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Dragon Power(JP) is a action game based on the Dragon Ball manga and anime series. It was released by Bandai for the NES in 1986 in Japan and in 1988 in North America.
Gameplay[]
Plot[]
The game stars Goku and initially roughly follows the first two volumes of the Dragon Ball manga where he encounters many enemies and allies while collecting the Dragon Balls, culminating in the first wish from Shenron in the Emperor Pilaf Saga (levels 1 to 6).
The game then moves on to an entirely original story line: Goku enters a Kung-Fu Tournament for levels 7 to 10 and faces off against various strong opponents. A year later (levels 11 to 14) Goku borrows the Dragon Radar from Bulma and heads out in search of his Grandpa Gohan's keepsake, the Four-Star Dragon Ball. He detects a ball in space and heads there, finding that Monster Carrot has set up an operation there, Goku defeats Kurilien, whom had been hired by Monster Carrot, and then Monster Carrot himself, Goku obtains a Dragon Ball, but it is not the Four-Star and so Goku continues searching. Goku returns to Earth to obtain the Dragon Balls, adventuring through Seven Island, a jungle ruled by Bimbo and the finally goes to Konpei Tower and fights the MB Army to obtain the Dragon Ball, after defeating the MB Army General - who Goku an co. assumed had the Dragon Ball - they find that he did not have it, they head to the next room in the tower and encounter a robot, Goku defeats it and obtains the Four-Star Dragon Ball, then makes a wish.
After this, Pilaf appears in a cliffhanger, saying next time that he will definitely get world domination.
American Version[]
Although the Japanese and European editions of the game used familiar art and music from the Dragon Ball anime, the American release features altered graphics, sound and Goku was changed to more closely resemble an Americanized Kung Fu stereotype, being pictured on the cover artwork with a white gi and blue headband.
Master Roshi, similarly has been changed to look more like a traditional martial arts master, and to censor scenes deemed inappropriate, has a fondness for sandwiches, especially Bulma's. Bulma is renamed "Nora", Yamcha is renamed "Lancer", Oolong is renamed "Pudgy" (and referred to as a child instead of a pig), the Kamehameha is the "Wind Wave", and the Dragon Balls are referred to as "Crystal Balls".