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Title : The Dragonball Final Bout
Frequently Asked Questions File
Filename : Dragonball_Final_Bout_FAQ.txt
Last Modified : August 21, 1997
Author : Sherwin "Wuken" Abesamis
E-mail : sabesami@ucla.edu
Channel : #db at anime.terratron.com
URL : Wuken's Dragonball Pages
http://wuken.tierranet.com/
Description : An information file containing answers to many
frequently asked questions about Dragonball
Final Bout.
Credits : Various issues of Shuukan Shounen Jump & V-Jump
for information on the moves and play mechanics
of the video game; Toriyama-sensei for the creation
of most of the characters in the game; the Lord for
continuously blessing me; my visitors for supporting
me in nearly everything I do. This FAQ is my way of
saying "thanks".
===================================================================
* What is Dragonball Final Bout? *
Dragonball Final Bout is the latest in a long line of Dragonball
video games dating back to the late 1980's. This particular game
is a cut-above the rest; it is a wonderful mix of tried-and-true
play mechanics and ground-breaking new technologies.
It was apparent that the producers and developers behind
Dragonball Final Bout were concerned with the presentation of their
latest work. They were dead-set on making Dragonball Final Bout a
game that would satisfy fans of the video game series, so they
circulated a questionnaire across Japan asking fans, "What would
make this new video game feel great?" The responses from this
questionnaire became the foundation of the gameplay behind Dragonball
Final Bout.
* How was Dragonball Final Bout made? *
Dragonball Final Bout is rendered completely in 3-D. The environments
and characters were first created using wire-mesh technology.
Texture-mapping and gouraud-shading were then added later to flesh
out the graphics and add visual depth. Because the game's environments
are essentially 3-D, a player can literally move his/her character
anywhere around the screen -- from right next to another character
on the ground to 50 "feet" up in the air. Anything is possible in
this game.
* What is Dragonball Final Bout basically like? *
Dragonball Final Bout is basically like the Super Butouden games, only
in 3-D.
* Is there a distinct sky-level and ground level, like that
in the Super Butouden games? *
Unlike in previous games, there is no _distinct_ separation of a "sky
level" and "ground level". The "sky level" in Dragonball Final
Bout is vast. A character can float five inches above the ground or
as high as 30 "feet" above its opponent. Remember, the environments
in Dragonball Final Bout are 3-D. They have a width, length, and
height factor to them -- you are allowed to be anywhere within these
limits (think of a particle moving around in a glass jar, and you'll
get the idea of what I mean -- the character is the particle, the
environment is the glass jar).
* What types of games are included in Dragonball Final Bout? *
There are four modes in Dragonball Final Bout. They are listed below.
The Taisen mode (Battle Mode) is a 1-2 player mode that pits
you against either the computer or a friend. The computer controlled
characters are chosen randomly. Defeating all of the characters in
the Taisen mode earns you an ending.
The Tenkaichi Budoukai mode is a no-holds barred tournament
supporting up to 8 players (2 simultaneously). The tournament itself
is set up in three tiers. Whoever wins advances one tier up and one step
closer to being the winner of the tournament. The battle grounds in which
to fight in can be chosen from a number of different fields (from the
Tenkaichi Budoukai tournament grounds to a number of outdoor settings,
such as grassy plains).
The Build Up Mode allows you to build up the skills and powers
of any character you choose. This Build Up Mode is unique in the
respect that, depending on one's style of play, the character will
grow in different ways. For example, if you fire off lots of energy
attacks, then the power of the energy attacks will rise. If you are
adept at guarding against attacks, then the endurance of your
character will increase. There are nearly countless ways to build up
your character in Dragonball Final Bout. Data from Ultimate Battle
22 (a previous Dragonball video game) can be directly imported into
Dragonball Final Bout. Characters used in the build-up mode can be
used in the Taisen and Tenkaichi Budoukai modes. This mode is for
1-2 players.
The Options mode allows you to configure the different variables
in the game, such as the length of the life bar and the power bar,
and whether the Meteo Smashes and Demonstration System will be enabled
during battle (see below for a description of all of these aspects).
* What can you tell me about the on-screen meters? *
During battle, you can see a set of gauges up for display.
The first gauge stands for "life", or, how much energy your
character has remaining. The gauge starts off yellow, and slowly
(or quickly) turns red the more damage is accumulated. When the gauge
turns completely red, your character is knocked out and loses the
match.
The second gauge stands for "power", or, how much ki your
character has available to perform special attacks. Ki blasts consume
a small bit of the power gauge; super attacks such as the Kamehameha
eat up a considerable portion of the power gauge. One can recharge the
power gauge by accumulating ki (see below). While one is accumulating
ki, however, he/she is vulnerable to attack, so use this technique
prudently and strategically.
* What can you tell me about the combo system? *
The combo system used in Dragonball Final Bout is similar to that
used in Street Fighter II by Capcom. What I mean by that is that you
must to work to get each hit (no chain combos a la Killer Instinct).
Hitting the wrong button at the wrong time will not make the combo
work. One must time the button presses so that the previous attack
is "cancelled" by the next. For example: Son Gokuh's Punch, Punch,
Gekiretsurenkyaku Combo:
Son Gokuh opens with a punch, which strikes the opponent (a
flash appears). The instant the punch strikes (or in other words,
when you see the hit flash), immmediately hit punch again to register
another hit. The instant this strike hits, execute the motions for
the Gekiretsurenkyaku special to trip the opponent with two kicks to
the stomach. This makes a total of four combined, CONTINUOUS hits,
which will knockdown the opponent.
If the combo one uses on an opponent is particularly fierce, it
might cause them to enter a "groggy" condition. In this state,
the opponent will be unable to defend himself. This is a perfect
opportunity to blast them with a Meteo Smash or super ki blast.
===================================================================
* What are the basic controls? *
Towards : Move towards one's opponent
Away : Move away from one's opponent
Down : Crouch
Up : Jump
Triangle : Fire ki blast (uses small portion of the power bar)
Square : Punch
Circle : Kick
X : Guard
* What are some of the advanced techniques? *
L1(or R1) + Up : Fly
L1(or R1) + Away : Dash away from opponent
L1(or R1) + Towards : Dash towards opponent
L1(or R1) + Down : Move towards the screen (you)
L1(or R1) + Circle : Move away from the screen (you)
Square + X : Accumulate ki (recharges power bar)
* What are Meteo Smashes and how do I do them?*
A Meteo Smash is a series of built-in, continuous attacks. These are
VERY devastating. Follow the directions below in order to execute a
Meteo Smash.
- Push directly towards your opponent while in close proximity
and tap the R2 button. A kick/punch will be thrown; if it hits,
the opponent will be thrown back.
- While your opponent is flying through the air, input the button
sequences for one of three meteo smashes (punch, kick, and ki
blast)
Punch Meteo : Square + Triangle
Kick Meteo : Circle + Triangle
Ki Blast Meteo : X + Triangle
* My opponent is charging up a super ki blast. How do I defend
myself against it?*
Dragonball Final Bout incorporates a battle system called the
"Demonstration System". This is a sort of "You attack, I react"
means of fighting. When your opponent initiates the motions for a
super ki blast at a respectable distance from the other, the game
will enter into an animation of your opponent charging up for the
super ki blast. As your opponent charges up, a small sign with the
words "COUNTER" (spelled out in katakana) will appear in the lower
left-hand corner of the screen. When this sign appears, immediately
input the buttons for the type of defense you would like to try
executing. Here are the four different ways to defend against
a super ki blast.
Hajiku: Literally means "to snap". Push circle and square together
and your character will bat the super ki blast away. This
will cost a small bit of life energy.
Kaki kesu: Literally, "to put out the fire". This creates a small
shield of ki around you that nullifies the super ki blast.
Push X and triangle together. You will lose no life
energy while performing this technique.
Guard: The easiest way of defending against a super ki blast. Simply
tap X. You will receive half-damage from the ki blast,
because you take it head-on.
Uchi Kaesu: Literally, "returning an attack". This is probably the
hardest one to pull off, and if you don't input the
command correctly, you stand to suffer full-damage from
the oncoming super ki blast. The reward in successfully
"returning an attack" is the chance to damage your
opponent in revenge! Hit the buttons circle, triangle,
and square all at the same time. If you are successful,
your character will fire a super ki blast of his own,
and a tug-of-war of sorts will ensue. Whoever taps the
triangle button the most during the tug-of-war will win,
and damage his opponent!
===================================================================
* Thanks for the lesson! Now, how about a move guide?*
Sure thing. Listed below are most, if not all, of the special
techniques for each of the 10 normal characters. I'm sorry, but I do
not have any information on how to execute the moves for the hidden
characters (see below).
The attack names will be given first, followed by the maximum
amount of damage each attack does, followed by the commands one must
input in order to execute the special attack. Attack names written in
hiragana and kanji will be given in Japanese; attack names written
in katakana will be translated into English.
=== Son Gokuh ===
Kamehameha (55) : Away, down, towards, triangle
Chou Kamehameha (105) : Down, away, towards, triangle
Ryuugekiken (135) : Down, towards, square
Gekiretsurenkyaku (115) : Away, down, towards, circle
Slash-Down Kick (25) : (in air) Towards, down, circle
Jumping Knee Lift (80) : Down, up, circle
Dash Elbow (20) : Towards, towards, square
Dash Sekkin (?) : R1, then L1 + towards
Renzoku Energy Dan (105) : Down, towards, triangle
Suggested combo:
-- Punch, Punch, Gekiretsurenkyaku
-- Dash Elbow, Dash Sekkin, Ryuugekiken, Renzoku Energy Dan
=== Super Vegeta ===
Big Bang Attack (55) : Away, down, towards, triangle
Final Flash (105) : Down, away, towards, triangle
Dash Elbow (30) : Towards, towards, square
Shougekiha (45) : Towards, away, down, up, triangle
Slash-Down Kick (20) : (in air) Towards, down, circle
Slash-Arrow Kick (65) : Down, up, circle
Vegeta Hammer (25) : Down, up, square
Wild Spin Kick (50) : Down, away, circle
Super Dash (85) : Down, towards, circle
Heel Shoot (65) : Towards, towards, circle
Renzoku Energy Dan (105) : Down, towards, triangle
Suggested combo:
-- Punch, Dash Elbow, Super Dash
-- Super Dash, Heel Shoot, Wild Spin Kick
=== Trunks ===
Burning Attack (50) : Away, down, towards, triangle
Finishing Buster (100) : Down, away, towards, triangle
Rushing Kick (130) : Towards, towards, circle
Sliding Kick (55) : Away, down, towards, circle
Down The Heel (66) : Down, away, circle
Brave Sabre (83) : Towards, away, towards, square
Lightning Show (50) : Away, away, circle
Kakukin Energy Dan (84) : Down, towards, triangle
Suggested combo:
-- Punch, Punch, Sliding Kick, Sliding Kick
=== Son Gohan ===
Masenkou (50) : Away, down, towards, triangle
Kamehameha (100) : Down, away, towards, triangle
Nice Rusher (65) : Towards, away, towards, circle
Zankoukyaku (35) : Down, up, circle
Bukuukyaku (320) : (in air) Towards, down, circle
Missile Kick (60) : (in air) Down, towards, circle
Jet Uppercut (40) : Down, towards, square
Renzoku Energy Dan (90) : Down, towards, triangle
Suggested combo:
-- Nice Rusher, Kick, Zankoukyaku
=== Piccolo ===
Makankousappou (45) : Away, down, towards, triangle
Gekiretsukoudan (95) : Down, away, towards, triangle
Sonic Kick (50) : Towards, away, towards, circle
Madankyaku (30) : Down, up, circle
Bukuukyaku (255) : (in air) Towards, down, circle
Zankuureppa (60) : Towards, towards, towards, circle
Mashoudankyaku (60) : Away, down, towards, circle
Mystic Attack (30) : Towards, towards, square
Renzoku Energy Dan (70) : Down, towards, triangle
Suggested combo:
-- Madankyaku, Sonic Kick, Zankuureppa
=== (Little) Gokuh ===
Kamehameha (50) : Away, down, towards, triangle
Chou Kamehameha (100) : Down, away, towards, triangle
Sliding Bomb (55) : Away, down, towards, square
Sanrenkyaku (100) : Towards, towards, towards, circle
Slash-Down Kick (35) : (in air) Towards, down, circle
Bakuretsu Combination (180) : Towards, down, away, square
Solid Shoot (20) : Down, towards, circle
Renzoku Energy Dan (90) : Down, towards, triangle
Suggested combo:
-- Punch, punch, kick, Sanrenkyaku
=== Freezer ===
Death Ball (45) : Away, down, towards, triangle
Evil Energy (95) : Down, away, towards, triangle
Super Tail Kick (60) : Away, down, towards, circle
Guillotine Kick Combination (80) : Towards, towards, circle
Jasenkou (70) : (in air) Towards, down, circle
Head Attack (70) : Away, away, towards, square
Dash Elbow (30) : Towards, towards, square
Freezer Beam (70) : Down, towards, triangle
Suggested combo:
-- Freezer Beam, Dash Elbow, Super Tail Kick
=== Pan ===
Atomic Side Blitz (45) : Away, down, towards, triangle
Twin Energy Ball (95) : Down, away, towards, triangle
Eagle Knee Lift (25) : Down, up, circle
Senbuu Heel Otoshi (30) : Down, towards, circle
Cutting Uppercut (60) : Towards, away, towards, square
Jack Force Combination (180) : Down, towards, square
Wild Whip Cycle (???) : Towards, away, down, up, square
Renzoku Energy Dan (60) : Down, towards, triangle
Suggested combo:
-- Punch, Punch, Eagle Knee Lift, Cutting Uppercut
=== Cell ===
Kamehameha (65) : Away, down, towards, triangle
Shougekiha (115) : Down, away, towards, triangle
Cell Combination (180) : Towards, up, towards, square
Rising Attack (105) : Down, up, square
Head Attack [beginning] (45) : Away, away, towards, square
Head Attack [additional] (45) : Towards, square
Ground Slider (80) : Down, towards, circle
Power Attack (45) : Down, towards, square
Renzoku Energy Dan (135) : Down, towards, triangle
Suggested combo:
-- Punch, Cell Combination, Ground Slider
=== Buu ===
Powerball (55) : Away, down, towards, triangle
Vice Shout (105) : Down, away, towards, triangle
Arm Ball (40) : Down, away, square
Ultimate Punch (35) : Away, down, towards, square
Spiral Kick (100) : Down, towards, circle
Buu Bomber (45) : Towards, away, down, up, triangle
Earth Shoot (75) : Away, down, circle, circle, circle
Expand Punch (35) : Towards, away, towards, square
Kakusanrenzoku Energy Dan (105) : Down, towards, triangle
Suggested combo:
-- Punch, Punch, Kick, Kick, Spiral Kick
===================================================================
* Are there any hidden characters in Dragonball Final Bout? *
Yes, there are. You can access six Super Saiyajin characters at
the very beginning of the game using the following code, inputted
at the title screen:
Right, left, down, up, right, left, down, up
This will give you the characters Super Saiyajin Trunks, Super
Saiyajin Seinen Trunks (from the future), Super Saiyajin Son Gokuh
(Z), Super Saiyajin Son Gokuh (GT), Super Saiyajin Chibi Son Gokuh
(GT), and Super Saiyajin Vegetto.
Super Saiyajin 4 Son Gokuh has been pictured in many screenshots,
but I do not know how to access him at this point. Super Baby is the
boss of the Taisen Mode -- you must defeat every character on the
character select screen in order to fight against him.
===================================================================
* I heard that Dragonball Final Bout is going to be
released in America. Is this true? *
Yes, that's correct. Dragonball Final Bout will be released in
America by November 1997, according to FUNimation Productions. The
changes to the game involve an alteration of the voice and
opening music.
===================================================================
* Where can I find more information concerning
Dragonball Final Bout?*
Glad you asked. I've written up several extensive articles on the game.
Please visit my news site located at http://wuken.tierranet.com/dbznews.html
if you would like to read said articles. I have also archived on my website
nearly 70 screenshots of Dragonball Final Bout, and currently have
the opening animation in MPEG format.
Another great website which I recommend for Dragonball Final
Bout information is Dragonball World, located at the address
http://www02.so-net.or.jp/~dbworld/ . hikage T. has done a marvelous
job of relaying Dragonball Final Bout news. Look for the news and
pictures in the Bird Watching section. You will need a program to
decode the Japanese encoding on the website.
Anime Playstation, located at http://www.aiai.com/~freddy/animepsx/ ,
is another fantastic site dedicated to Playstation imports. I've
always admired Freddy Chan's work; with regards to Dragonball Final
Bout, Anime Playstation has a fair amount of information and some
pictures of the game you won't find anywhere else.
If you can read Japanese, I recommend that you visit the Bandai
of Japan website. They have a section on Dragonball Final Bout located
at http://www.bandai.co.jp/multi/db.html . Most of the pictures found on
these pages have been used on other such prominent websites, like
Playstation Gamer.
Finally, visit PSX Power, located at http://www.psxpower.com/ , if
you would like more Quicktimes, screen shots, and the latest news on the
United States release of Dragonball Final Bout.
===================================================================
* One last question. Can you give me a quick summary of the game's
release dates, prices, and whatnot? *
Title : Dragonball Final Bout
Manufacturer : Bandai
System : Sony Playstation
Genre : 3-D Fighting
Price : 5800 yen
Release Date : August 21, 1997 (Japan)
By late November (America)
Copyrights : Shueisha, FUJI TV, TOEI Animation
===================================================================
* Questions / Comments *
If you have any comments or questions regarding any portion of this
FAQ, please contact me at sabesami@ucla.edu. If you feel you can
contribute something to make this FAQ better, again, please contact
me at sabesami@ucla.edu. Any contribution you make to the FAQ will
be recognized (in other words, I'll give you credit for it).
Enjoy the FAQ and Dragonball Final Bout.
===================================================================
* Copyright / Permissions *
Copyright (c) Sherwin "Wuken" Abesamis 1997. All rights reserved.
This FAQ may be printed out and used for your own pleasure (that
was the intention of writing the FAQ). This file may not be modified
in ANY way without my approval.
You may not publish this file in any sort of print format (magazines,
newspapers, fanzines, websites, etc.) without the prior, written,
and explicit consent of Sherwin "Wuken" Abesamis.