Dragon Ball FighterZ

Dragon Ball FighterZ is a tag-team fighting game developed by Arc System Works and published by Bandai Namco, released on January 26, 2018, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam, with a Nintendo Switch version following on September 28, 2018. The game draws its control scheme and team mechanics primarily from the Marvel vs. Capcom series, featuring three primary attack buttons and a single unique action button. Light attacks function conventionally, medium attacks blend traditional medium and heavy properties, and heavy attacks launch opponents away with a powerful blow. The unique action button handles ki blasts and ki-based special moves, either alone or combined with directional inputs or special move motions.

Each player selects a team of three characters. One is controlled at a time and can be freely swapped with either teammate during the match. Calling a teammate as an Assist allows simultaneous attacks and combo extensions using the full team. All three characters must be knocked out to end the match. Universal mechanics include the Vanish move, which resembles a Roman Cancel, the Sparking Blast, which evokes the Dust attacks of the Guilty Gear series, and the Super Dash homing system drawn from Arcana Heart. Ki Charging allows players to build their power gauge, and a parry mechanic lets players deflect incoming projectiles. Auto-combo functionality, allowing full combos from a single button repeated tap, is available for both light and medium attack buttons, giving every character two distinct auto-combo routes.

The in-game economy uses Zeni earned through matches, completed chapters, and tutorial challenges to purchase Z Capsule loot boxes containing cosmetic items such as profile backgrounds, lobby avatars, character colors, and titles. Duplicate items convert into Premium Z Coins, which can exchange for a non-duplicate item of the player's choice. Notably, no real-money purchasing pathway exists for these items, keeping the cosmetic system entirely within the game's earned-currency framework.

FighterZ presents its story across three interconnected arcs, each following the same core events from a different protagonist's perspective. The Super Warrior Arc centers on Goku as the main character. The Enemy Warrior Arc follows Frieza. The Android 21 Arc, which reveals the game's central plot, places Android 18 and the newly created Android 21 at the forefront. Android 21 is an original character designed specifically for the game: a female scientist with a direct connection to the Red Ribbon Army who plays a pivotal antagonistic and eventually tragic role in the story. Android 16, mysteriously revived, also drives early plot events before the full scope of Android 21's involvement becomes clear.

The game is set after the events of Dragon Ball Z and the Universe 6 Saga but before the Future Trunks Saga, with several carefully placed continuity details confirming its timeline placement. Gohan mentions Frieza's prior return, Vegeta notes Gohan has recently resumed training under Piccolo, and Goku confirms he has never visited Hell. The story's explanation for why all fighters compete on equal footing, despite their vast power differences, involves energy waves that suppress exceptional ability, framing the player's skill as the deciding factor rather than character power levels.

Dragon Ball FighterZ was met with widespread critical acclaim upon release, earning praise for its stunning visual fidelity to the anime's cel-shaded aesthetic, its mechanically deep and accessible fighting system, and its ambitious story mode. Arc System Works delivered a title that satisfied both dedicated fighting game players and Dragon Ball fans simultaneously, a balance that licensed fighting games rarely achieve. The game quickly became a major presence in competitive fighting game communities and tournament circuits worldwide.

FighterZ received three season passes of DLC characters spanning multiple years, expanding its roster from the initial 24 characters to over 40, including classic movie villains, Dragon Ball Super additions, and Dragon Ball GT characters. A fifth DLC pass, featuring Goku from Dragon Ball Daima, was announced for Spring 2026, demonstrating the game's continued commercial vitality nearly a decade after its initial release. FighterZ stands as one of the most celebrated Dragon Ball games ever made and a landmark title for Arc System Works.