Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot: Complete Guide

A guide to Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot from the Saiyan Saga to the DAIMA DLC: how combat works, how to level efficiently, what Z Orbs, D Medals, Soul Emblems and cooking actually do, which side activities are worth your time, and how all the DLC fits together.

Researched September 2026 — current as of the HD update (July 2025) and the DAIMA – Adventure Through the Demon Realm Part 2 DLC (January 15, 2026). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Quick Start

1. It's an action RPG, not a fighter. You explore open zones, level up, do side quests, and fight in real-time 3D battles.
2. The story covers four sagas: Saiyan, Frieza, Cell and Buu. You'll switch between characters as the story requires.
3. Collect Z Orbs everywhere. They're floating orbs in the world and your main currency for the Super Attack Skill Tree.
4. D Medals unlock bigger skills. You get them from story battles, sub stories and training.
5. Do sub stories. They give XP, items, Soul Emblems and D Medals, and they're how you unlock community boosts.
6. Eat full-course meals. Having Chi-Chi or another cook make a full-course meal gives permanent stat increases.
7. Train at Training Grounds. Challenges give powerful upgrades and D Medals.
8. Instant victory: if you're much stronger than an overworld enemy, you win instantly. Use this to breeze through low-level fights.
9. Use your support fighters. Assist Super Attacks from allies are strong and free up your own ki.
10. Collect the Dragon Balls and summon Shenron from the Dragon Ball menu for wishes.

Story and Playable Characters

Base game playable characters: Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, Future Trunks, Gotenks and Vegito. Support characters include Krillin, Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, Android 18, Goten and Kid Trunks.

The story is split into episodes that follow the anime's sagas. Between story battles you're free to explore, fish, cook, fly, train and do side content.

Combat Basics

• Light attacks build combos; mix in ki blasts to pressure at range.
• Guard to reduce damage, and dodge/teleport out of big attacks.
• Ki fuels your Super Attacks. Charge it when you have space.
• Super Attacks are mapped to a quick-select menu; big signature moves come from the Super Attack Skill Tree.
• Z Combos are special combo finishers (an achievement tracks 10 of them).
• Transformations (for example Super Saiyan forms) boost power but cost ki to maintain, so watch your gauge.
• Support characters use their own abilities; calling in Super Attack Assists is free damage.
• Items (healing and boosts) can be used mid-fight. Stock up before bosses.

Boss tips

• Learn each boss's big telegraphed attacks and dodge rather than guard.
• Save your strongest Super Attacks for when the boss is staggered or in recovery.
• Use food buffs before tough fights.
• If a boss outlevels you, grind sub stories and training, and eat full-course meals.

Progression Systems

Z Orbs

Z Orbs are spent in the Super Attack Skill Tree to unlock and level up Super Attacks and masteries. Fly through clusters of them while travelling between objectives.

D Medals

• Earned from story battles, sub stories, Training Grounds and other activities.
• Required to unlock higher-tier Super Attacks and masteries.
• Achievements track collecting 10 and 100 D Medals.

Super Attack Skill Tree

• Each playable character has their own tree.
• Unlock moves and masteries with Z Orbs and D Medals.
• Prioritise: a strong, reliable Super Attack, then damage and defence masteries, then utility moves.

Soul Emblems and Community Boards

• Characters you meet give you Soul Emblems.
• Place Soul Emblems on Community Boards to earn passive bonuses (for example to combat, cooking or training).
• Emblems placed next to characters they have a good relationship with increase the board's level and bonus.
• Gift items to raise emblem levels.

Cooking

• Collect ingredients (meat, fish, vegetables, fruit and more) from the world, hunting and fishing.
• Cook simple meals at campsites for temporary boosts.
• Full-course meals (made by a cook, typically Chi-Chi) give permanent stat increases. Achievements exist for making 1 and 5 full-course meals. This is one of the best ways to scale your character.

Training

• Training Grounds have challenges for each character; completing them unlocks skill upgrades and D Medals ("Push It to the Limit" achievement for 10 challenges).
• Turtle School training challenges are reported to Master Roshi (achievements at 1, 20 and 50 challenges).

Machines and hovercars

• Collect parts to build machine parts with Bulma's help.
• Build a hovercar and the Bipedal Robo Walker (both achievements).

Z Encyclopedia

• Almost everything you find or fight is recorded; achievements trigger at 1, 200 and 400 entries.

King Kai messages

• King Kai sends telepathic hints and lore; receiving 20 of them is an achievement.

Dragon Balls

• Find the seven Dragon Balls and summon Shenron from the Dragon Ball menu for a wish. Achievements trigger for 1, 5 and 10 summons.

Leveling Efficiently

1. Main story first on each episode, then clean up sub stories in that area.
2. Collect Z Orbs constantly while travelling.
3. Eat full-course meals whenever you have the ingredients.
4. Do Training Grounds challenges as they unlock.
5. Use instant victory to skip trash fights once overleveled.
6. Level up Community Boards for passive combat and utility bonuses.

DLC Overview

The first three belong to Season Pass 1 and the next three to Season Pass 2. The two DAIMA parts are sold as a separate pack.

HD version

In July 2025 Kakarot received an HD version on Steam with improved environmental graphics and rendering. Owners of the game can play it for free. In January 2026 Bandai Namco announced the game had reached 10 million players.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Rushing the main story. Bosses scale; skipping sub stories and meals leaves you underleveled.
• Ignoring full-course meals. They're permanent stat boosts.
• Hoarding Z Orbs. Spend them in the skill tree; they're meant to be used.
• Neglecting Community Boards. Their passive bonuses add up.
• Guarding everything. Many big attacks are better dodged.
• Forgetting support Assists. They're free Super Attacks.

Advanced Tips

• Board placement: put emblems with good relationships next to each other to boost board levels.
• Buff stacking: combine a full-course meal's permanent boosts with campsite meal buffs before bosses.
• Farm Rainbow Z Orbs in later areas to accelerate the skill tree.
• Use instant victories to clear areas quickly when hunting collectibles.
• Save strong Super Attacks for boss stagger windows.
• DLC order: play A New Power Awakens after the Buu Saga; the DAIMA parts are best played after the main story.

FAQ

Is the HD version free? Yes. Owners of DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT on Steam can play the HD version (released July 2025) for free.

What's the newest DLC? DAIMA – Adventure Through the Demon Realm Part 2, released January 15, 2026.

Who are the playable characters? Base game: Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, Future Trunks, Gotenks and Vegito. DLC adds more story-specific characters.

What do full-course meals do? They give permanent stat increases. Make them whenever you can.

How do I get more D Medals? Story battles, sub stories and Training Grounds challenges.

What does instant victory mean? If you're far stronger than an overworld enemy group, you win without fighting.

Does the game include DBZ Super content? Yes, via the A New Power Awakens DLCs, which feature Beerus and later content.

Sources

• DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT on Steam
• DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT Steam news (HD version, DAIMA DLCs, 10 million)
• DAIMA – Adventure Through the Demon Realm Pack on Steam
• DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT Steam achievements
• Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot on Wikipedia