Dragonball Evolution: The Game

Dragonball Evolution: The Game is a fighting game developed by Dimps and released for the PlayStation Portable in March 2009 in Japan, followed by a North American release on April 8, 2009. It serves as the video game adaptation of the live-action film Dragonball Evolution and represents the third Dragon Ball game released on the PSP platform. The gameplay closely follows the structure established by Dimps in their earlier PSP titles, Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai and Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai - Another Road, using a similar side-perspective fighting system derived from the Budokai series.

The game is notable for being the first Dragon Ball video game to feature Bulma as a fully playable character. The roster includes eleven fighters, with Goku, Grandpa Gohan, Bulma, Yamcha, and Roshi available from the start. Chi-Chi, Fu-Lum, Mai, Neo Piccolo, Piccolo, and Oozaru must be unlocked during play. Battle stages number eleven in total, ranging from Gohan's House and the Desert to the Dragon Temple and Goku's Inner World, reflecting the film's settings and giving each fight a distinct visual backdrop.

Combat mechanics follow the Budokai template, emphasizing special attack inputs and character-specific abilities. Voice acting is provided by an English cast including Yuri Lowenthal as Goku, Kate Higgins as Bulma, Travis Willingham as Yamcha, Cam Clarke as King Piccolo, Erin Fitzgerald as Chi-Chi, and Tara Platt as Mai. The game attempts to capture the tone of the film while offering the arcade-style gameplay fans associated with the franchise at the time.

Dragonball Evolution: The Game follows the narrative arc of the live-action film it adapts, centering on a young Goku who must gather the seven Dragon Balls before the villain Piccolo can use them to bring catastrophe to Earth. The story draws from a reimagined version of the original Dragon Ball mythology, with characters like Bulma, Yamcha, Chi-Chi, and Master Roshi joining Goku on his journey across varied locations. The game translates these film settings into playable environments, ranging from familiar outdoor arenas like the Desert and Gohan's House to more dramatic backdrops such as the Toi San Temple and the Lava Lake.

Unlike the mainline Dragon Ball Z games of the same era, the game does not depict the established canon from the manga or anime. Instead it operates within the film's alternate continuity, which takes significant liberties with character relationships, power levels, and story beats. This gives the game a distinct identity within the broader catalog of Dragon Ball games, even if that identity was not well received by fans of the source material.

Critical reception for Dragonball Evolution: The Game was largely negative. IGN awarded it a 2.0 out of 10, with reviewer Chris Roper calling it disappointing given the general upward trajectory of Dragon Ball games at the time. GameSpot scored it 3.5 out of 10, and Gamezone gave it 2.7 out of 10. Review aggregators confirmed the poor standing: Game Rankings calculated an average of 37.3 percent based on 13 reviews, while Metacritic placed it at 28 percent from 16 reviews. Famitsu was comparatively generous with a score of 27 out of 40.

The game is remembered primarily as a companion piece to one of the most criticized entries in the Dragon Ball franchise's history. Its association with the live-action film, which was widely panned by fans, limited its appeal from the outset. Despite this, its distinction as the first Dragon Ball title to give Bulma a playable role is a factual footnote of interest to franchise historians.