Common Sense Media Review
By David Chapman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Super-powered brawler brings fun, lots of deep gameplay.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Dragon Ball FighterZ
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 3 parent reviews
Based on 14 kid reviews
Kids say the game is exciting and well-made, appealing greatly to fans of the anime, though it does contain some mild profanity and suggestive elements. While the colorful visuals and animated violence add to the fun, several reviewers reported issues with the game's price and bugs, making some users question its overall value.
- great animations
- mild violence
- fun gameplay
- accessibility issues
- suggestive content
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's It About?
DRAGON BALL FIGHTERZ is an action-packed fighting game that brings together the heroes and villains of the hit Dragon Ball franchise in epic three-vs.-three martial arts battles with the fate of the world at stake. In the game's Story mode, a strange energy wave has hit the planet and sealed away the power of all of its mightiest warriors. Making matters worse, clones of these warriors have started popping up all around with a single-minded goal of complete destruction. Players enter the story as a soul that has been somehow linked to the weakened warriors, able to take control of their bodies and tap into their sealed abilities. Now it's up to the player to uncover the origins of this new cosmic threat, to rescue those with the strength to fight back, and to once again bring the world back from the brink of destruction. If you need a break from saving the planet, there's still plenty of action in Dragon Ball FighterZ to enjoy. Players can compete in a branching Arcade mode, go head-to-head in local battles, or compete against the rest of the world's greatest warriors in globally ranked online play.
Is It Any Good?
This fast-paced, action-packed fighting game is engaging for newcomers, series veterans, and fighting game fans alike, with deep gameplay and lots of content to keep them playing for hours. Dragon Ball FighterZ proves that the fast-paced, over-the-top action of the popular Dragon Ball series has always been tailor-made for a fighting game. With its release, the franchise delivers not only the most authentic Dragon Ball experience ever, but also one of the absolute best fighting games to come along in recent memory. Thanks to its razor-sharp animation style as well as both Japanese and English voice acting from the original cast, playing FighterZ feels like you've taken control of an episode of the cartoon.
Of course, none of that would amount to a hill of Senzu beans if Dragon Ball FighterZ weren't a solid game to play. Thankfully, that's not an issue here. The game strikes a sweet spot between accessibility and strategy. The controls are much simpler than most fighting games, forgoing nearly all of the complex joystick judo that others require to execute powerful special moves. But there's a deeper layer of complexity, centered more around timing, position, and countering, that gives genre veterans a reason to test their skills. It's a great way to bring newcomers and casual fans into the fighting-game fold while still rewarding more hardcore fighters for their practice and dedication. With so many ways to hone your skills and a heaping helping of content, all topped off with a gradual (and adjustable) difficulty curve, Dragon Ball FighterZ is simply one of the most rewarding and fulfilling games any fan could ask for.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about consumerism in media. How does the fandom of a series like Dragon Ball affect the audience's purchases? Do you have to be a fan of the anime/manga to get interested in a game like Dragon Ball FighterZ? Or could the game generate new interest in the series that it's based on?
How important is it to work as a team in sports and competition? How can teammates help to overcome obstacles, even in solo performances? What are some ways to be a good teammate?
Game Details
- Platforms : Nintendo Switch , PlayStation 4 , Windows , Xbox One
- Pricing structure : Paid
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : Bandai Namco
- Release date : September 28, 2018
- Genre : Fighting
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Superheroes , Friendship
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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