Description
The Dragon Ball videogame series are based on the manga and anime series of the same name created by Akira Toriyama. The series follows the adventures of Goku as he trains in martial arts and explores the world in search of the seven wish-granting orbs known as the Dragon Balls. The games are of various genres, mostly role-playing, platform and fighting games, although the latter have become the most prominent.
Most of the games from the 16-bit and 32-bit eras were also localized and released in European countries like France, Spain and Portugal because of the strong following the series already had in those countries. Up until 1997's Dragon Ball GT: Final Bout, none of the Dragon Ball games were localized for the North American market, with the exception of Dragon Power which was graphically altered due to the lack of a license for the franchise.
With the release of their first two titles in the franchise, 2002's Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku and Dragon Ball Z: Budokai, Infogrames more than doubled their sales. In January 2004, Atari paid $10 million for the exclusive US rights until January 2010.