The wildly popular Dragon Ball Z franchise is a universe that is packed to the brim with possibilities for video games. Naturally, a series about extremely powerful characters smashing into each other at light speed and shooting devastating energy attacks at each other is a gold mine for the fighting game genre, but there are other areas in the gaming medium that show untapped potential.
Of course, on a surface level, Dragon Ball Z being translated into a fighting game seems like the most obvious choice, and it has provided gamers with some great titles over the years from Budokai to Burst Limit. However, even with high-intensity combat being a heavy chunk of what makes the series so popular, there are other elements that resonate with fans such as its witty sense of humor and colorful cast of characters.
With these additional aspects in mind, video games based on Akira Toriyama's classic manga have the potential to venture off the beaten path (or Dragon Road) and take a different approach to the iconic Dragon Ball Z franchise.
Non-Fighting Dragon Ball Z Games
This is not to say that the Dragon Ball Z series has not attempted to branch out in the past, with the recently released Dragon Ball Z Kakarot providing fans with an action RPG experience that was met with positive reviews. So with clear proof that the series can expand beyond just fighting games, it seems unfortunate to confine it mostly to one genre in particular when there is room to explore. A follow-up or even more of the planned DLC for Dragon Ball Z Kakarot would be a good start to test the waters of what else can be done, but it does not have to stop there.
The Star Wars franchise, for example, a series that, at a quick glance, just seems to be about space ships with laser guns and could very easily be restricted to flight simulators. However, that series lore (just like that of Dragon Ball Z) is rich with much more to discover and experience with video games that have tackled the Jedi arts, being a bounty hunter, and even the high-stakes sport of Podracing. Bearing that comparison in mind, Dragon Ball Z games have other potential ideas tucked within its superpowered universe just waiting to reach their full potential.
The Next Level in DBZ Games
With fighting games already proven to work well with Dragon Ball Z, and action RPGs also being a clear choice for developers, a closer look at the franchise will reveal other possibilities going forward. This new departure can range from a more serious approach with a hack and slash style game reminiscent of the Devil May Cry series, much like Dragon Ball Demon Breaker, or even something goofier like a kart racing game that pokes fun at when Goku learned how to drive a car in the anime.
Furthermore, Dragon Ball Z games tend to rinse and repeat material from the same sagas, so a gameplay switch can spice up the storylines being drawn from as much as it would the gameplay genre itself. The sequel series, Dragon Ball GT, had the characters travelling through space itself in search of the Dragon Balls, taking No Man's Sky and swapping in Goku and the gang has the making of a potentially great Dragon Ball GT game.
Of course, it really remains to see where the franchise goes next after its recent success, but hopefully, it goes beyond just another fighting game. There's a long history for Dragon Ball Z, both in video games and lore, and it deserves more attention.