions remain, when will the content release, what is the new form of Goku (Ultra Instinct?), and what will the collaborative FighterZ content be? Until then check out the full scan below and imagine your custom character with shimmering blue hair. (If they are a Saiyan, of course.)

Sources: Shonen Games; Gematsu

The Pride Trooper who could kill the gods enters the Xenoverse battlefield.

Android 21’s playable character announcement won’t be the only Dragon Ball news today. The seemingly all-powerful Jiren from Dragon Ball Super will be joining Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 in upcoming DLC. It will be interesting to see how the character is balanced to not be the overwhelming powerhouse he is in the show. Not much else is known about the DLC pack aside from its inclusion of the original character, Fuu, and a “new form of Goku” (which at this point is bound to be Ultra Instinct) so stick around for more information about Jiren and the upcoming DLC pack! Also, don’t forget about the Dragon Ball FighterZ connection content coming sometime soon as well!

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. The Nintendo Switch version of the title recently surpassed 500,000 units in sales. The title has been doing so well that there is a shortage of the game in Japan, with players being told to be patient and wait until February for more units. The hype for the title will more than likely continue to grow with this new announcement!

Sources: Shonen Games; Gematsu

The villainous Android 21 is hungry for world domination.

At long last, the antagonist of the highly-anticipated title Dragon Ball FighterZ has been confirmed as a playable character, but not quite how you’d think. Android 21 has reached new heights, and her newfound abilities are sure to make her a fiendish foe in the story, and in battle. The character was announced in the most recent Famitsu magazine.

The new character’s appearance has changed dramatically, going from an auburn-haired scientist to what appears to be a new kind of Majin. There is no doubt that Android 21 has even more surprises in store, but one thing’s for sure: the evil femme fatale’s appetite for destruction has only grown in this new form.

One of Android 21’s defining traits is her new absorption technique. With this ability, she is able to take the special moves from her opponents, thus allowing her to use abilities like Kamehameha or Solar Flare for example. She has a special attack called “Tasting Cut” which allows Android 21 to absorb the opposing character’s energy. If this means she will absorb their health or their ki is yet to be confirmed. According to the translation, Android 21’s super technique is titled, “Hungry Time,” which turns your opponent into sweets, similarly to Majin Buu, but there appears to be a cryptic difference.

What’s interesting is that this version of the character was first noticed briefly during a previous trailer. As time passed and the dust settled, the discussion surrounding this mystery character died down. Now that the new form of Android 21 has been confirmed, we are left to wait to discover how she gains this seemingly unstoppable transformation. Dragon Ball FighterZ releases on January 21 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Stay tuned for more information regarding the new character and Dragon Ball FighterZ here at SRK!

Sources: Shonen Games; Ken Xyro; SLOplays

The Orochi saga lives again in animated form!

iDragons Creative Studio has announced that The King of Fighters: Destiny will return with two additional seasons and a film finale to encompass the franchise’s Orochi saga. According to a translation by KOFWorld, the next seasons of the series will focus on what occurs between Fatal Fury and KOF ’94 to KOF ’97.

There haven’t been this many large-scale multimedia projects for The King of Fighters for quite some time. It’s great to see more content for the beloved franchise, for those wanting a little more between their fightstick sessions.

The King of Fighters: A New Beginning manga series second chapter just became available to read as well, and is accessible through Pocket Shonen Magazine’s online viewer. Hopefully, an official English adaption is soon to follow!

Sources: iDragons Creative Studio; KOF World; Pocket Shonen Magazine