Looking for the best Dragon Ball Z games? Well, look no further as we’ve got a wide compilation of titles inspired by the anime. Old as the series is, games based on it have been around since the 1980’s and over two decades later, developers are still releasing newer and better choices for modern systems. Here, we’re not only going to look at the latest launches, but the greatest additions made over the years. Just so you know there are numerous titles within the franchise and what we’ve listed below are our very own favorites.
– GameBoy Advance (GBA)
1. Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure:
Now before we begin, Advanced Adventure isn’t part of the Z series. Instead, it revolves around the initial anime, Dragon Ball, which follows Goku as a kid. This is one of the finest we’ve played and it definitely deserves to be on this list. What we love about it is the platformer based gameplay and 1 vs. 1 fights.
The story starts off with you meeting Bulma for the first time and ends after you defeat King Piccolo. There are 30 characters and 5 playable modes for combat.
2. Legacy of Goku/Buu’s Fury:
Legacy of Goku is the first addition in the action RPG trilogy for the GBA. It starts off with you fighting the Saiyans on earth and then defeating Frieza on Namek. Goku is the only playable character here and can only transform into Super Saiyan at the end of the game. The second release, Legacy of Goku 2, is a big step up over the first.
It allows you to freely transform and even perform charged melee attacks. Also, you take control of different characters as you progress to defeat Cell. The last title is Buu’s Fury which follows the original story to the end of the anime where Goku defeats Majin Buu.
3. GT – Transformation:
GT – Transformation takes place after the Z series and it follows the events of the Dragon Ball GT anime. The title features the classic brawler gameplay where you progress through levels by defeating enemies and a boss at the end. In this side-scroller, you take control of Kid Goku who is accompanied by granddaughter Pan and Trunks to different planets in search of the Black Star Dragon Balls. The game ends when Goku defeats Baby Vegeta.
A sequel was planned to finish off the remaining story, but was canceled. There are over 10 playable characters here which include, Uub, Super Baby Vegeta, Piccolo and Goku in Golden Oozaru and Super Saiyan 4 forms.
– PlayStation 2
4. Sagas:
Sagas is an action-adventure title from Avalanche Software. Unlike most other DBZ releases on the PS2, this one is quite different in gameplay. Here, you navigate through various 3D environments, defeat enemies and search for power-ups as well as coins. You’ll also be treated to boss fights which take place based on events from the start of the series up till the Cell Games saga.
There are 19 levels in total and several playable characters. The title features an upgrade system where you can purchase new equipment, combos and abilities by spending cash earned in-game.
5. Budokai 3:
Budokai 3 is the third installment in the series and it’s one of the most successful release. The game packs in the entire storyline which start from the Saiyan saga and goes on to the GT series where the Z Warriors battle Omega Shenron. There’s also a bit of the original Dragon Ball included here and events from movies.
There are 42 playable characters and to unlock all of them and even progress certain parts of the storyline, you’ll have to replay the campaign with specific objectives. A versus mode has been included too and you can enter into tournaments.
6. Budokai Tenkaichi 3:
Budokai Tenkaichi 3 made its debut in 2007 and it’s not part of the Budokai series, but a new game altogether in the Tenkaichi lineup. Compared to earlier releases, this one was the first to introduce night and day conditions and even characters which weren’t accessible before like the Great Ape (Oozaru). And what makes Tenkaichi 3 a must-have is the wide roster of playable characters which amounts to 161.
The graphics are beautiful coming from the PS2 and fights are fast-paced which take place in large 3D environments instead of the arcade-style battles in the Budokai series. Certain parts of the map are also destructible.
– PlayStation 3/Xbox 360
7. Budokai HD Collection:
If you loved the Budokai series on the PS2, there’s an HD Collection available for the PS3 and Xbox 360 consoles. The bundle offers previous Budokai releases which are enhanced and re-mastered in HD, albeit only the first and third titles have been included. The games feature new soundtracks which have been brought over from newer releases and support Trophies as well as Achievements.
8. Ultimate Tenkaichi:
Ultimate Tenkaichi has a lot of similarities with the previous generation titles. It features free-roam gameplay seen in Budokai 3 and destructible environments which are available in Tenkaichi. What it does excel in is graphics which are gorgeous and characters look like they’re supposed to. The story kicks off from the start of DBZ and ends with Gogeta’s fight with Omega Shenron.
Ultimate Tenkaichi has done one things that no other title in the series before it dared to – Deliver an original storyline which is different from the anime. This is made possible through the Hero mode where you can create your own character including its fighting style. Here, you go on a quest to locate all 7 Dragon Balls and fight familiar faces around the world.
Conclusion:
One of the biggest disappointments here is that none of the best Dragon Ball Z games are available for PC. Well, there is one option though – Earth’s Special Forces. If you aren’t aware, the title is a mod for Half-Life and it offers a lot in character choices, powers and transformations. It’s also fun to play with others over LAN as well as online and against bots.