Play Dragon Ball - Shen Long no Nazo Online

Dragon Ball: Shen Long no Nazo came out for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986, developed and published by Bandai. It was one of the earliest console games based on the Dragon Ball series, arriving at a time when licensed games were often simple action platformers. The game covers the first major story arc from the manga, following Goku's journey to collect the seven Dragon Balls.

You control Goku as he moves screen by screen, punching through waves of enemies like Red Ribbon soldiers and wild animals. Your main goal is to gather all seven Dragon Balls by defeating bosses and exploring different regions, such as forests and military bases. Signature mechanics include charging your Kamehameha by holding the attack button and gradually increasing your power level as you defeat enemies. The pacing is slow, and the difficulty can feel unforgiving due to limited continues and stiff controls. It feels like a rough but earnest attempt to translate an adventure manga into an interactive experience.