When Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot revealed it would be getting a free update, fans were beyond excited. The game had historically lacked much in the way of communication or post launch support from Bandai Namco Entertainment, so this was certainly a breath of fresh air. That excitement quickly turned to a mixture of disappointment and confusion when it was revealed that the majority of this free update would be the brand new Card Warriors game mode. Typically speaking, a new game mode would be cause for celebration among players of a game, but this was something altogether different. For many, it didn't seem to fit in with what was already in the game at all.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Card Warriors is accessed from the main menu, and seems to be mostly separate from the main game's experience. It has nothing to do with either of the two DLC packs that were released for the game, and it won't come into play in any way with the upcoming DLC 3. More cards may be released, but in terms of gameplay or story tie ins, there's nothing. The worst part about all of this is that Card Warriors is a fundamentally fun game, but it has suffered thanks to its connection to Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot.

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Card Warriors as a Card Game

DBZ: Kakarot card battle mode

At its core, Card Warriors is a trading card game set in the Dragon Ball universe. This isn't the first time that things like this have happened, with Dragon Ball Heroes and other card games coming to mind, but being completely digital certainly makes it more accessible. It is also completely free to play, with players not once being required to spend money unless they want to try and get more cards. The catch here is that it is only free to play for those that own Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, meaning anyone that's only interested in the card game can't take part without buying Kakarot as well.

The gameplay itself is very similar to other online card games, with a health and attack stat similar to YuGiOh and ramping energy akin to Elder Scrolls: Legends or Hearthstone. Players can build their deck with familiar characters and techniques, making use of the unique energy bank system and the SP deck to turn the tides of battle even when all hope seems lost. This creates thrilling and dynamic gameplay that is honestly very fun.

Card Warriors in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot

dragon ball card warriors details

Unfortunately for Card Warriors, it never really had a chance from the start. As soon as it was revealed as free content for Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, many disgruntled fans lamented that they wouldn't be receiving more content for the core game itself. There are a ton of highly requested features including level scaling, fusion, and free-roam transformations that players wanted to see, and a card game instead felt out of left field. If the goal was to present it to an already established audience, this backfired as well since all this ultimately accomplished was limiting its audience.

Then there's the issue of microtransactions. As a fully single player game, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot had the benefit of including next to nothing in terms of microtransactions. Players could spend some money to get a few extra recipes, items, and the Tao Pai Pai pillar, but beyond this the game was the same for all players that spent $60 on it. Enter Card Warriors, and players now fell as though they have to spend money if they want to stay competitive and keep up with others. This isn't a bad thing in and of itself, but sticks out like a sore thumb within the framework of Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot.

RELATED: Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot DLC 3's New Playable Character Has Big Implications

Card Warriors as a Mobile Game

Dragon Ball Card Warriors on phone

While playing Card Warriors, it's hard to shake the feeling that this really should have been a standalone mobile game. Much like the aforementioned Hearthstone and Elder Scrolls: Legends, it seems to fit much better on that platform. That isn't to say that it doesn't also work on console or PC (those games also have console and PC versions), but it needs to be a free to play standalone game to make sense with the model it uses.

If Card Warriors were a separate game from Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, only those players that are actually interested in it would download and play it. Fans of Kakarot wouldn't feel like they were cheated out of other content that could potentially have come to the game, and it may even feel more natural. Whether this is the case or not, it's difficult for Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot players to look at Card Warriors and not see a missed opportunity, and it is even harder to look past this and see the genuinely enjoyable card game that rests just beneath the surface.

The Future of Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot

The final nail in the coffin here is that Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot's future doesn't look very bright. While many are excited about DLC 3 bringing the story of Future Trunks to life, it has been confirmed that this will be the last DLC for Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. This means there won't be any more content adapting the events of Dragon Ball SuperDragon Ball: GT, or even the original Dragon Ball. It isn't entirely clear what this means for Card Warriors either, so fans are left to wonder if it will continue to receive new card packs and updates.

Even if Card Warriors is upkept, the fact that Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot won't be supported will make it that much easier to forget about. Card Warriors fanatics will need to hang onto their Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot discs (or digital downloads) purely for the sake of playing Card Warriors long after Kakarot itself has been mostly forgotten. It's entirely possible that Card Warriors' future will be much brighter than described here, but it doesn't seem likely given how things have progressed since it was first revealed. Perhaps Bandai Namco will eventually release a standalone version of Card Warriors.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

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