The Dragon Ball franchise is undoubtedly an influential one, defining the modern shonen genre and helping introduce anime to a bigger global audience. It's also made waves with video games, whether that's by establishing the arena fighter genre or attempts into other various genres.
Some of these undoubtedly stand head and shoulders above the rest. With Bandai Namco providing so many modern titles with surprisingly long-term updates, figuring out which is at the top isn't easy. I'm going to try anyway, so read along for my ranking of the best Dragon Ball games.
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3
While Dragon Ball has had many video games across multiple genres, most associate it with arena fighters. Having a camera behind you as you fly and battle opponents in huge areas encapsulates the franchise pretty well. The basis for that gameplay style, as well as the subgenre itself, all began with the Budokai Tenkaichi (Sparking! as it's called in Japan) series.
2007's Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 has long remained the shining example that many successors have failed to reach the beloved nature of. Between the 161-character roster, deep gameplay with numerous mechanics, and a litany of game modes and stages, there's a reason this has remained a fan-favorite almost twenty years later.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
One of the only follow-up arena fighter series to become more successful is the Xenoverse series. Although they look similar and feature a crazy amount of characters, gameplay is comparatively simplified and focuses on an RPG-like leveling system.
The casual nature is certainly an appealing element for players. Being able to create a custom hero (across multiple races) for the time-twisting story instead of another 1:1 retelling is also an enjoyable addition. If that's not enough, keep in mind that Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2 completely improves upon its predecessor and has received nearly ten years of updates and DLC.
Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero
14 years after the third Budokai Tenkaichi entry, a sequel finally came out with Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero. On top of the stunning visuals and characters from more recent works, it's impossible to ignore the massive 182 base game roster, which has grown to an even bigger 241 thanks to DLC.
There was common criticism regarding the simple story mode and the lack of certain early or deep-cut characters. Thankfully, this isn't the same game as when it launched. Updates adding new modes and DLC adding 59 more characters, along with stages and costumes, have solidified this as a proper follow-up.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
The joy of all the previous games we've gone over is having access to the absurd number of characters and transformations to play with. Each feels like a toy box for you and your friends to mess around in. What helps Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot stand out is its focus on retelling the story of the series in a single-player narrative.
Nearly every game on this list has a story mode that ranges from only covering major highlights to the smallest of fights, but none are as thorough and high-quality as this. Being able to complete side quests and minigame activities while exploring large hub areas make the Dragon Ball world come alive like never before.
Dragon Ball FighterZ
Zooming around at high speeds with the camera trailing after you is arguably the best representation of this famous series. When it comes to the best game though, it's hard not to go with a modern Arc System Works masterpiece, Dragon Ball FighterZ. Visuals that look like the manga come to life certainly go a long way. Thankfully, there is plenty more to chew on.
Frenetic 3v3 battles where every character can have an optimal role already make this stand out from other games where the canon strongest are also the meta. Further updates and mechanics have only rounded out this fighter to provide more options for serious players. No worries if you’re more of a casual player, since it’s easy to press some button to execute flashy referential moves.
These might be the best, but they're not the only Dragon Ball games out there. There's a MOBA, an asymmetrical action game, and mobile games that are still being supported with new content. If you’re looking for a game similar to Dragon Ball FighterZ, you might want to try out Arc System Work’s next game with Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls.
