With the highly anticipated release of Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero coming in October, excitement for new games featuring Goku as the central protagonist is heating up. Dragon Ball, created by Akira Toriyama, boasts a diverse range of games. From intense battles against foes to immersive online world explorations, the franchise has a well-respected catalog of titles.
The Dragon Ball series is renowned for its extensive array of games that capture the essence of epic battles and character adventures. Over the years, the franchise has evolved and diversified, offering fans a variety of thrilling virtual experiences.
Riding this wave of excitement, we’ve put together a list of the best Dragon Ball games, showcasing the most significant titles throughout the history of the franchise. This selection highlights the most beloved and notable games, celebrating the enduring legacy of the series. Here are the five best Dragon Ball games of all time.
5. DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 2
Have you ever imagined being in the midst of Dragon Ball’s thrilling battles? With DRAGON BALL: XENOVERSE 2, this dream becomes a reality. In this game, you have the chance to intervene in crucial events of the Z Warriors saga, influencing the outcome of battles and assisting Goku and his friends.
The experience is enriched with a high degree of customization on your created character, allowing you to encounter iconic characters like Vegeta and become a master of martial arts. Your goal is to evolve into the strongest warrior and support the Time Patrol. Participate in epic combats against Frieza, witness Vegeta’s sacrifice against Majin Buu, and relive unforgettable moments from Dragon Ball Z while facing legendary villains.
Last May, content titled Chapter 1: Future Saga was released, which included new extra missions, side missions and new characters from the Super Saga such as Android 18, Videl, Vegeta (Super Saiyan God) Ultra Supervillain, Goku Black (Super Saiyan Rose) Ultra Supervillain and Broly (Resconed).
4. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3
Some enthusiasts believe that the Budokai series represents the best adaptation of Dragon Ball Z battles for video games. With an impressive character selection, Budokai Tenkaichi stands out by offering 98 different versions of the Z Warriors for combat. For avid fans who wish to explore all options, Budokai Tenkaichi 3 is a true gem.
Budokai Tenkaichi 3 takes Dragon Ball Z fighting games to the next level with intense, dynamic combat in fully destructible environments. With fluid gameplay that allows for aerial and ground combat, you can unleash devastating combos and unleash iconic special attacks, such as the Kamehameha or Genki Dama, while on the move.
In addition, the game impresses by offering more strategic action, where the timing of defense and counterattack can completely change the course of a battle. And with the transformations that occur during the fight, each fight becomes even more exciting and unpredictable.
3. Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai – Another Road
Dragon Ball also conquered the PlayStation Portable console, with a game that deserves more attention. Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai 2 may not be widely known, but it offers challenging gameplay for its time and a rather interesting game mode.
The game features a story mode with a new and exciting arc, especially for fans of Future Trunks and his alternate version of the Dragon Ball universe. In this parallel reality, Majin Buu is freed after the Z Warriors are defeated, and only Trunks remains to defend Earth. Although this idea was later explored in Dragon Ball Super, Shin Budokai had already introduced this innovative plot before.
2. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot stands out as the definitive RPG experience of the franchise, offering not only a story mode familiar to all fans but also allowing a deeper and more personal exploration of the Dragon Ball universe.
Character progression is centered around earning experience points through battles and missions, allowing players to level up, unlock new skills, and customize the combat style of Goku and other characters. The skill tree and equipment system provide a sense of continuous evolution, while side quests and interactions with masters provide additional opportunities for development.
In addition, the sense of progression is reinforced by visual and audio feedback, with new animations and special effects that highlight the characters’ increasing strength. The game challenges players with stronger enemies as they progress, and exploring the vast open world reveals secrets and items that help deepen the experience.
The game combines elements from the XENOVERSE titles and the Budokai Tenkaichi series, providing gameplay that places fighters in vast 3D scenarios. Combat focuses on fluid movement and executing quick combos when the distance between opponents is reduced.
1. Dragon Ball FighterZ
When discussing definitive fighting game experiences for Dragon Ball, it’s impossible not to highlight Dragon Ball FighterZ at the top of the list. However, there’s a small caveat: the story mode isn’t its strong point, with the plot involving Android 21 not being particularly memorable, and sometimes rather dull.
The real highlight is the gameplay in every other facet, which is extremely faithful to the series’ characters. The animated graphics are stunning and, combined with the high octane move sets, make Dragon Ball FighterZ the best Dragon Ball game ever created. With notable additions like Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta and an extremely powerful version of Ultra Instinct Goku, the game offers long-lasting appeal, especially in the competitive fighting game scene.
