Dragon Ball FighterZ is worth considering if you want a fast, team-based fighting game with striking Dragon Ball visuals. Critics praised its approachable controls, speed and presentation, while recognizing that its 3v3 combat has depth to learn. It is less suited to someone looking primarily for a solo, story-first adventure: the central experience is fighting with a team of three.
What kind of game is Dragon Ball FighterZ?
Dragon Ball FighterZ is a 2D fighter built around teams of three. Tag and support mechanics let players bring teammates into the action and build combinations, with aerial attacks and rapid exchanges contributing to its high-energy style. Bandai Namco describes it as “easy to learn but difficult to master”; that is the publisher’s characterization, but it aligns with critics’ recurring praise for an approachable entry point and greater depth as players improve.
The game also offers more than competitive matches. Nintendo’s listing names ranked play, an interactive lobby, six-player Party Match and an original story scenario featuring Android 21. Those modes add variety, but the game’s defining format remains fighting rather than a conventional solo adventure.
What did reviewers think?
Metacritic’s selected page showed an 87 critic Metascore, classified as “Generally Favorable,” from 74 critic reviews when accessed in 2026. Its platform panel displayed scores of 87, 86, 85 and 87. These are aggregator values drawn from reviews around the game’s January 26, 2018 release—not a new assessment of the game in 2026. Metacritic’s Dragon Ball FighterZ page
#1 Best Overall
- Spectacular battles between powerful characters.
- The new versions of Dragon Ball Fighterz harnesses the strengths of your PS5 and comes with even more detailed graphics.
- Smooth online mode play and improved performance during matches thanks to the implementation of the rollback netcode.
The recurring positive themes in Metacritic’s dated review excerpts are the game’s visual style, pace and explosive feel, along with controls that newcomers can grasp while leaving room to improve. The excerpts also show reservations: an IGN Spain review cited low difficulty and some characters feeling too similar, while Edge described a game that serves newcomers and genre fans without fully uniting those audiences. These are examples from the review record, not a comprehensive analysis of every review.
GameSpot reviewer Peter Brown gave the game a 9/10, labeling it “Superb.” That is GameSpot’s individual 2018 assessment, not a consensus score. GameSpot identifies Arc System Works as developer and Bandai Namco Games as publisher. GameSpot’s review index
Rank #2
- PlayStation 5 video games from the Bandai Namco brand
- Color: multicolor
- Dimensions: 13.5 x 17 x 1.5 cm
- Reference : S71002979
- If quality is at the best price what you want, continue search!
Is Dragon Ball FighterZ good for beginners?
It can be a welcoming choice for a newcomer to fighting games: critics highlighted accessible controls and the immediate appeal of its fast, readable spectacle. But approachable does not mean there is nothing to learn. Building effective teams, using tags and support, and getting more from combos give players room to develop beyond basic attacks.
Expect some variation in how satisfying that learning curve feels. The review excerpts include criticism of low difficulty and character similarity, so players seeking a demanding solo challenge or sharply differentiated characters may find the fit less convincing. The strongest case is for someone who enjoys learning a fighting game’s systems over time, especially alongside the spectacle of Dragon Ball battles.
Rank #3
- Nintendo Switch features: Simplified controls for single Joy-Con play. More features to be announced.
- Spectacular fights: Experience aerial combos, destructible stages, and famous scenes from the Dragon Ball anime reproduced in 60 FPS
- 3VS3 TAG/SUPPORT: Allows players to train and master more than one fighter/style, which brings deeper gameplay.
- HIGH-END ANIME GRAPHICS: Using the power of the Unreal engine and the talented team at Arc System Works, DRAGON BALL FighterZ is a visual tour-de-force.
- Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) Content Description: Cartoon violence, mild language, mild suggestive themes
Is Dragon Ball FighterZ still getting updates?
Yes. Bandai Namco published Ver.1.50 patch notes on April 21, 2026, and said the balance-adjustment update was live. The official game page also lists updates from 2025. Bandai Namco’s Ver.1.50 patch notes and official game page
Those updates establish continued official maintenance, but they do not establish current player numbers, matchmaking health or identical features across platforms. If active online opponents are essential to your purchase, these update notices alone cannot tell you how populated matchmaking is in your region or on your platform.
Rank #4
- HARD SHELL & HANDLES The Dragon Ball Z Enemies Combo Pack includes a hard shell that is very easy to install. Top and bottom are placed around the case by different clicks. The handles have the perfect shape, so the grip is excellent. They protect your PS5 controller while adjusting and enhancing the touch feeling while enjoying your games.
- Protect and personalize your touchpad with Dragon Ball Z sticker: The touchpad sticker ensures proper functioning, protection and personalization.
- Soft and non-slip surface: the matte surface of the case improves ergonomics and experience, avoiding the feeling of sweaty hands.
- OFFICIAL DRAGON BALL LICENSE: Designed for Dragon Ball fans. Frieza and Goku appear on both horns of the controller. In addition, the handles correspond to the Kanjis of the names Frieza and Goku.
- High level of detail: the degree of printing of the details of each character and in the handles ensures high quality and durability of the product.
What is included in FighterZ Edition?
Bundle contents depend on platform and region, so compare the listing for the exact version you intend to buy. The European publisher page lists physical and digital Standard, FighterZ and Ultimate editions. Its FighterZ Edition includes the game and FighterZ Pass; Ultimate adds an Anime Music Pack of 11 anime songs and a commentator voice pack. Bandai Namco’s European editions page
Nintendo’s US Switch listing describes FighterZ Edition as the game plus the first FighterZ Pass, which Nintendo says adds eight characters. The same listing displays the DAIMA Pack as DLC at a regular price of $7.99 when crawled; that is a listing-specific price, not a guarantee of today’s price or availability. Nintendo’s US Switch listing
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Best Value
- Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero takes the legendary gameplay of the Budokai Tenkaichi series to a whole new level.
- Use the destructive power of the strongest fighters ever competed in Dragon Ball!
- Learn and master an incredible group of playable characters, each with individual skills, transformations and techniques.
Before choosing a bundle, check the store page for your platform and region. Confirm which game and DLC are included, whether the copy is physical or digital, and whether the local and online features you want are supported on that version. The available listings do not establish platform feature parity or cross-platform matchmaking.
Quick Recap
Who should play it?
- A good fit: Dragon Ball fans who want to control spectacular battles, and players interested in a fast 3v3 fighter with accessible basics and room to improve.
- Think twice: Players seeking a story-first solo adventure, or those who need verified current matchmaking activity before buying.
- Choose your edition carefully: FighterZ and Ultimate bundle contents vary by listing, platform and region; verify the included content in the store where you plan to purchase.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
