Best DBZ fighting game

[DBZAOTA482]

For a series based around fighting, there haven't been too many fighting games based on it that were exactly stellar... but which attempts do you think was the best?

Spoiler

If you know me you'd know I would go with the Budokai series. Super Dragon Ball Z is a great fighting game but it didn't really feel like a DBZ fighter and Budokai Tenkaichi is probably the best at emulating the action of the series but isn't really that great of a fighting game despite the steep learning curve. Budokai, on the other hand, felt like the best middle-ground between functionally and accessibility. Deep, but still capturing a lot of the flash and flair you'd expect of a DBZ fighter.

However, the series didn't truly become good till Budokai 3. Despite some accusations of being a haven for button-mashing, B3 was commonly revered as a quality fighter regardless of it's license and became a major influence for future DBZ games. Shin Budokai, Burst Limit, and Infinite World then followed it spiritually by expanding on the standards set by B3.

 

[Six Trails]

Budokai Tenkaichi 3 is the best Dragon Ball Z game in my opinion.

 

[Papasmurf]

Budokai series for sure. Never liked the 150 clone characters barely having any functional difference in the BT series.

 

[SSJ2]

I honestly haven't played many of the games, so Raging Blast would have to take it for me. I played Budokai 1 back when it first came out, but I have no recollection.

 

[Papasmurf]

I barely even played Budokai 1. I started with Budokai 2, but I ended up just using the 100% capsule glitch because the board game story mode was simply horrendous. Budokai 3 still remains one of DB's best games.

 

[Evil Vegeta]

Super DBZ for me. It felt like a 3D Street Fighter and had great gameplay mechanics.

The Super Battle Arcade game from the 90's is pretty fun, too.

 

[Papasmurf]

Haven't played Super DBZ

 

[Evil Vegeta]

The roster is a bit limited for some, but I don't need gigantic rosters to enjoy a game. All of the characters are pretty unique as well. Mecha Freeza not only fights with his powers, but also bombs and other weapons. You can also edit your characters movesets and stuff. There were some pretty competitive tournaments for it in Japan.

 

[MissingUTAH]

Budokai Tenkaichi... 2.

I think BT3 is a great game, and it definitely has more characters, but the BT2 potara system opens up a whole new world of character leveling. If you wanted to make a little fanon "story mode" for yourself, the game gives you the resources to customize the characters how you like. BT3's potaras are a pale mockery of that. I'm not trying to hate on BT3. I love it. I just love BT2 more.

 

[Fantastische Hure]

Burst-Limit

 

[Let's Go Fearless!]

I haven't played much of DBZ games so my choice is limited and I choose DBZ Shin Budokai.

 

[Fantastische Hure]

I forgot that. I can't believe. Yes, Shin-Budokai was too.

 

[GreatSaiyaman123]

Budokai Tenkaichi 3 > All

FighterZ is nice too.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

Either Budokai 3 or BT3. Budokai 3 probably has the better fighting mechanics along with having far better music and a more interesting story mode with the What-If scenarios that could happen, whilst BT3 had the most expansive character roster in DBZ games and I'd say its modes outside of story mode were overall better such as the variation of the tournament mode and the expansiveness of Ultimate Battle Z being better than Dragon Arena.

As far as individual merits worth honourable mentions, BT2 easily had the most expansive story and some cool features such as some freedom of choice in the characters you used such as choosing if Goku, Piccolo or Ten would fight #19 or being able to beat SPC as Yamcha. Raging Blast 2 had the best combat system and its modes are all that really holds it back. FighterZ easily looks the best aesthetically and either Budokai 1 or Xenoverse 2 have the best cutscenes. Budokai 2 also gets a special mention in innovation by including a few what-if characters such as Boo absorbing Vegeta, Cell, Freeza or Yamcha and Ten or having Gotan/Gokule as playable.

 

[Papasmurf]

Spoiler

Budokai 1 gets a mention for acknowledging the sheer FORCE of Lord Spopovich as he gaslighted himself into a Cell-arc game :bitch

 

[Void]

Raging Blast 2 had the best combat system and its modes are all that really holds it back.

Don't forget about those nifty appearance options like changing characters auras and such. I really liked those for some reason.