Dragon Ball Z

A video game series based on the popular anime and manga, featuring role-playing and fighting games released since 1990.

Action

Action role-playing

77

Games

1990–now

Years

42

Platforms

$28.16

Ø CIB

-3.5%

24M change

About

The Dragon Ball Z video game series began in 1990 with Kyoushuu! Saiyajin on the Family Computer. Early entries in the franchise primarily consisted of card-based role-playing games and 2D fighting games like the Super Butoden series. These titles were published by Bandai and largely developed by TOSE.

Following the initial Famicom release, the franchise expanded with Dragon Ball Z II (1991) and Dragon Ball Z III (1992), which refined the tactical card-battle system. The series transitioned to 16-bit hardware with Dragon Ball Z: Super Saiya Densetsu (1992) on the Super Famicom, merging the narratives of the early sagas. Innovation continued with Dragon Ball Z: Gekitou Tenkaichi Budoukai (1992), which utilized the Datach Joint Rom System barcode reader accessory.

The franchise shifted toward competitive fighting games with Dragon Ball Z: Super Butoden (1993). This release introduced a signature split-screen mechanic to accommodate long-range energy attacks. Its sequel, Dragon Ball Z: Super Butoden 2 (1993), further refined the engine, offering a branching story mode and an expanded roster. These early 1990s titles established the Saiyan, Frieza, and Cell story arcs as the narrative foundation for the franchise's interactive media, paving the way for its global localization and future transition into 3D environments.