Best Dragon Ball Games That Lived Up To The Hype

For close to four decades, Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball has held a significant place in pop culture, and Goku has graced our screens almost as long, starring in games that mirror his TV appearances. Even during the 20-year hiatus of new manga and anime content, Bandai kept up the tradition of releasing Dragon Ball Z games at nearly an annual pace, ensuring Saiyan-themed escapades were never far off. Although the franchise’s overall quality has been average at best, there’s something about it that keeps fans engaged. On a personal note, I’m always eager to dive into a new Dragon Ball endeavor.

Over time, many Dragon Ball video games have struggled to meet the high anticipation surrounding them. While I found moments of fun within these games, titles like Battle of Z, DBZ for Kinect, The Breakers, Ultimate Tenkaichi, and Extreme Butōden failed to reach even modest standards. The frequent releases often make new projects seem like repeats of past triumphs, even if the games excel in certain aspects (such as Raging Blast 2’s gameplay). Yet, occasionally, expectations merge with quality to produce exceptional Dragon Ball games.

Here are some criteria:

6. Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero

The Gameplay Is About As Good As Ever, But The Return To Budokai Tenkaichi Is Flawed

Unquestionably, “Sparking! Zero” is the most eagerly anticipated Dragon Ball game in history. Known as “Budokai Tenkaichi 4“, this highly-anticipated spiritual successor/sequel has been on fans’ wish lists since the PS2 era. Featuring the best graphics in the franchise, “Sparking! Zero” was expected to debut with an impressive roster of over 170 characters. Additionally, Spike Chunsoft announced the addition of custom What If events, essentially giving players the power to create their own narratives. The excitement surrounding this game was so immense that “Sparking! Zero” would need to be almost flawless to live up to fans’ expectations and cement its place as the best Dragon Ball game ever made.

After the initial excitement wore off, some flaws in Sparking! Zero began to surface more clearly. The highly anticipated custom scenarios feature turned out to be rather superficial, and the single-player content was mostly brief episodes rehashing old story arcs that had been handled more effectively elsewhere. The game included a few built-in What If scenarios, but their quality varied significantly. Sparking! Zero maintains an active online community, but to compete effectively, you need to invest a significant amount of time.

Without a doubt, it’s evident that Sparking! Zero isn’t flawless, but it excels in several key aspects, particularly in the realm of 3D arena fighters. Spike Chunsoft has essentially crafted one of the most seamless and enjoyable gameplays, surpassing even the acclaimed Dragon Ball series. Admittedly, the AI could use some fine-tuning for better balance, but the combat itself is top-notch. The visuals are stunningly beautiful, and at launch, the roster was comprehensive; since then, it has only become more impressive. Despite not fully meeting the hype, Sparking! Zero’s quality is evident, even if there were areas that could have been improved or needed more development time.

5. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot

We Are Son Goku

Following the release of three Dragon Ball Z games – Xenoverse, FighterZ, and Kakarot – it was crucial for the latter to offer a unique experience. To achieve this, Bandai Namco enlisted CyberConnect2, renowned for their exceptional work on the Naruto series, as developers. Moreover, Kakarot ventured into open-world RPG territory, aiming to deliver one of the most comprehensive and immersive retellings of Dragon Ball Z’s arcs. Lastly, a live-action “We Are Son Goku” commercial was unveiled.

This advertisement certainly whipped up quite a frenzy. To be honest, I wasn’t thrilled about another Dragon Ball Z game focusing on 3D arena combat and rehashing the main arcs; yet, this video tapped right into my nostalgia and emotions. Indeed, we all can channel our inner Son Goku. Fortunately, Kakarot turned out to be quite good, offering a story-driven alternative to FighterZ’s action-packed multiplayer focus. The open world may have been somewhat sparse, but it was enjoyable to explore and just about managed to satisfy that nostalgic craving. The RPG aspects were reasonable, as was the combat. Combat-wise, it resembled a simplified version of Xenoverse 2’s system, although with more emphasis on spectacle – which fit the game nicely.

4. Dragon Ball: Xenoverse (And The Superior Sequel)

Create Your Own Dragon Ball Hero And Leave Your Mark On History

Following Budokai Tenkaichi 3, Dragon Ball games seemed to take a nosedive. Although they managed to churn out some respectable projects in the subsequent years, Bandai Namco failed to identify a spin-off series suitable for defining this new phase. However, with Dragon Ball Super reviving the anime, it was crucial to capitalize on the momentum and create a game that lived up to the Dragon Ball reputation. Xenoverse turned out to be that ambitious project.

Following a series of rather dismal Dragon Ball (DB) games, Xenoverse felt like a welcome change of pace, with its standout features including the customizable playable character option and the addition of new(ish) antagonists that propelled an engaging narrative. It was crucial for Dragon Ball to see Xenoverse succeed, and it generally met those expectations. In 2015, the prospect of choosing a race, designing a unique character, and progressively boosting their power level was exhilarating; it was also innovative for a console game release. The roster brought back memories of the Budokai Tenkaichi era, and the combat was both flashy and user-friendly.

The original Xenoverse had potential that wasn’t fully realized because a sequel, Xenoverse 2, was released just a year later. This newer version essentially made its predecessor outdated, and there’s no point in choosing the earlier game now since the sequel is still available. Bandai even added new content to the sequel with the release of Daima DLC in 2025. Overall, the Xenoverse series was successful.

3. Dragon Ball Fusions

Not Faultless, But Fusions Delivered Exactly What Its Title Promised

People seem to adore the numerous creative fan-made fusions in the Dragon Ball series, so it was inevitable that Bandai Namco would capitalize on this aspect of the fanbase. The result was Dragon Ball Fusions, a game exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS instead of being released across multiple platforms. This decision worked well for the handheld system as it avoided direct competition with Xenoverse 2, another game launched in the same year.

The game titled “Fusions” is a turn-based JRPG featuring extended battles that, truthfully, can become tiresome following several hours of gameplay. Boasting an original narrative with a time-travel theme reminiscent of “Xenoverse,” the story is fairly engaging by Dragon Ball game standards, though it does grow repetitive over time.

Essentially, what truly mattered was not any of the preceding points. Instead, the excitement surrounding Dragon Ball Fusions hinged entirely on the prospect of combining numerous characters to craft combos previously confined to fan-made stories. In this aspect, the game excelled significantly by offering an extensive collection of hilarious and impressive fusions that are as engrossing to uncover as collecting Pokemon is to catch.

2. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3

This One Is Personal

In 2007, I can’t say for certain how eager fans were to play Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3. Given the reputation of this subseries and the game’s current iconic status, it’s likely that many were chomping at the bit to get their hands on this sequel. However, I must emphasize that this is somewhat speculative. As a die-hard fan of Budokai and Budokai Tenkaichi, though, there was no other game from 2007 that I yearned for more. With releases like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, BioShock, Super Mario Galaxy, Mass Effect, God of War 2, Manhunt 2, Halo 3 all coming out in the same year, Budokai Tenkaichi 3 still stood head and shoulders above the rest.

Despite more than two decades having passed since its release and numerous subsequent projects boasting exceptional combat, graphics, stories, and so on, many fans still regard Budokai Tenkaichi 3 as the benchmark. This is partly due to nostalgia, but Spike Chunsoft managed to create an ultimate tribute to Dragon Ball that came loaded with content that could keep players engrossed for months or even years upon release. BT3 stands out as the finest celebration of Dragon Ball ever produced, representing the culmination of years of dedicated work. Although it may appear dated today, this is part of its endearing charm.

1. Dragon Ball FighterZ

Finally, Dragon Ball Becomes Competitive

In the realm of licenses renowned for combat, Dragon Ball had never made a mark in the competitive gaming scene. Super Dragon Ball Z came close to breaking that barrier, but it remained relatively unknown and failed to create much buzz. However, all that changed with the unveiling of Dragon Ball FighterZ, a 2D fighter developed by Arc System Works – a studio recognized for their exceptional anime fighting games. The trailers were captivating, the graphics appeared as if they had been lifted straight from the anime but with enhanced quality, the developer boasted an impeccable reputation, and the compact roster showed signs of careful balance. Dragon Ball FighterZ seemed almost too perfect to be real.

After its release, most concerns were laid to rest. Despite the game’s fun but somewhat repetitive single-player campaigns, FighterZ combined depth, ease of use, style, and skill almost flawlessly. It offered an experience that was appealing to both beginners seeking a casual fighter and veterans eager for a fresh PvP challenge. In fact, it might be said that FighterZ not only met expectations but exceeded them, as Arc is recognized for developing complex combat systems requiring extensive mastery. However, this 2018 gem bucked the trend, making Arc System Works accessible to a broad audience.

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2025-07-30 02:37