Best Dragon Ball Games

With there being smartly over 9000 video video games in accordance with Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball manga and next anime, narrowing down the listing to the most productive titles of all time is some distance from a very easy feat. Admittedly, that is much less about being spoiled for selection and extra a case of there simply being a ton of mediocre Dragon Ball video games that hardly check out to stand proud of the group.

In 1986, Epoch revealed Dragon Ball: Dragon Daihikyō for the Tremendous Cassette Imaginative and prescient, marking the long-lasting collection’ first foray into gaming. Very similar to maximum of Dragon Ball‘s earliest titles, the shoot’em up – sure, shoot’em up – by no means made it out of Japan. Whilst the West wanted round some other decade to in reality catch Goku fever, in this day and age, a 12 months can slightly cross with no Saiyan-themed combating sport or RPG hitting cabinets.

With such a lot of initiatives related to the collection, what precisely are the highest Dragon Ball video games?

Up to date October 14, 2024 by way of Mark Sammut: It’s in the end right here. Dragon Ball: Sparking! 0 is out and making numerous noise, rightfully in order smartly. Whilst it will nonetheless be just a little untimely to claim a rating, Sparking! 0 is unquestionably just right sufficient to make the grade, and reasonably extremely as smartly.

30 Dragon Ball: The Breakers

First rate Concept, Underwhelming Execution

Dragon Ball: The Breakers merits some reward for taking the collection in a special route, isolating itself from the numerous, many DBZ combating video games. Then again, that doesn’t imply a lot when the overall product is normally underwhelming. Adopting the asymmetrical multiplayer components popularized by way of initiatives like Lifeless by way of Sunlight, The Breakers pits a gaggle of underpowered Survivors in opposition to a couple of of Dragon Ball‘s iconic villains, with all sides managed by way of gamers. The previous have to take a look at to seek out a couple of keys to protected their go out, even supposing they may be able to additionally take the fight to Mobile and corporate by way of discovering distinctive pieces or briefly reworking into superpowered heroes like Goku, Gohan, and many others.

The Breakers is on no account horrible, and it may be relaxing for a few play classes. Sadly, the gameplay loop does no longer have the complexity required to grant longevity to some of these titles, leading to an enjoy this is amusing in burst however unexciting to revisit. Depending fully on an lively group, the sport has struggled to stay alive in contemporary months; that stated, The Breakers is still attracting a small audience on Steam.

29 Dragon Ball Z: Combat Of Z

Staff-Targeted Gameplay Simply About Saves This One

Launched in 2014, Dragon Ball Z: Combat Of Z did not precisely obtain a status ovation. If truth be told, it is likely one of the franchise’s lowest-rated fashionable video games, with complaint being leveled at its by-the-numbers storyline and overly simplistic fight.

Whilst lower than a lot on consoles, Combat Of Z fares a lot better on Sony’s PS Vita. Together with the sport having a look tremendous and working reasonably easily, Combat of Z differentiates itself from different Dragon Ball video games by way of emphasizing team-building and co-op play. Even within the long single-player mode, the point of interest is extra on crafting a balanced staff somewhat than the fight. There are higher Dragon Ball video games at the PS3 and Xbox 360, however the similar can’t be stated for the PS Vita.

28 Dragon Ball Z: Assault Of The Saiyans

First rate Access-Stage Flip-Primarily based RPG

Nintendo’s hand-held methods appear to encourage Dragon Ball to take a look at one thing somewhat other, no less than for the franchise. Dragon Ball Z: Assault Of The Saiyans is a turn-based RPG with a restricted roster of characters and a few exploration. Because the marketing campaign does no longer merely soar from one battle to the following, it most effective covers a fragment of Dragon Ball Z‘s storyline, concluding with the Saiyan Saga.

Assault Of The Saiyans does little or no to split itself from different turn-based RPGs, however this can be a serviceable one that are supposed to please followers of the franchise and the style. Whilst by-product within the grand scheme of items, this Nintendo DS identify is reasonably distinctive within the Dragon Ball international.

27 Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo

Reliving Goku’s Formative Years

Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo turns out to had been wiped from life, slightly current as a footnote within the franchise’s gaming historical past. Together with being a Wii unique, it isn’t reasonably as just right because the Origins video games at the Nintendo DS, regardless of turning in a identical general enjoy. Nonetheless, Revenge of King Piccolo merits popularity for being a house console liberate that strikes clear of DBZ, as an alternative specializing in Akira Toriyama’s first few manga arcs and their anime adaptation. This easy ingenious resolution in an instant units the sport aside from just about each different post-2000s Dragon Ball liberate, justifying a advice within the procedure.

So, what does Revenge of King Piccolo play like? Neatly, it’s necessarily an easy beat ’em up with some lite platforming. For probably the most section, gamers will rush thru linear ranges whilst continuously preventing to bash out encounters with enemies. Despite the fact that easy, the fight is greater than flashy and fast moving sufficient to stay issues fascinating all the way through the reasonably quick marketing campaign. In the long run, Revenge of King Piccolo is only a center bundle that has not anything to provide non-fans however may hit the mark with diehards.

26 Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Combat

One thing A Bit Other

Like with any well-liked anime belongings, Dragon Ball has spawned quite a lot of cellular video games. The principle two are Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Combat and Dragon Ball Legends, either one of that have been round for a couple of years and have unique storylines. Trepidation against cellular titles is to be anticipated, in particular free-to-play ones, however those two titles are higher than reasonable.

Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Combat has reasonably a novel twist on gameplay. The anime sport comprises puzzle parts, forcing gamers to assume their manner thru battles. Dokkan Combat can not evaluate to the franchise’s highest Dragon Ball Z video games on consoles, then again, on the earth of cellular gaming, this can be a first rate access.

25 Dragon Ball Z: Buyuu Retsuden

Mega Power Selection To Tremendous Butoden

Whilst the SNES/Tremendous Famicom gained the Tremendous Butoden trilogy (no less than, in Japan and Europe), the Mega Power/Genesis needed to make do with Buyuu Retsuden, a combating sport that used to be minimize from in large part the similar fabric. In the case of high quality, this 1994 liberate used to be nearer to the unique Tremendous Butoden than its sequels, albeit with colourful visuals that helped the detailed personality fashions pop off the display screen.

Like such a lot of early combating video games that don’t seem to be the style’s heavyweights, Buyuu Retsuden may also be tough to revisit this present day, particularly for the reason that Eu model is rarer than the Jap one. Nonetheless, if any person is keen on the SNES trilogy, they will have to take a look at this selection as it’s like finding a fourth access. Whilst stiff and repetitive, the fight is most commonly effective, even though it’s let down by way of battles that incessantly overstay their welcome. The tale mode offers each and every personality a novel marketing campaign, which most commonly is composed of battles presented by way of textual content.

24 Dragon Ball Z: Tenkaichi Tag Staff

Tag Staff Addition Can’t Save A Drained System. Nonetheless, No longer Dangerous.

At the floor, Dragon Ball Z: Tenkaichi Tag Staff used to be simply some other 3-D area brawler that cycles thru the similar previous arcs whilst the use of a drained fight gadget that used to be in determined want of evolution, extra so than the advent of 2v2 battles may provide. Out of all of the Tenkaichi and Budokai Tenkaichi video games that had been launched over kind of a decade, Tenkaichi Tag Staff used to be probably the most forgettable and, arguably, the worst (no longer counting Final Tenkachi, which used to be one thing else fully); but, this 2010 liberate had one main factor in its desire: portability. Not like each different access, this identify used to be designed particularly for the PSP, and it used to be the franchise’s final effort for that console.

Whilst arguably no longer the highest DBZ sport on Sony’s hand-held gadget, Tenkaichi Tag Staff merits reward for impressively translating the house console entries’ gameplay for the PSP. In spite of having some distance fewer inputs to paintings with, Spike controlled to most commonly retain Budokai Tenkaichi‘s controls, leading to a spin-off that are supposed to scratch a fan’s itch to take this actual subseries at the move. Tenkaichi Tag Staff delivers high-octane and obtainable motion, in conjunction with excellent visuals for the tool.

That stated, the sport is reasonably by-the-numbers in maximum spaces. The Dragon Walker tale mode has a lovable overworld presentation, however it’s in a different way simply some other retread of the similar arcs that the franchise has been revisiting for many years. The secondary modes are principally time-wasters that may be amusing distractions, which is okay for a conveyable sport like this.

23 Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors

Stress-free Tale Mode

The Recreation Boy Advance has a shockingly just right choice of Dragon Ball video games, and so they duvet a large spectrum of genres. Supersonic Warriors exists to fill the console’s combating sport quota for the franchise, and whilst its mechanics are tough across the edges and don’t hang up in particular smartly, there may be nonetheless so much to like concerning the general bundle.

The tale mode is the principle reason why to revisit this mission for the reason that builders in point of fact went for broke to make this as relaxing of an enjoy as conceivable for followers. Together with chapters that apply DBZ‘s primary sagas, each and every playable personality has their very own what-if state of affairs, maximum of which can be numerous amusing to peer spread. Supersonic Warriors‘ gameplay could also be no longer horrible and does no longer detract an excessive amount of from the sport’s strengths.

22 Dragon Ball Legends

Decent Cell Possibility

In comparison to Dokkan Combat, Dragon Ball Legends supplies a cellular enjoy nearer to the franchise’s console releases, even supposing the app remains to be tailored for Android and iOS units. Boasting spectacular visuals for its platforms, Legends‘ fight blends combating mechanics with a card fight gadget, putting a middle-ground that succeeds in being obtainable, fast moving, and strangely strategic.

Bandai Namco’s mission has accumulated an outstanding quantity of content material over the previous few years, and its tale is more likely to hit house with followers of the manga and anime. The plot follows Shallot, a brand new Saiyan who suffers from reminiscence loss. As fight revolves round 3v3 battles, Dragon Ball Legends has an outstanding roster of playable characters which might be unlocked by means of a gacha gadget.

21 Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2

High quality Evolution Of Budokai System

Whilst the Raging Blast collection all the time felt like lesser variations of the cherished Budokai Tenkaichi, this does not essentially imply that they had been dangerous video games. If truth be told, Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2 is likely one of the extra underrated warring parties within the franchise. It even performs like a a lot more simplified model of Budokai Tenkaichi 3, which isn’t a nasty factor.

Not like many warring parties with huge rosters, this sport introduces no less than one distinctive method in step with personality, which makes them stand out a lot more. As an alternative of retelling the tale of the anime, the sport has “Galactic Missions”, which can be remoted fights that concentrate on a trail for characters from Goku to Tarble. It can be a lesser model of a couple of higher Dragon Ball video games, however it is nonetheless a amusing time.

20 Dragon Ball: Complex Journey

Easy However Amusing Journey

A shockingly formidable liberate, Dragon Ball: Complex Journey predominantly performs out as a side-scrolling beat ’em up, and this can be a effective sufficient addition to that style. The GBA isn’t precisely missing in those forms of titles, however Complex Journey is completed sufficient to warrant a advice to die-hard followers of the license and likewise individuals who simply need to play a reliable access on this class.

Then again, Complex Journey could also be a combating sport, and this mechanic is going past simply boss battles within the tale. Avid gamers can soar right into a separate mode and pit characters in opposition to each and every different, and the roster is relatively intensive bearing in mind it’s in large part in provider of a secondary choice. The marketing campaign makes a speciality of the unique Dragon Ball anime, which is all the time a refreshing trade of tempo from the DBZ-centric content material.

19 Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors 2

No longer Relatively Hyper Size, However Excellent Sufficient

Launched just a 12 months after its predecessor, Supersonic Warriors 2 is an abnormal beast since it’s each concurrently an growth and a step again. The unique sport options an ideal tale mode that highlights all of the playable characters in their very own questlines; conversely, the sequel makes use of a branching gadget that, whilst no longer dangerous, does no longer produce any place close to as many surprises. There are some what-if situations, however they aren’t reasonably as fascinating or prevalent as the former sport.

That stated, Supersonic Warriors 2 progressed the fundamental gameplay so much, to the purpose of turning into one of the crucial higher combating video games at the Nintendo DS. Like maximum sequels, the roster additionally gained consideration in the course of the addition of recent playable characters in conjunction with a spread of toughen figures. Tale-wise, Supersonic Warriors is the awesome enjoy, however its sequel is the easier general bundle.

18 Dragon Ball: Origins

A Correct Journey

Every other Nintendo DS sport, Dragon Ball: Origins shines a mild at the continuously lost sight of unique collection. Not like Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball focuses extra on journey and comedy, in particular all over its earliest chapters. Because of this, Origins is much less pushed by way of fight, even supposing there are nonetheless a lot of enemies to defeat and assaults to be informed.

Break up into episodes and that includes forged 3-D visuals for the DS, Origins performs reasonably smartly and springs full of endearing nods to Akira Toriyama’s belongings. The sequel could also be respectable, making the Origins collection a profitable pick out for any individual searching for Dragon Ball journey video games.

17 Dragon Ball Z: Burst Prohibit

Taste Over Substance, However The Former Is Spectacular

Dragon Ball Z: Burst Prohibit is the forgotten sport in an extended line of DBZ video games. Despite the fact that it used to be the primary DBZ identify for the Xbox 360 era and gained a ton of hype on the time, Burst Prohibit is not appeared again upon too fondly in this day and age.

Whilst there’s a reason why for that with its minuscule roster and the tale mode finishing on Mobile, that does not imply Burst Prohibit is with out benefit. The sport nonetheless appears stunning, with its in-engine cutscenes being particularly spectacular for 2008. Whilst the combating is stripped down automatically talking from the Budokai collection, it nonetheless performs smartly and is quicker than its predecessors.

16 Dragon Ball: Shin Budokai – Every other Highway

First rate Strive At A Transportable Budokai

Most of the people think that the Budokai line of Dragon Ball video games ended with Budokai 3, however that isn’t in truth right kind. There have been sequels at the PSP, one in every of which is the underrated Dragon Ball: Shin Budokai – Every other Highway.

In spite of being at the weaker PSP, the gameplay is completely similar to the PS2 vintage or even makes some enhancements to the components. Every other Highway gets rid of the Dragon Rush gadget from Budokai 3 and likewise executes Ultimates a lot better, so the combating is not hampered by way of the wish to seem cinematic. Whilst the tale is not the highest in a Dragon Ball sport, Every other Highway will get credit score for having other paths relying on if fights are gained or misplaced and for having an unique tale of Long run Trunks coping with Majin Buu in his timeline.

15 Dragon Ball Z: Excessive Butoden

A Very Excellent 3DS Combating Recreation

Some of the extra forgotten Dragon Ball video games, Excessive Butoden is with ease a number of the franchise’s highest hand-held combating choices, which will have to hardly ever be sudden bearing in mind Arc Machine Works contributed to its building. That specialize in 3v3 fights, the gameplay is clean, fulfilling, and reasonably deep, no less than by way of the not-so-great requirements set by way of different DBZ video games.

The sport even shines within the content material division, even supposing that may no longer appear to be the case to start with. To start with, gamers will principally simply have get admission to to Z Tale, a style break up into other groups and most commonly is going in the course of the anime’s primary arcs by way of specializing in a handful of fights. Then again, as soon as this is carried out, Journey Mode turns into to be had, and this tells a brand new and amusing tale.

Excessive Butoden isn’t a masterpiece but it surely is without doubt one of the higher combating video games at the 3DS.

14 Dragon Ball Fusions

Flip-Primarily based Combat Machine Overstays Its Welcome, However Fusing Characters By no means Will get Outdated

The concept that of Fusion in Dragon Ball is very talked-about for one thing that used to be presented in this sort of divisive saga because the Buu arc. However no different sport targeted in this thought greater than the 3DS sport identified merely as Dragon Ball Fusions.

The idea of the sport is so easy that it is astonishing that it wasn’t carried out earlier than; what if anyone may fuse with any individual else within the Dragon Ball international? This sport solutions that query with superb effects as there may be fan provider in right here from best to backside. An enormous open international to discover, fulfilling RPG fight, and a bonkers tale? You’ll need not anything else from a hand-held DBZ sport.

13 Tremendous Dragon Ball Z

Nice Battle & Visuals, Mediocre The whole lot Else

Lengthy earlier than Arc Machine Works were given its palms on Akira Toriyama’s collection, Tremendous Dragon Ball Z took a stab at adapting this iconic license into a sound combating sport somewhat than an area brawler. With a curated roster of 18 characters and a fight gadget revolving round close-quarters mixtures, Tremendous Dragon Ball Z is a conventional fighter that prioritizes talent over taste.

In the case of fight, Tremendous Dragon Ball Z is deeper than lots of the franchise’s different choices, but it surely does fall quick on the subject of single-player content material and unlockables.

12 Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot

Stunning Visuals, Open-Global Strive, & First rate RPG Mechanics

Launched in January 2020, one would assume that DBZ video games have advised the principle tale sufficient occasions at this level that gamers can be bored stiff with it. However DBZ: Kakarot proves there may be nonetheless juice left within the fruit.

Kakarot is a single-player, story-driven RPG with fight very similar to the Xenoverse collection, albeit somewhat more practical. The presentation is the place Kakarot shines then again as it is the most productive illustration of the principle DBZ tale ever in a online game. The facet quests even have artful easter eggs for hardcore followers. It is not with out its faults, however Kakarot is a meaty sport price its weight for any fan of the franchise.

11 Tremendous Dragon Ball Heroes: Global Challenge

Addictive Deck Builder & Great Exchange Of Tempo

In Japan, Dragon Ball Heroes is a massively well-liked arcade buying and selling sport that debuted in 2010. Striking apart the occasional insane clip of a Super Saiyan 4 Gohan or Broly hitting YouTube, Western gamers needed to wait till 2019 to get a correct style of the spin-off collection.

Global Challenge takes position in a universe the place Dragon Ball exists as an anime that spawned a well-liked card sport. As soon as the digital and actual worlds start to collide, the protagonist should acquire playing cards in their favourite Z-fighters to fight a wild plethora of villains. The tale is tacky, the turn-based gameplay has intensity however could also be extremely repetitive, and there are masses upon masses of playing cards to assemble. The final section earns Global Challenge a place as one of the crucial highest Dragon Ball video games.