Instead, it features "Dragon Walker" mode—a board-game style progression system where you move a capsule around a grid. Landing on a space triggers a fight that vaguely follows the anime’s plot (Raditz -> Saiyans -> Frieza -> Cell -> Buu). The narrative is told through static text boxes and pre-fight dialogue screens.
The game boasts a massive roster of over 70 characters, covering the entirety of the Dragon Ball Z era from the Saiyan Saga to the Majin Buu Saga. Each character features multiple transformations, allowing players to power up mid-battle to turn the tide. Dragon Walker Mode
While previous PSP titles like Shin Budokai focused on 2D-plane fighting, Tenkaichi Tag Team successfully shrunk the massive 3D arenas of the console versions into the palm of your hand. The game utilizes the "Behind-the-Back" camera perspective, allowing players to soar through destructible environments, dash behind opponents, and unleash cinematic Ultimate Attacks.
For a game running on Sony’s petite handheld, Tenkaichi Tag Team is a technical marvel. The cel-shaded character models are crisp, colorful, and animate smoothly, closely resembling the PS2 Tenkaichi games. The arenas—from the rocky plains of Namek to the World Tournament stage—are destructible and surprisingly large. The game manages to maintain a stable frame rate most of the time, though Ki blast spam or multiple transformations can cause noticeable slowdown. The loading times are respectable, and the iconic soundtrack (courtesy of the anime’s original composer, Shunsuke Kikuchi) adds the right level of nostalgia.