If someone collected every Dragon Ball game ever made and stacked the fighting games next to the non-fighting games, there wouldn’t be a contest. The fighting games would tower above them like Shenron. Dragon Ball games have hit almost every console since the days of the NES. In the early days, there weren’t many fighting games but now that is almost exclusively what fans get.
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The Best Dragon Ball Games Of All Time, Ranked
Not every Dragon Ball game lives up to fans’ expectations. These are the best games ever made starring Goku and the rest of the Z fighters.
While an endless amount of Dragon Ball fighting games isn’t a bad thing (as there have been a lot of great ones like Dragon Ball FighterZ). Not every video game player loves the fighting game genre, so here are some good recommendations for Dragon Ball games that extend past the common fighting genre.
These will all be ranked based on the quality of the game and the level of fan service within.
6
Dragon Ball Fusions
An Original Tactical Adventure to Combine the Powers of Iconic Characters
Dragon Ball Fusions
- Released
-
November 22, 2016
- ESRB
-
e
- How Long To Beat
-
20 Hours
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Fair
Fans enjoy playing games based on the Dragon Ball arcs that they are familiar with. It’s also nice to get something original sometimes like in Dragon Ball Fusions. Players can create their character in this game from a wide range of choices and adventures with familiar faces.
It’s a tactical RPG in which characters can move anywhere within a given movement ring. Combos can be dealt with if partners are next to each other, and there are many ways to fuse characters together, which is the big gimmick of the game. Sadly, it’s a bit hard to track down now since it was a late 3DS game that seemingly got passed up, but it’s worth the effort.
5
Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy Of Goku 2
Stop Cell And The Androids in a Classic Pixel Adventure
- Released
-
June 17, 2003
- Publisher(s)
-
Infogrames
, Atari - Multiplayer
-
Local Multiplayer
- Engine
-
game engine
- ESRB
-
e
- How Long To Beat
-
15 Hours
Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku 2 is the best ranked, in terms of reviews, of this trilogy on the GBA. This entry in particular is a top-down action RPG that begins with Trunks and goes all the way through the Android and Cell sagas. Other characters become playable as the game progresses including Gohan, Piccolo, and Vegeta just to name a few.
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Characters can physically attack enemies or use skills acquired through leveling up. One of the coolest parts of the game is the world map which lets characters fly around. There’s an interesting fact about the release of this GBA trilogy too as Japan only got Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku 2 after a new version was made. Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku and Dragon Ball Z: Buu’s Fury never made it over there which is odd considering how huge Dragon Ball is in Japan there.
4
Dragon Ball: Origins 2
A Top-Down Adventure That Takes Place Through Familiar Arcs
- Developer: Game Republic
- Publisher: Namco Bandai Games
- Released: June 22, 2010 (NA)
- Platform: DS
Dragon Ball: Origins was a DS game that began where the original anime kicked off with young Goku leaving his cozy home and going on an adventure. It goes through the Emperor Pilaf arc and while an impressive game on the DS, it had setbacks. Nearly everything was controlled using the touchscreen which made it a bit awkward for some.
That’s why many fans prefer the sequel, Dragon Ball: Origins 2, which gives players the option of touch controls or buttons. It continued where the last one left off and went into the Red Ribbon Army arc which is a highlight for the original Dragon Ball. Both games are worth checking out for those who like their top-down action-adventure games with 100% more Goku.
3
Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure
Goku’s Origins In 2D Form
Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure
- Released
-
June 6, 2006
- Multiplayer
-
Local Multiplayer
- Engine
-
game engine
- ESRB
-
e
- How Long To Beat
-
3 Hours
Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure is also based on the original Dragon Ball stories but this game is a 2D action platformer. It picks highlights from Goku’s many early adventures including tangoing with Yamcha, the Red Ribbon Army, taking down King Piccolo, and more. There are a lot of great things to highlight about this game but the pixel art is near the top.
These are some of the most expressive sprites on the GBA. It was handled by Dimps who also made a similar One Piece game and more notably the Sonic Advance series on the GBA. Besides the graphics, the world map is a highlight which is designed like Super Mario World. While Goku is the main attraction, players can unlock more playable characters too including the aforementioned Yamcha and Tien. It’s not just a good Dragon Ball game, it’s a top-tier GBA game.
2
Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans
Monolith Soft’s Hidden RPG
Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans
- Released
-
November 10, 2009
- Publisher(s)
-
Namco Bandai
- ESRB
-
e
- How Long To Beat
-
24 Hours
Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans is a traditional turn-based entry that does not feature cards. Characters can attack or use special abilities that fans will recognize from the anime like the all-too-powerful Kamehameha Wave. The majority of the game follows the Saiyan arc but there are some new plot devices formed for the game too. It starts before Raditz around the time skip in the original Dragon Ball comic which is a piece of lore not covered often in games.
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It looks great with the pixel art and it still plays great too which is not surprising since the developer was all-star get: Monolith Soft. They are best known for their various “Xeno” projects like the Xenosaga trilogy on the PS2 and the plethora of Xenoblade Chronicles games on the Switch. Monolith Soft and Dragon Ball fans will want to track this DS game down which may be hard to do now given its increased rarity.
1
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
The Ultimate RPG DreamZ
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot spans almost the entire series of the anime starting with Raditz and the other Saiyans showing up to Earth. It has massively open-world areas to explore and combat plays out kind of like the fighting games. Players can pummel their enemies or shoot blasts of Ki energy and other skills. It was developed by CyberConnect2 who proved themselves worthy of this beloved franchise with the various Naruto games over the years.
There was an enhanced version released later for consoles like the Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S which added more content. Overall, this is the ultimate action RPG fans of Dragon Ball Z could ever want in one package. Now, if only CyberConnect2 would adapt all of Dragon Ball into one game with an adorable young Goku at the helm.
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