The coolest thing ever for a movie series lover may be taking the place of their favorite character on a video game. For fans of Akira Toriyama‘s dragon ball, this assumption can’t be more appreciated.
Wondering what the official dragon ball games are? Look through the list gathered with the help of our friends of Dragon Ball Z Figures.
1. Dragon Ball: Dragon’s Great Exploration
Launched in Japan in the year 1986 on September 27, Dragon Ball: Dragon’s Great Exploration was a forerunner of the dragon ball games, and was released by Epoch for the Super Cassette Vision.
In Dragon Ball: Dragon’s Great Exploration, players are portrayed as Goku as he rides on the Nimbus, firing his adversaries with Ki blasts, and using his Power Pole to aim at them.
2. Dragon Ball: Shenlong no Nazo or Dragon Ball: Le Secret du Dragon
Named “Dragon Ball: Shenlong no Nazo” in Japan and Dragon Ball: Le Secret du Dragon in Europe. This game came into being in 1986, with Tose being its developer while it was launched by Bandai for the Famicom (NES).
Players can see Goku in this game in a similar manner to the initial two volumes of the Dragon Ball manga.
It was named Dragon Power in the US. The melody and art of the game were adapted from the Chinese novel, Journey to the West, with zero references to Dragon Balls, unlike the Spanish, French and Japanese versions of the game, which utilized the typical melody and art from the Dragon Ball anime.
Moreover, the developer of the US version of this game modified Goku into an American-like Kung Fu. One can also observe related changes in Master Roshi, as he maintained the appearance of a conventional martial arts teacher.
Furthermore, the European version of Dragon Ball was launched in France in 1990 and later in Spain in 1993. The game maintains the Dragon Balls persona and license. However, it retains the exact censorship displayed in the American edition.
3. Dragon Ball: Great Demon King’s Revival
This video game was launched by Bandai for the Famicom in Japan in 1988 on the 12th of August. The scene of the game is at Piccolo Daimao arc. In the history of video games, it was amongst the first few who featured a board game that involved the use of cards for wars. The war card games are a myriad of role trading cards, playing games and board games.
In Dragon Ball: Great Demon King’s Revival, players maneuver over a game board while meeting different characters on the way. The characters either combat with the player or assist in providing information. The result of every battle is based on the randomly produced hand of card adversary and players are given.
4. Dragon Ball 3: Goku’s Story

Bandai launched this game in 1989 on October 27 in Japan for the Famicom. The entire Dragon Ball tale is narrated in the game before the battle against Piccolo.
Goku played the significant character here both as a youngster and adult. The game also featured Yamcha and Krillin as characters. There was a new version of the game in 2003 for the WonderSwan.
5. Dragon Ball Z: Fierce Attack
Dragon Ball Z: Fierce Attack, Saiyan was the foremost game to be launched for the Famicom in Japan in 1990, October 27 by Bandai.
The game consists of characters such as; Vegeta, Piccolo, Raditz, the two illusions Saiyans who warred against Yamcha, Nappa, Gohan, Tien, Krillin featured in the anime, and an original who changes into a Giant Ape.
6. Dragon Ball Z II: Frieza the Planet Destroyer!!
Bandai released this 1991 version in Japan on the 10th of August for the Famicom. The game played the same story of Namek and was overall similar to the story in the meta-series. However, Chaozu, Yamcha, and Tienshinhan were alive and attended the player’s festivity at the onset.
7. Dragon Ball Z: Legend of the Super Saiyan

This game is the first for the Super Famicom and blends two initial Famicom games, namely Dragon Ball Z: Kyôshū! Saiyan and Dragon Ball Z II: Gekishin Frieza. It was launched in Japan on January 25, 1992.
8. Dragon Ball Z III: Hot Battle! Artificial Humans
In 1992, August 7, this game was launched by Bandai in Japan for the Famicom system. It depicts the Android arc story to the point where Cell was first transformed.
9. Dragon Ball Z: Doragon Bōru Zetto Gekitō Tenkaichi Budōkai
Again, Bandei launched this enchanting video game for the Famicom in Japan in 1992, December 29.
The game featured the Datach Joint Rom System – as a result, the different character cards must be flipped to make your choice of a character. It also came with a unique card reader attachment.
10. Dragon Ball Z: Super Fighting Story
This video game is the first of the Super Butōden series. It was launched on March 20, 1993, in Japan for the Super Famicom. While France and Spain had their release on November 30, 1993. Fans of Dragon Ball Z: Super Fighting Story have the luxury of controlling any of the available 13 characters.
Dragon Ball Z: Super Fighting Story chronicles the Piccolo Jr. arc to the finale of the Cell Games.
11. Dragon Ball Z Side Story: Plan to Eradicate the Saiyans
This game was launched on August 6, 1993 for the Famicom system. It was designed as a card battle RPG. The randomly produced playing cards obtained by the player determines their battle choices and movement.
The game also featured a multiplayer in which a six-player competition which involves a complicated stage of computer players in the save file.
Players can assume characters like Trunks, Vegeta, Piccolo, Goku, and Gohan. Records of the winners, and the new moves acquired by the player are all saved in the game data.
The game also features Dr. Lychee following his escape until his death, and Hatchhyackku schemes to destroy the earth until the Saiyans laid to rest the dangers posed by the ghost warriors.
12. Dragon Ball Z: Super Fighting Story 2
Japanese fans welcomed this game on December 17, 1993 for the Super Famicom. Subsequently, France and Spain in June 1994. The game has ten playable characters. However, in the Japanese edition, 2 of the playable characters, Goku and Broly, needs to be unlocked with a code.
The game chronicles the Cell Games and numerous stories about Broly, Zangya and Bojack. Nonetheless, the characters mentioned above were called Tara, Aki, and Kujila, respectively, in the French edition.
13. Dragon Ball Z: Legend of Valiants or Dragon Ball Z: The Call of Destiny
Call it Dragon Ball Z: Legend of Valiants in Japan and Dragon Ball Z: The Call of Destiny in France and Spain. While you can simply refer to it as Dragon Ball Z in Portugal.
The fighting game was released on April 1, 1994 for the Mega Drive, and later in June the same year in Europe. Players can control characters like Goku, Vegeta, Frieza, Gohan, Krillin, Piccolo, Captain Ginyu, Future Trunks, Recoome, Cell, and Android 18 the game.
14. Dragon Ball Z Side Story: True Plan to Eradicate the Saiyans: Earth Edition
On September 23, 1994, the game was launched. It was the first part of the series of Saiyan Zenmetsu Keikaku for the Playdia.
There are tons of dragon ball games created from the ’80s till 2020. They’re all yours to play.
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