Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is just around the corner, and Dragon Ball fans can't wait. The titular character, Kakarot, better known by most as Goku, is sure to bring in his full arsenal of techniques in order to protect Earth from various Dragon Ball Z villains. Many of these famous techniques have already been seen in trailers and promotional material for the game, but being an action RPG, it is likely fans will see some less well known moves as well. Below are some of Goku's abilities showcased already, as well as a few powers teased somewhat inconspicuously that have made their way into the game.
For those unaware, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is Bandai Namco's latest attempt at recreating the story of Dragon Ball Z. Although this has been done countless times before, Bandai Namco promises that this will be the most faithful recreation yet, and has decided to approach the story from a new angle by making it a single player action-adventure RPG rather than a fighting game like most Dragon Ball Z games in the past. Every playable character, include Goku, will likely have a plethora of melee combos, so for the sake of time, the biggest moves are the focus here. Players will likely be able to choose their own loadouts of these moves, but what options will be available to them?
Kamehameha Wave
Perhaps the most iconic move in the entirety of the Dragon Ball franchise, the Kamehameha Wave has been Goku's trademark attack since he learned it from Master Roshi back in the original Dragon Ball series. Although Goku is not the only one of the playable characters in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot to have access to this move, he is certainly the one that puts it to use the most. This move has been seen in numerous trailers, screenshots, and even gameplay footage, and will undoubtedly be available to players very early.
Super Saiyan
This also goes without saying, as the form has been featured in trailers already, but the Dragon Ball Z franchise would not be a Dragon Ball Z without the infamous Super Saiyan form. Although Super Saiyan 1 and 3 have made appearances, a Super Saiyan 2 Goku has yet to be seen. That said, it seems unlikely that the game will simply skip over this form for Goku, especially given that it is obviously being implemented for Gohan during the Cell saga.
Spirit Bomb
The Spirit Bomb is Goku's trump card, and he uses it as a last resort several times, culminating in the final blow on Kid Buu at the end of the Buu Saga. This technique allows Goku to gather the energy of all living things into one, concentrated ball of energy. This attack has proven to be one of, if not the, most powerful attack in Dragon Ball Z. Goku is seen changing Spirit Bomb against Vegeta and Kid Buu in trailers, and this screenshot of gameplay footage shows a version of the Spirit Bomb in Goku's moveset.
Dragon Hammer Strike
The screenshot shown prior to this one also reveals this move as part of Goku's arsenal. Although a lesser known move, the Dragon Hammer move has its roots in Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball Super. The move is a combination of 10x Kamehameha and Dragon Fist, both of which are moves from non-canon entries such as Dragon Ball GT. This brings about interesting questions regarding the use of non canon material in the game. It's possible that this move could be something completely unrelated to these other versions, but on the flip side, it opens up the door to a lot of possible content if the developers dig into things from GT or Super.
Instant Transmission
The instant Transmission technique allows Goku to effectively teleport anywhere so long as he can sense a ki signature there. Goku is also able to teleport anyone he is on physical contact with as well, and he uses this to his advantage many times. The people of Yardrat teach this technique to Goku after his narrow escape from the exploding planet Namek. So far, players have only seen instant Transmission used in cutscenes for Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, such as when Goku uses it to teleport a self-destructing Cell away from Earth, but it is possible that players will have access to this move outside of cutscenes. It could be an evasive move used during combat or perhaps used to justify a fast travel mechanic.
Solar Flare
Goku has also been known to be quick to learn others' moves as well; he even mastered the Kamehameha in just 50 seconds, a technique that took Master Roshi 50 years to perfect. With that in mind, The Solar Flare technique is used by many Dragon Ball characters, most notably Krillin. Trailers and promotional material have shown that numerous support characters are capable of using Solar Flare, but Goku has used the technique before in the anime. If Goku is capable of using Solar Flare in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, it will likely take the form of some kind of area of effect stun, and may prove very useful as a defensive option.
Scissors Paper Rock
This rather silly technique stems all the way back from the original Dragon Ball series. Depending on which of the three options Goku chooses, he performs a different attack. Scissors results in a swift poke to the eyes, paper sees Goku administer a quick chop, while rock treats the opponent with a devastating punch to the gut. The screenshot this move is seen in is Goku fighting Raditz, so this will likely be an early, relatively low power move, but a nod to dedicated fans. Also, it looks like there may actually be three separate moves, one for scissors, one for paper, and one for rock, which each must be assigned independently of each other.
These are but a few of Goku's most iconic techniques, those that have been seen in trailers or screenshots of Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, and there's likely more to be revealed. Fans should expect a ton of moves, popular and obscure, to choose from when customizing a move list, so this is likely just the tip of the iceberg. Only time will tell what exactly Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot has in store.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is set to release on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on January 17, 2020.
Source: Bandai Namco