As Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot continues to add more content, fans can't help but look ahead and think about how Ultra Instinct would work in the game. Recapturing the wonder fans felt when Goku first turned Super Saiyan, Ultra Instinct is an incredible transformation that is unique in its own right, so it's no surprise that fans want to see it added. Not only this, but other games have already included the iconic form as a playable character, so it seems like only a matter of time before Kakarot does as well. Despite all this, there's something to be said for how this would affect the integrity of the form.
For those that haven't kept up with Dragon Ball Super, Goku's latest and greatest transformation is Ultra Instinct, fully known as Mastered Autonomous Ultra Instinct. In terms of lore, this form is typically restricted only to angels, though a few Gods of Destruction have managed to learn the technique. It's alluded that Beerus is one of those Gods that have mastered the form, but this isn't certain yet. For this reason, it was a complete surprise to even all the gods present when Goku managed to tap into Ultra Instinct's power, and now Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot fans are curious to see the form make a debut in the game.
Dragon Ball Z - What is Ultra Instinct?
As the name implies, Ultra Instinct is the result of a fighter completely letting go of all thoughts and letting their instincts take over. It's hinted at early on during Goku and Vegeta's training with Whis, where the angel tells them both that they are being held back because they think too much during battle. To master Ultra Instinct is to move without thinking and faster than the speed of thought. This level of calm and focus also provides a large power boost to the warrior.
This isn't a Super Saiyan form or even the Ultimate form that Gohan uses but something else entirely. When mastered, Goku's hair takes on a silvery sheen and his demeanor changes to one that is wholly serious and determined. To give an idea of just how powerful this form is, Goku was losing to his opponent, Jiren, despite using the Super Saiyan Blue form and Kaioken simultaneously. After unlocking Ultra Instinct, Jiren was forced to power up to contend with the Saiyan and still couldn't manage to win. As with all things though, there's a drawback, as using the form drains the fighter's stamina heavily.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot - Playable Ultra Instinct Doesn't Make Sense
This works great and is portrayed in a really cool way in both the anime and manga, but doing this is a lot harder in a video game. The biggest issue with making Ultra Instinct playable is that it completely contradicts what the form is all about. In order to use Ultra Instinct, Goku has to let go of all his thoughts, stop thinking during battle, and let his body move for him, so how can players emulate this?
By the very nature of being human, players will make mistakes, need time to think about their actions, and even have the potential to goof off while in this otherwise serious form. Aside from letting the AI take over and act perfectly whenever this form is used, there's no perfect way to accurately represent what this form is capable of. In order to truly play Ultra Instinct Goku, players would have to have Ultra Instinct themselves. That said, there are a few ways that Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot could emulate Ultra Instinct.
Dragon Ball Z Games With Ultra Instinct
The first place to start looking when adapting the Ultra Instinct form into Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is other games, as there have already been a few developers that have tackled this issue. One example of this is Dragon Ball FighterZ, which recently added Ultra Instinct Goku as a playable character. Since this is a fighting game where all characters are meant to be balanced, Ultra Instinct Goku is still fully capable of getting obliterated by the likes of Krillin or Yamcha, so even this isn't a truly accurate representation. To showcase Goku's quick reactions, players can use counters and other abilities to get a leg up on the opponent.
The other title where fans will find Ultra Instinct Goku as a playable character is Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2. Though they have their differences, this Xenoverse is more akin to Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot and is a better place to make comparisons. In Xenoverse 2, Ultra Instinct Goku automatically dodges any attacks that would hit him at the cost of stamina. What's more, he takes additional damage when his opponent does manage to hit him, but is capable of dealing out massive amounts of damage through physical attacks and Ki supers.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot - How Ultra Instinct Could Work
Outside of these two examples, there's also a hint of Ultra Instinct that can already be found within Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. During training with Whis in the first DLC, the angel will occasionally start to glow and stand perfectly still. Any and all attacks made against him while in this form will be dodged automatically, as Whis teleports out of the way of anything players can throw at him. This could be the basis of Ultra Instinct, and could be how it works in the game as well.
As a drawback and to further set this form apart from Super Saiyan Blue, it should drain the player's health just like the Kaioken form. In this way, using the form would be risky because players will be rapidly losing health, but it should protect them from incoming damage much like Xenoverse 2 or Whis' ability. When dealing damage, it should be even more powerful than Super Saiyan Blue to compensate for the drawback of constant health drain, and it would make sense to not include an "Auto Ultra Instinct" know-how skill. Whether Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot adds Ultra Instinct or not, it should focus on making the transformation feel as powerful as the anime and manga do.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.