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Video games inspired by the legendary Dragon Ball franchise by Akira Toriyama have been released since 1986. In America, that legacy began in 1988 with Dragon Power, a game starring Goku during the first two volumes of the manga. Since then, there has been much debate amongst fans as to which of these games is considered to be the best of all time.
Unfortunately, many releases simply didn’t hit the mark for fans. However, just as there were many that didn’t make the cut, a ton simply can’t be featured because they don’t fit in the list. Let’s review what Dragon Ball games are considered to be the GOAT.
Dragon Ball Advanced Adventure
GameBoy Advance | 2006
The very first game on this list is Dragon Ball Advanced Adventure. It is a GameBoy Advance game that features 2D side-scrolling gameplay instead of typical fighting-game mechanics. Players control Goku and Krillin as they venture through the story arcs of Dragon Ball up until the point where they fight King Piccolo.
The reason why many consider this game to be among the greatest Dragon Ball games is because of how overlooked it is. Developer Dimps is still a well-known Dragon Ball game developer, and has proven to create great titles for a couple of decades. For many, it’s considered to be the greatest handheld Dragon Ball game because of the number of playable modes available and the variety of unlockables.
Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans
Nintendo DS | 2009
Attack of the Saiyans is considered an incredibly good Dragon Ball title for the Nintendo DS. The story follows the Vegeta Saga just before Raditz arrives on Earth. A departure from most other Dragon Ball games released then, Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans gave players a turn-based roleplaying game.
Attack of the Saiyans’ gameplay is deceptively difficult, making it a must for hardcore gamers who are also fans of the series. However, that’s what really makes it a popular franchise installment: it’s really for the fans. The game doesn’t try to retell the Dragon Ball story again to fill new fans in, and really allows those who know what’s going on to simply enjoy the story.
Dragon Ball Z: Revenge of King Piccolo
Nintendo Wii | 2009
I bet you didn’t think to find a Wii game on this list. The story follows the first Dragon Ball series as Goku defeats each of the villains within the Red Ribbon Army before finally challenging Demon King Piccolo. Unlike other games, players use a targeting system to take out enemies and earn health, powerups, and even Zeni before going to the next area.
The gameplay revolves around an Adventure Mode that details the story, with players taking control of young Goku. Players can also have fun in the World Tournament mode which allows you to battle as one of the Adventure Mode fighters against other fighters. While I wouldn’t consider this game the greatest in the franchise’s history of games, I would say that it is on this list because of the fact that a Wii game offered so much to fans.
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3
PlayStation 2 | 2004
One of the biggest appeals of Budokai 3 is that the story mode isn’t just another retelling of the classic story. Instead, players go through Dragon Universe where they can pick a character and then travel between Earth or Namek, journeying through major story beats from the Saiyan Saga to the Kid Buu Saga.
A lot of fans consider Dragon Ball z: Budokai 3 to be greatest among all of the Budokai games. It’s been commended for having in-depth, skill-based combat and incredibly balanced characters. While some of us might remember the game and think about button smashing, you can do many advanced combos. That’s why many would agree that it’s here.
Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle
Mobile | 2015
Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle might be a mobile game, but I remember it taking over the minds of several co-workers of mine when it first came out. The game has many elements to it that make it different than most gacha games like Genshin Impact. Players can collect various characters from across the franchise and level them up to defeat enemies.
Gameplay for Dokkan Battle is incredibly easy and approachable for newcomers. Instead of traditional one-on-one fighting between characters, players fight using a unique puzzle system. Players need to match up on-screen orbs to obtain all sorts of attacks and abilities. This game is more unforgiving than most other Dragon Ball games, but it’s difficulty is what makes it so fun.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
PS4, Xbox One, & Switch | 2015
It’s funny how Xenoverse 2 is on this list, not its predecessor. The game is set two years after the ending of the first, with players receiving a new quest from Elder Kai. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2’s story doesn’t follow any of the beats from the show. Instead, it has its own contained story that takes place in Toki Toki City.
Xenoverse 2 is so high up on this list because of the many departures that the same takes from traditional Dragon Ball games. Players can create their own character from a variety of races within the franchise and even do race-related quests. Personally, my favorite aspect of the game is that I believe it helped open up the possibility of open-world Dragon Ball games with RPG elements.
Dragon Ball FighterZ
PS4, Xbox One, & Switch | 2018
Completely different from Xenoverse 2, FighterZ is the very definition of a traditional fighting game. It is a 2.5D game with 44 characters that follows gameplay concepts from titles like the Marvel vs Capcom series. In fact, the control scheme was pretty much taken from the series. As for the story, it is also a completely new story that follows antagonist Android 21, which was created specifically for this game. Added DLC continues the story through three more arcs.
It isn’t necessarily a departure from what we know about the Dragon Ball fighting games, but its approach is completely different. For example, final and special moves were always important, but the seamless transition between gameplay to cutscene combined with the choice of graphics makes fights ‘pop’ more.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
PS4, Xbox One, & Switch | 2020
One of my favorites on this list, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, is what I believe to be the game that Xenoverse 2 was paving the way for. Players take on the role of Goku and other important characters from the franchise as they go through the classic Dragon Ball Z story, starting with Raditz’s arrival on Earth. There are a few original beats to the story, but it’s largely the same.
I put it so high on this list because I genuinely found it to be the most fun of them all. The game is a full-fledged RPG with different aspects like hunting, camping, fishing, and fighting enemies in ridiculous battles. You can even do small nuances like driving hover cars and training with your friends.
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3
PS2 | 2008
Many consider Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi the best game of all time. It boasts an impressive 162 characters. Only Fire Pro Wresting Returns and Tobal 2 have defeated Budokai Tenkaichi 3 in having more characters. When it was originally released, the game was also the only place to be able to see the Saiyan’s Great Ape forms, as they had not yet been released at the time.
There are many reasons why it’s at the top of the list. However, the two main ones is the fact that it has so many playable characters as well as the fact that it was the very last game in the Budokai Tenkaichi franchise to be released until the new Dragon Ball Z: Sparking! ZERO launched. As a result, it is also one of the rarest and most valuable Dragon Ball games you can get your hands on.
