The world of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball Z comes to the Nintendo DS portable system in role-playing format with Attack of the Saiyans.
Those who are not familiar with Dragon Ball Z might find the storyline a little hard to follow since it assumes you've watched the series and can fill in the blanks yourself. But for those who know the anime, this game follows the storyline of the original series from the late 80s to the mid-90s and not the re-mastered writer's version Dragon Ball Kai currently airing on Fuji TV in Japan.
The game play is simple and easy to digest so that any newcomer to the RPG genre will be able to pick up the mechanics quickly. It features a three-character party system (similar to the Breath of Fire RPG series) in which players can form their DBZ dream team from a roster that includes Goku, Krillin, Yamcha, Gohan, Piccolo and Tien.
Like most RPGs, during battles you have a choice of performing a basic attack - using an item or blasting the enemy with a ki move such as the Kamehama Wave or the Piccolo Beam Cannon. A 'Rage Gauge' enables you to unleash spectacular team combo attacks that inflict massive damage on your enemies.
There are plenty of save points throughout the game that replenish your health and revive dead characters. But, if you are not within reach of a save point, there are health and ki items you can buy or pick up after battles.
The management of equipment and accessories is simple with just two accessory slots for ability and changing stats.