Okay, now for what makes
Dragon Ball Z: Harukanaru Densetsu so different. When you play a
DBZ game, you typically, if not always, find yourself dealing with a Fighter, or at least an Action/RPG. Instead,
Harukanaru Densetsu is more of a CCG game that has you traveling across maps to run through the various story arcs of the series and movies.
So how does this map-based CCG game work exactly? The main goal of any map is to reach some key location and fight whoever the baddie is at the end of that level. You move around the board by selecting one of the cards in your hand. You move the number of spaces denoted in the Dragon Ball on the card (i.e. the Four-Star Ball moves you four spaces). Once you've finished your movement, you will be attacked (most of the time) by one of that location's enemies (dinosaurs, saibamen, etc.). If the defense number on the card you used to move is greater than the random enemy's attack number (Dragon Ball image), then you won't have to fight, but if not, then you enter into a match.
As far as CCG matches are concerned, they are pretty standard. You have cards that you play and compare their attack value to the attack value of your opponent's card. If you win, then the action on the card is carried out. These actions can be attack, counter-attack, power up, defense up, use an item, use a friend, and run away. These are pretty straightforward when you start playing the game. Attack actually deals damage to your enemy, and power up increases the attack value of all of the cards left in your hands. Defense up increases your hand's defense value. The counter card will swap your attack value with your opponents' and whoever has the highest battle (after the swap) attacks.
This game's CCG model is very simple: there isn't any summoning, tapping or complex math, just compare the values and perform the action. A match is over when one of the two characters has had all of their HP drained. This isn't a bad thing in my opinion. The simplified model makes the game more accessible to fans of the show who aren't necessarily familiar with this style, and the other half of the game, the map-traversing aspect, makes the overall feel of Harukanaru Densetsu easier to handle.
Like I said, not only do you get to face off against the baddies from the series like Cell, Buu and Frieza, but you also get to partake of events from the movies like Bardock, Cooler and Broly. For the most part, all of the events from the shows (again both TV series and films) play out pretty much the same way. There are only a few differences designed to help you level up and/or extend the gameplay some. But other than that, the plots and events are ported over well.
