The best place to play it.
What They Say:
DRAGON BALL FighterZ is born from what makes the DRAGON BALL series so loved and famous: endless spectacular fights with its all-powerful fighters.
Partnering with Arc System Works, DRAGON BALL FighterZ maximizes high-end Anime graphics and brings easy to learn but difficult to master fighting gameplay.
The Review:
Right off the bat, it’s worth noting that Dragon Ball FighterZ is best played right here on Nintendo Switch. The wait has been totally worth it, as you can play the entire game on the go or on your TV. The quality is just as stunning as its other console and PC counterparts, while not sacrificing any performance in the process.
If you didn’t already know, Dragon Ball FighterZ is a 2.5D fighting game that appeals to both hardcore Dragon Ball and fighting fans alike. The visuals are unparalleled, showcasing characters and environments in a gorgeous anime-style, unlike any other game out there. Each person from Goku to Cell and every stage looks like how I thought the anime looked as a kid.
From the start, the visuals are the most noticeably impressive thing. Each ki blast and teleport sport picture-perfect effects. There are times I just wanted to sit back and watch someone else fight online because of how good this game looks. However, it doesn’t just appeal to the anime and manga fans like myself.
Dragon Ball FighterZ is a perfect match for hardcore fighting fanatics, even those who haven’t checked out Dragon Ball before. This is because Arc System Works has crafted deep and rich gameplay systems that offer a true challenge. Though the game does have simple controls for newcomers, it feels built for the players who live and breath fighting games.
There are your typical three attacks plus your various blocks and dodges, ki blasts, teleports, and so much more. All of these different inputs can be strung together to create massive combos that will have your opponent flying into the next part of the arena.
The depth doesn’t end there, as each playable character in the Dragon Ball FighterZ roster feels so vastly different from one another. Some like Majin Buu are slow but powerful while others like Hit are fast and technically-focused. Others like Super Saiyan Goku are simple to master while characters like Beerus take a lot of time and patience to perfect.
Even still, some characters excel at short-range while others are better from afar while still more fighters are a nice balance between the two. The roster is varied and deep from across Dragon Ball Z and Super, offering the perfect playstyle for every type of fighting player.
Despite all of this, I never felt too overwhelmed even as a relatively amateur fighting player. This is in large part due to the tutorial-like story, which is both helpful and the weakest link of Dragon Ball FighterZ. The story mode is, unfortunately, a glorified tutorial mode for players. The plot is pretty barebones, using a hardly explained backstory to explain why characters like Cell and Kid Buu are suddenly showing up alongside original character Android 21.
The story is divided up into three different sections, focusing on the heroes, villains, and then the new character Android 21 herself. The majority of the plot has you switching between people’s bodies in order to fight clones and unravel the truth behind what’s happening.
Each level has you venture across a game-board-like map filled with various objectives. There are optional enemies to take on, allies to rescue, abilities to collect, and typically a boss at the end to defeat. You move across the map one space at a time while enemies periodically get stronger the more time you take.
You can choose to go straight for the boss and advance to the next chapter or take your time, training your team and leveling up as much as possible. The story mode does start out extremely easy but it does ramp up in difficulty as you get into the latter sections.
For fans of the series, the story mode doesn’t offer anything interesting. The story is pretty meh at best, the only highlights being the sometimes hilarious character interactions between the cast and the exceptional English dub. This mode is best used as a teaching method to learn the ropes of Dragon Ball FighterZ for online play later on.
Even as a novice, I felt pretty accustomed to the combat and familiar with most opponents by the end of the story. The increasing difficulty helps you to prepare for the challenge of real players in a smart way. Even though the mode offers well over a dozen hours of content, it just isn’t gripping enough to keep interest. The repetition can be tiring and boring.
That’s totally fine, though, as the real star of Dragon Ball FighterZ is the online functionality. From booting up the game, you can choose to join an online lobby and walk around as chibi-style characters alongside other real players. You can choose to engage in tournaments and bouts against opponents or simply wander around, throwing up hilariously cute sticker emotes.
Multiplayer is the real heart of Dragon Ball FighterZ. Whether it’s spectating someone else’s match to learn new tricks or practicing against opponents, there is an endless amount of addictive gameplay to be had. The complex set up of having three characters you can switch between at once shows its true colors here as you constantly have to think about your next move to counter your opponent or cover your weaknesses all while still predicting your enemy’s next move.
Thankfully, my time with the online portion was mostly positive. Connections worked well even in handheld mode and the frame rate stays silky smooth during fights. I do wish it didn’t take as long to get into each fight but that’s a minor gripe considering how excellent the port to Nintendo Switch is.
In Summary:
Without a doubt, Nintendo Switch is the best place to play Dragon Ball FighterZ. Every aspect of this gorgeous game works just as well as the other versions even in portable mode. With unbelievable graphics, a deep but welcoming fighting system, and a robust online portion create a fantastic package that appeals to both Dragon Ball and fighting fans alike. Though its only true knockback is a dull and repetitive story mode, this game is well worth picking up for your Switch. The wait for this version was worth it.
Grade: B+
Released By: Bandai Namco
Developer: Arc System Works
MSRP: $59.99
Release Date: 9/28/18 (Switch)
Platform: Switch (reviewed), PS4, Xbox One, PC
This review was done with a review copy provided by the publisher. We are grateful for their continued support.