Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball is one of the most popular anime series of its kind, and after more than 35 years, there is still no end in sight for Goku and the rest of Earth’s heroes. Dragon Ball has dominated the anime and manga industry, but this success has also helped the series find a new lease of life in gaming.
There has always been a strong relationship between video games and anime, but there are dozens of them Dragon Ball titles released over the years. The 2000s were a pivotal decade for video games as a whole, but they also contained some particularly interesting ones Dragon Ball release.
10 Dragon Ball GT: Transformation translates the polarizing anime into a portable beat-’em-up (score: 69)
Dragon Ball GT still has a contentious reputation within the fandom, but the 2000s indulged in the sequel series as a way to bring fresh blood to the video games that were endlessly recycled Dragon Ball Z material. Dragon Ball GT: Transformation is a beat-em-up sidescroller for Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance handheld that covers everything in the series until the end of Baby’s Attack.
The game is a serviceable action title with a striking art design, but it’s pretty forgettable in terms of beat ’em-up games. There are also some very strange liberties taken with some of the game’s more common enemies.
9 Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai brings the hit fighting series to the PSP (score: 70)
dragon balls budokai Fighting series were ubiquitous in the 2000s, and the existence of handheld gaming counterparts facilitated portable versions of beloved home console hits. Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai is a PlayStation Portable release built on the Budokai 3 engine, but it’s a new game rather than a port.
Shin Budokai narrows in the 12th movie, Fusion rebornbecause of the story and character list, which is not sparse with 18 playable characters. Shin Budokai is impressive for a PSP fighting game, but it’s still a little bare-bones compared to the other titles in the budokai series.
8 Super Dragon Ball Z evokes the look of the manga through cel-shaded aesthetics (score: 72)
Dragon Ball Zs budokai and Budokai Tenkaichic series had somewhat diminishing returns in the 2000s, and titles like Super Dragon Ball Z tried to act as an antidote. Super Dragon Ball Z is a PlayStation 2 title that focuses on traditional fighting mechanics that were prevalent in arcades in the 1990s.
This gameplay comes along with destructible environments and powerful clashes of energy that effectively simulate the look of the series. One of the most striking details about Super Dragon Ball Z is the cel-shaded aesthetic influenced by Toriyama’s original manga rather than its accompanying anime.
7 Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi brings the anime’s thrilling power struggle to life (score: 72)
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi has a very similar name to the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai series, but they are completely separate entities, and the former followed the latter and was developed by Spike rather than Dimps. Starting out as a PlayStation 2 series that eventually got its sequel to the Wii, Budokai Tenkaichic emphasizes excess.
The first game in the series has 64 playable characters, which is more than double that of most budokai titles. The Budokai Tenkaichic games leave their mark on the fast and complex controls that excel especially when it comes to energy combat and other intense combat elements.
6 Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit attempts to give Dragon Ball events another immersion (score: 72)
Helping close the decade on the XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3, Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit is a fighting game with good intentions. Unfortunately, much of the material mixes together.
Burst Limit relies on an innovative concept where certain “Drama Piece” cutscenes are triggered once certain conditions are met to influence gameplay in immersive ways, but it’s a flat idea that doesn’t do much. Nevertheless, the game is the start of an encouraging trend towards titles that feel like Dragon Ball games as opposed to fighting or adventure games that take place in the Dragon Ball universe.
5 Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors is a forward-thinking Game Boy fighter with a focus on teams (score: 73)
Developer Arc System Works has made a name for itself in the fighting genre. Released for the Game Boy Advance, Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors is a complex fighting game that emphasizes team elements, a host of melee and energy attacks, and unique special abilities for its eclectic cast of characters.
Supersonic Warriors is rich in unlockable content with a heavy replay factor that encourages playing as all 13 characters (including some rarities like Dr. Gero and Captain Ginyu). The game’s DS sequel, while even bigger, lacks the same shine.
4 Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 has hundreds of characters and can be played online (score: 73)
There are three Budokai Tenkaichic video games in as many years, and the last mention is when the sheer amount of content starts to become more of a curse than a blessing. Budokai Tenkaichi 3 expands its character list again, but this time there are many figures on the list of more than 160 individuals who feel useless or as if they are a gimmick.
The franchise’s story mode also peaks in the second game, and Budokai Tenkaichi 3 feels mediocre in comparison. Budokai Tenkaichi 3 is trying to find new life by offering online multiplayer for the first time in the series, but it’s still a work in progress.
3 Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 is the pinnacle of the franchise with a ridiculous roster (score: 73)
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi laid an excellent foundation for a new anime fighting series, and it only took a year for its successor to hit consoles. Fighting sequels can take completely new directions or just deliver more of the same in a way that makes its predecessor feel irrelevant.
Budokai Tenkaichi 2 almost doubles the selection of the first Budokai Tenkaichic with over 100 characters to control, easily making it the biggest Dragon Ball game at the time. While the Wii version of the game is pretty average, its PlayStation 2 counterpart is considered by some to be the best fighting game of 2006.
2 Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure is a long love letter to Goku’s original journey (score: 75)
The original Dragon Ball does not always receive the same amount of love as his more mature successor. However, the series’ tight and evolving story makes for an engaging video game. Despite being a Game Boy Advance title, Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure is a vast experience that spans the entirety of the original Dragon Ball with a selection of up to 30 characters to unlock and develop.
There’s a deep, refined gameplay to the combat of this beat ’em-up title that can expand even more in its robust multiplayer options. It’s a comprehensive game that proudly celebrates what makes the original Dragon Ball very well.
1 Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 ends the series on a high level and includes GT representation (score: 77)
potholes’ Dragon Ball Z: Budokai series was the introduction of many gamers to Dragon Ball fighting games and their final release, Budokai 3stands head and shoulders above its predecessors. Budokai 3 actively revises and improves on weaker gameplay mechanics rather than focusing purely on aesthetics and a flashy roster.
Combat feels really grand in nature and the game’s story spans not only the full series and feature films, but also the events of Dragon Ball GT. This builds up to a roster of over 40 characters that represent the franchise well.
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