Kakarot is primarily an action RPG with fighting game elements.[2] The player can battle opponents and do activities like fishing, collecting Z orbs, eating, driving in a hover car, training, and putting characters in soul emblems.[3] The game’s plot follows the progression of the anime series, as the player interacts with the surrounding world as the different playable characters. Players can explore the world and complete side quests to progress the story. The game is broken up into four storylines: Saiyan Saga, the Namek Saga, continued with the Android Saga (where the player acquires their hover car), and the Buu Saga.

Bonus storylines can be purchased as downloadable content; including a retelling of the Battle of Gods and the Resurrection ‘F’ storylines seen in Dragon Ball Super[citation needed]. A DLC original storyline set after the events of Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks, featuring Future Trunks’ confrontation with Babidi to prevent Majin Buu’s awakening (a scenario previously seen in Dragon Ball Z Shin Budokai: Another Road’s story mode and briefly covered in Super), was released on June 11, 2021.

There are currently seven playable characters in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot that the player will guide throughout the story. These include Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, Future Trunks, Gotenks, and Vegito.[4] As the player progresses through the game, they will unlock new characters to play.