Dragon Ball FighterZ characters: every playable hero and villain

Seemingly summoned by the Dragon Balls themselves, fabled fighting game developer Arc System Works has teamed up with Bandai Namco for a brand new Dragon Ball fighting game. Rather than a 3D arena battler like previous Dragon Ball games, Dragon Ball FighterZ is a 3v3 fighter in the same mould as the Marvel vs. Capcom series. With Arc System Works developing it, it also has much of the fluid movement you’d see in games like BlazBlue and Guilty Gear.

The Dragon Ball series spans over 30 years and boasts a cast of hundreds of characters to choose from – Arc System Works has got quite a task when it comes to picking the DBFZ roster. As such, our Dragon Ball FighterZ character list consists of announced characters, along with fighters that we assume will get in – or at least would like to see – in any DLC. Keep in mind that DBFZ producer Tomoko Hiroki has stated that there won’t be multiple versions of the same character, so don’t hold out hope for 12 different versions of Goku for each of his transformations.

For more upcoming PC games, check our dedicated article.

To bust through some of the jargon, here’s a quick rundown of some of the terms:

Super– A Super is a high damage attack which uses some of a character’s Super gauge. In DBFZ, Supers are divided into Level 1s and Level 3s, with Level 3s doing massive amounts of damage – usually involving the character doing their signature attack from the TV series. Some Supers can also be charged up by holding down the Attack button, making them even more devastating.
Sparking Blast– The Sparking Blast is a special ability that every character in DBFZ has access to. Similar to X-Factor in Marvel vs. Capcom 3, the Sparking Blast gives a character increased damage and health regeneration for a short amount of time. It also levels up depending on how many characters are left on your team, with a Level 3 Sparking Blast becoming available when you are down to your final fighter.
Ultimate Z-Change– The Ultimate Z-Change allows players to bring in another member of their team while performing a Super move. Performed by holding down the Assist button during a Super, the Ultimate Z-Change sees your ally perform one of their own Supers. Much like Delayed Hyper Combos in Marvel 3, Ultimate Z-Changes are key for extending combos and bringing in a teammate safely.
Assist– Similar to the Vs. Series, DBFZ allows players to call in the other two members of their team for special Assist attacks. An Assist character will perform a unique special move, before jumping back off-screen. You can summon both your Assists at the same time if you wish, but they can be attacked when on screen. And if one of your Assists is hit by an opponent, they take increased damage.

Dragon Ball FighterZ characters

Goku

Level 1 Supers:

Super Kamehameha– Goku unleashes a powered-up version of the iconic energy beam.
Instant Transmission Kamehameha– Goku charges up a Super Kamehameha, and then teleports behind the opponent to fire off the attack. It fires diagonally upwards, rather than horizontally.

Level 3 Supers:

Meteor Smash– Goku transforms into his Super Saiyan 3 form, performs a short three-hit combo before blasting his opponent with a Super Kamehameha.

The hero of the Dragon Ball series, Goku is the most powerful warrior in Universe 7. Being a full-blooded Saiyan (an alien race of monkey-men whose strength is directly tied to their hair colour, natch), Goku’s life revolves around battling strong opponents. While he may be a fearsome fighter, as well as Earth’s protector, he’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Goku is the Ryu of Dragon Ball FighterZ – he’s got good range on all of his attacks, decent damage, great mobility and he works in any position within a team. Along with his Super and Instant Transmission versions, Goku can fire a standard Kamehameha to keep his opponents at bay. It can be used both in the air and on the ground, and can be aimed up or down.

Vegeta

Level 1 Supers:

Big Bang Attack– Vegeta lets loose a giant ball of ki which explodes on impact.

Level 3 Supers:

Final Flash – Vegeta charges up a massive amount of ki and fires off a massive energy beam which nearly fills the screen.

The only other full-blooded Saiyan in Universe 7, Vegeta was initially a villain in the Dragon Ball series. The prideful prince of all Saiyans, Vegeta eventually settled on Earth following the events of the Namek Saga. Since then he’s mellowed as a person, his pride replaced by a desire to protect his wife Bulma and their two children, Trunks and Bulla. There are still flashes of the old Vegeta though, especially when he is training with Goku. When he is not wearing traditional Saiyan armour, Vegeta’s a sucker for a bright pink shirt.

If Goku is Ryu, Vegeta is the Ken of DBFZ. With a plethora of kick attacks and a powerful rising knee move, Vegeta is a great close-range fighter with one of the best assists in the game so far. While his normal attacks may be better up close, it is quite easy to miss with Big Bang Attack if you get the timing wrong.

Super Saiyan Blue Goku and Vegeta

Level 1 Supers:

God Kamehameha (Goku) – Goku jumps forward and unleashes a diving Kamehameha.
God Galick Gun (Vegeta) – Vegeta fires a Galick Gun diagonally upwards.
Niagara Pummel(Vegeta) – Vegeta uppercuts his opponent into the air and then punches them back down to the ground.

Level 3 Supers:

Kaioken x10 God Kamehameha (Goku) – Goku unleashes a rapid barrage of punches and kicks, uppercuts his opponent into the air and then fires off a Kaioken-boosted Kamehameha.
Final Flash Fist (Vegeta) – Vegeta charges up a massive amount of ki and fires off a massive energy beam which nearly fills the screen. He focuses the power of the blast into his fist and hits the opponent with a planet-destroying gut punch.

In the current Dragon Ball canon, Super Saiyan Blue is the highest form a Saiyan can achieve. Only Goku and Vegeta have mastered the form and it gives them godlike strength, at the cost of massively draining their stamina. It also dyes your hair bright blue, which is a look only a handful of people can pull off. Given the long winded name of ‘Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan’, most Dragon Ball fans just call the form Super Saiyan Blue.

If Goku and Vegeta are like Ryu and Ken, SSB Goku and Vegeta are DBFZ’s Evil Ryu and Violent Ken. While many of their normal attacks are the same, SSB Goku and Vegeta have entirely different specials and play differently to their blonde-haired counterparts. The most notable improvements are their increased speed and power, but this comes with lower defences. As a result, you’ll have to put in a fair bit of practice if you want to play SSB Goku or Vegeta. They are also not available as soon as you boot up the game – with pre-orders of Dragon Ball FighterZ giving you early access to both characters. If I were to hazard a guess as to why, it’s probably because you have to beat DBFZ’s story mode before you can play them.

Gohan

Level 1 Supers:

Ultimate Kamehameha– Gohan fires a Kamehameha diagonally upwards.

Level 3 Supers:

Father/Son Kamehameha– With Goku assisting him, Gohan fires off a giant Kamehameha. By holding down the attack button, players can use two more Super bars to make this attack even stronger.

The son of Goku and Chi-Chi, Gohan is the first half-human, half-Saiyan in the Dragon Ball series. Rather than his Child or Mystic incarnation, the Gohan playable in DBFZ is Teen Gohan, the boy who was the first to unlock the power of Super Saiyan 2 and defeat Super-Perfect Cell. Unfortunately, Gohan never really lived up to his potential following his fight with Cell, leaving a legion of fans perpetually disappointed.

What Gohan lacks in range, he makes up for in raw power and speed. He’s one of the few characters in the cast to have a Shoryuken-style move, and his fast Five Strike Combo allows him to cross the screen in the blink of an eye. As his Ultimate Kamehameha fires at an awkward angle, it’s best to Ultimate Z-Change into Gohan following an aerial combo in order to catch an opponent as they are falling back to earth. If all else fails, his Father/Son Kamehameha is the strongest Level 3 in the game so far.

Future Trunks

Level 1 Supers:

Burning Attack– Trunks performs a series of rapid hand movements before firing off a powerful energy sphere.

Level 3 Supers:

Heat Dome Attack– Trunks throws his opponent into the air, surrounds himself in a dome of energy and then fires off a massive beam to incinerate his foe.

This is where Dragon Ball’s backstory gets a bit complicated. Future Trunks is the son of Vegeta and Bulma, who comes from a timeline where the Earth has been ravaged by the androids of Dr Gero. He travels back in time to warn Goku and pals of the android menace, and then sticks around to help the gang defeat Cell before returning to the future. He travels back in time again during Dragon Ball Super to ask the Z-Fighters for help in defeating Black, an evil version of Goku. Don’t mess about with time-travel, kids.

Rather than relying solely on his fists, Future Trunks uses a sword to help him in battle. As a result, Trunks’ standard attacks reach further than other Saiyans like Goku and Vegeta, meaning he excels at the mid-range. His Lightning Sword Slash is great for setting up wallbounce combos, while his command jump is perfect for getting in and out of danger. Trunks’ damage isn’t as high as the other Saiyans, but his well-rounded moveset means that he can fit it on any team.

Krillin

Level 1 Supers:

Destructo Disc– Krillin creates a giant energy disc which he then flings at an opponent. Players can summon multiple Destructo Discs if they have more than one bar on the Super gauge.

Level 3 Supers:

Scattering Energy Wave– Krillin fires a ki blast at the enemy, which curves upwards and settles above their head. This ki cloud then rains energy blasts down on the opponent.

Goku’s training partner during the original Dragon Ball series, Krillin is a stalwart member of the Z-Fighters and the world’s strongest human. While he has taken a few breaks from martial arts to focus on his career or spend time with his wife, Android 16, and their daughter Marron, he’ll always answer a call to arms should the Earth need him. He’s also holds the honour of having died more times than any other character in the entire series. Thank God for Dragon Balls.

Being the strongest human would sound impressive normally but when you’re fighting aliens with the power to destroy entire galaxies, Krillin doesn’t quite stack up strength-wise. He’s more of a support character in DBFZ, using his various techniques to bamboozle his opponent. His Afterimage Technique forces opponents to guess which attacker is the real Krillin, while his Destructo Disc is perfect for setting up traps. He can also heal himself or allies using Senzu Beans – magical veggies that restore all stamina. Much like in the show, Krillin will usually be the first character to die in a fight.

Piccolo

Level 1 Supers:

Special Beam Cannon– Piccolo charges up this powerful spiral beam and fires it straight at his opponent. Much like Krillin’s Destructo Disc, you can hold down the Attack buttons to beef up this move.
Hellzone Grenade– Piccolo throws out a multitude of energy spheres which hang in the air. These grenades then chase the opponent and detonate on impact.

Level 3 Supers:

Light Grenade – Piccolo gathers his Ki into one energy ball. He then throws this super-powered grenade at his foe which explodes on impact.

Much like Vegeta, Piccolo was once Goku’s enemy, who eventually turned into one of his best friends. The offspring of the evil King Piccolo, Piccolo was once thought to be a demon but is actually an alien from the planet Namek. While Goku was off fighting any threat that showed up on Earth’s doorstep, Piccolo became Gohan’s mentor and surrogate father. Over the course of the series Piccolo has absorbed two other Namekians, making him really three people in one. He can also regrow any limb that he loses in battle, which is pretty, erm,handy.

While he was a real contender in the first half of Dragon Ball Z, Piccolo has become more of a tactician and less of a frontline fighter as the series has gone on. This is reflected in DBFZ, where he is more adept at slowly breaking down his opponent’s defence using his various abilities, as opposed to beating them to a pulp using raw strength. He can also stretch his regenerating limbs like Dhalsim, allowing him to grab his opponent out of the air or off the ground. Piccolo can also summon a homing energy sphere which chases enemies around the screen. His two Level 1 Supers are powerful zoning tools as well, so expect Piccolo players to be slippery customers.

Frieza

Level 1 Supers:

Death Ball –Frieza summons a large ball of purple energy, which he throws down at any opponents below him.

Level 3 Supers:

Golden Frieza –Frieza assumes his Golden form, giving him increased speed and power for a short amount of time.
Sorbet’s Ray Gun – While Golden Freiza is recovering from his transformation, hold down the Ki button to make Freiza’s loyal underling Sorbet fire a warning shot at any would-be attackers. Cost one bar of the Super gauge.
Nova Strike –Frieza surrounds himself with purple energy and then flies directly into the ground.
You must die by my hand!– Frieza fires a full-strength Death Beam up at his opponent. This Super is special in that it can only be used after Frieza has been knocked down.

As Universe 7’s local galactic emperor, Frieza is one nasty piece of work. Before he ran into Goku and the Z-Fighters, Frieza spent most of his time subjugating planets and annihilating anyone who refused to join him. He eventually met his end when Goku unlocked the power of the Super Saiyan and got Frieza to cut himself in half with his own attack. Frieza was eventually rebuilt by his father, King Cold, only to be sliced up and vaporized by Future Trunks. He was then resurrected a third time by his loyal servant Sorbet, before being knocked back into Hell by Goku. Talk about bad days at work.

In the current series of Dragon Ball Super, Frieza has been brought back to life yet again, but this time by Goku in order to help Universe 7 win the Tournament of Power. Desperate times and all that.

Rather than getting his hands dirty, Frieza prefers to toy with his opponents using his powerful ranged specials. Moves like Earth Breaker and Death Saucer allow the galactic emperor to pile on the pain at range, while Warp Smash gives him the ability to quickly close the gap and start a combo. His Death Ball is a fantastic move to Ultimate Z-Change into, and his Golden Frieza transformation makes him an even more terrifying opponent. Combine it with a Level 3 Sparking Blast, and Frieza can melt health bars, if not necessarily hearts.

Cell

Level 1 Supers:

Energy Field –Cell powers up for a second, and then releases a short range energy burst.

Level 3 Supers:

Solar Kamehameha –Cell gathers energy from the sun and fires off a giant Kamehameha at his opponent.

A bio-weapon created by Dr Gero, Cell is composed from the combined DNA of the galaxy’s greatest fighters. After absorbing his android brethern and achieving his Perfect form, Cell invited the Z-Fighters to duel him in order to determine the fate of the Earth. It all went horribly wrong for our heroes at first, as Cell managed to kill both Goku and Future Trunks without too much bother. It took the combined might of the remaining Z-Fighters, Vegeta and Super Saiyan 2 Gohan, to finally rid the planet of the green cicada monster. He currently resides in Hell, where he trains along with many of the other villains Goku and friends defeated during Dragon Ball Z.

As you can imagine given his provenance, Cell is a pretty powerful fighter. His specials allow him to cross the battlefield at great speeds which, combined with normal and ranged command grabs, make Cell a threat no matter where he is on screen. His Energy Field Super allows for plenty of Ultimate Z-Change follow-ups, too, and his standard Kamehameha can be aimed just like Goku’s. If you let Cell control the pace of the match, you’re in for a world of hurt.

Buu

Level 1 Supers:

Now Buu really…hate you!-Buu gets quite angry indeed and unleashes his rage with a giant, screen-filling explosion.

Level 3 Supers:

Turn into candy!-Buu fires off a beam which turns his opponent into a biscuit. Buu then proceeds to chow down on said biscuit.

Buu is quite possibly one of the oddest characters in the entire Dragon Ball series. Originally a monster summoned by the evil warlock Babidi, Buu eventually turned into a member of the Z-Fighters after one of the most divisive Sagas in Dragon Ball’s history. While the evil version of Buu was destroyed by a Spirit Bomb, his good half lived on and became best mates with world martial arts champion Mr. Satan. Despite looking like Mr. Blobby’s blobbier cousin, Buu is one of the strongest fighters in Universe 7.

To compliment his wacky personality, Buu has a suitably eccentric fighting style. He can pull off and fling bits of his belly at his opponents to tie them in place; he can stretch his arms out to attack far-away targets; and he can send people flying with massive cartwheels. His his Level 1 Super hits all around him, and Buu gains hyper armour when he is charging it up, meaning enemies are forced to block the attack or get hit. While his damage isn’t great, Buu shouldn’t be underestimated.

Android 18

Level 1 Supers:

Energy Wave – Android 18 teleports above her opponent and fires off a giant energy beam.

Level 3 Supers:

Accel Dance – Android 18 calls upon her brother Android 17 (or Krillin if he is on your team) and blitz the enemy with a barrage of punches and kicks. She and her partner then fire off dual beam attacks to finish off their foe.

Android 18 (real name Lazuli) is one of Dr. Gero’s killer human/robot hybrids. Kidnapped as a child along with her brother, these two were developed to kill Goku and his mates. After turning on Dr. Gero, failing to murder Goku and then being absorbed by Cell, Android 17 and 18 were wished back to life following the events of the Cell Games and became good guys. Android 18 then settled down with Krillin and the two had a daughter called Marron. Despite turning to the side of good, Android 18 remains a fearsome fighter and is currently a part of Universe 7’s team in the Tournament of Power.

Similar to R. Mika and her partner Nadeshiko in Street Fighter V, many of Android 18’s attacks have her calling on her brother to help out. Just when you think a combo is over, Android 17 will pop out of nowhere to tee up another string of attacks. One of Android 18’s specials has Android 17 standing guard while his sister continues the fight. If an opponent calls in an Assist while Android 17 is on watch, he will counter-attack and deal a fair bit of damage. Once players master her unorthodox combo structure, Android 18 will be a nightmare to fight against.

Android 16

Level 1 Supers:

Hell Flash – Android 16 activates his arm cannons and fires out a powerful energy blast.

Level 3 Supers:

Hell Flash Maximum Output– Android 16 fully charges his arm cannons and unleashes an earth-shattering beam attack.
Last Resort– Android 16 lunges forward, grabs his opponent and then blows himself up.

A prototype android modelled after Dr. Gero’s dead son, Android 16 was originally designed to kill Goku. After several tests and some failed personality programming that made 16 a gentle soul, Gero put him back in storage to be completed at a later date. Following Android 17 and 18 turning on the old doctor, they brought 16 along for the ride in their mission to kill Goku. To cut a long story short, 16 eventually gave into his innate sense of justice and tried to kill Cell by using the bomb embedded in his chest. This backfired tremendously when 16 realized that said bomb had been removed as a safety precaution, leading 16 to be blown to smithereens by Cell. His death wasn’t completely in vain though, as his sacrifice pushed Gohan over the edge and allowed him to access the power of Super Saiyan 2.

As Dragon Ball FighterZ’s resident grappler, Android 16 is all about getting in close and dunking on your opponent. With both aerial and grounded command grabs, Android 16 can deal massive damage whenever he gets an opening. He can also cancel straight into both versions of Hell Flash from any of his command grabs, so don’t get grabbed if he has meter. While it does insta-kill the opponent, Android 16’s Last Resort is very slow to start up and it converts all his remaining yellow life to blue life, meaning he dies off one clean hit. However, you are able to regenerate this blue life if you still have Sparking Blast available or are able to switch Android 16 out for another person on your team.

Tien Shinhan

Level 1 Supers:

Tri-Beam– Tien jumps into the air and fires off his signature beam attack down at the opponent.

Level 3 Supers:

Neo Tri-Beam– Tien gathers together all of his strength and lets loose with a powered up version of the Kikoho. Tien can fire off multiple blasts of the Neo Tri-Beam, but each consecutive blast drains his health.
Farewell, Tien…– Chiaotzu flies in from behind the enemy, grabs onto them and self-destructs. Can only be used once per match and it turns off Tien’s Chiaotzu assists until the match ends.

Much like Vegeta, Buu and Piccolo, Tien Shinhan was a rival of Goku who then became part of the Saiyan’s coterie of chums. A three-eyed student of the Crane School, Tien is the second strongest human behind Krillin and is probably the most serious of the Z-Fighters. Despite his relatively low power level compared to the likes of Goku and Vegeta, Tien has always been a valuable member of the Z-Fighters and was a great help in fighting both the Saiyans and the Androids – even if he got the piss beaten out of him both times. Tien’s lifelong friend Chiaotzu appears as part of Tien’s moveset, flying in to help the triclops win the day. While he may look like a cute zombie child, Chiaotzu is actually 40 years old. He’s also prone to blowing himself up if things look bleak.

Similar to Android 18 summoning her brother to help out, Tien can call on Chiaotzu during battle to help lock down the enemy. When summoned, Chiaotzu can use his telekinetic powers to briefly seal your opponent’s moves, allowing Tien to go on the offensive. Many of Tien’s moves like the Machine Gun Punch and the Volleyball Fist knock opponents into the air, giving Tien or a teammate the opportunity to follow up with an air combo. Unlike other Supers that can be enhanced by using more bars of the Super gauge, Tien can sacrifice some of his health to fire off more blasts of his Level 3, the Neo Tri-Beam. If you’re desperate to finish off a member of your opponent’s team, it may be worth the risk.

Yamcha

Level 1 Supers:

Spirit Ball – Yamcha focuses his ki into a small sphere. By controlling its trajectory, Yamcha uses the ball to bludgeon his opponent with a series of high-speed strikes.

Level 3 Supers:

Ultimate Wolf Fang Fist– Summoning his ki, Yamcha dashes towards the enemy and lets fly with a rapid series of swipes and punches. He then sends his opponent careening backwards with a powerful double palm strike.

Oh Yamcha. Dear sweet Yamcha. Yet another rival turned friend, Yamcha’s character arc is a depressing one. A proper badass during the original Dragon Ball series, this ex-desert bandit quickly became a running joke during the events of Dragon Ball Z, following his humiliating defeat at the hands of the Saibamen. Yamcha faded into the background after that, eventually giving up the martial arts to pursue a career in baseball. He’s been relegated to a joke character in Dragon Ball Super – a sad end for a character who once was able to defeat Goku in a fight.

By some miracle though, Arc System Works has managed to turn Yamcha back into a badass for Dragon Ball FighterZ. Yamcha is a close-combat specialist who excels at rushing his opponent down and overwhelming them with quick strikes. He can rapidly switch between high and low attacks, so you’ll need to be on your guard if you want to successfully block Yamcha’s onslaught.Yamcha’s Heavy attack has him doing a backflip before lunging forward, perfect for catching opponents who try to chase him down. If you need more ways to mix-up your enemy, Yamcha can control the direction of his Spirit Ball Super with a special input – making it almost impossible to block correctly.

Captain Ginyu

Level 1 Supers:

Powerful Energy Wave– Ginyu fires off a powerful purple Ki blast.By holding down the attack button, you can increase the power of this Super from a Level 1 to a Level 3.

Level 3 Supers:

Body Change Technique – Ginyu first injures himself and then fires out a body-swapping Ki ball. If it connects with the opponent, they swap characters and health bars. The player who changes into Ginyu cannot use the Body Change Technique to switch back, nor can they use any of Ginyu’s assist specials.

The leader of Frieza’s elite strike team, Captain Ginyu is less SAS commando and more Power Ranger. His Ginyu Force are like an evil version of the multi-coloured superhero squad, complete with dramatic poses and matching outfits.

First appearing in the Namek Saga, Captain Ginyu picks a fight with Goku after the rest of his team have been killed. Using his famous Body Change Technique, Ginyu is able to briefly take control of Goku’s body before accidentally switching into the body of a frog. Frog Ginyu makes it all the way back to Earth, lying in wait at the Capsule Corporation pond until Frieza’s revival by Sorbet. He finally switches bodies with Frieza’s new second-in-command Tagoma, freeing himself from his froggy prison. This freedom is short-lived, however, as he is quickly killed by Vegeta.

If you love calling in assists, Ginyu is the character for you. Rather than fighting all by his lonesome, Ginyu can summon the members of the Ginyu Force to deal damage and keep the opponent occupied. You can tell which soldier Ginyu is about to summon based on the ridiculous pose he strikes, so be prepared to memorise his dance moves. Here is a brief rundown of what each Ginyu Force member does:

Guldo (the little green man): He either appears behind Ginyu and throws a wooden spike, or he freezes the opponent in place with his telekinesis.
Recoome (the huge fella with the ginger hair): He can throw out either a powerful knee strike, fire a Ki blast from his mouth, or release a huge Ki explosion.
Jeice (the red guy with the white mane): He appears above Ginyu and flings a Crusher Ball at the opponent.
Burter (the scaly blue chap): He either flies across the top of the screen or surges forward to deliver a quick kick flurry. If you call in Burter and Jeice at the same time, they combine to perform their signature Purple Spiral Flash – a deadly energy spiral which rains down Ki blasts.

Seeing as he can act independently of his troops, always keep an eye on where Ginyu is on screen. While his Body Change Technique seems powerful, it’s a gimmick more than anything. Its long start-up makes it easy to avoid, so only expect it if the enemy Ginyu is either trying to annoy you, or is completely out of options. He looks to be the most technical fighter of Dragon Ball FighterZ’s roster, so expect to spend some time in Training Mode if you want to unlock the power of this flamboyant fighter.

Nappa

Level 1 Supers:

Giant Storm– Nappa points his fingers to the ground and then up to the sky, causing a huge explosion underneath his opponent.

Level 3 Supers:

Break Cannon – Nappa gathers a huge ball of Ki in his gob and then fires a humongous energy beam at the opponent.

One of Frieza’s lackeys and Vegeta’s former partner, Nappa was a monstrous foe during Dragon Ball Z’s Saiyan Saga. He travelled to Earth alongside Vegeta, helping the Saiyan prince in his quest to find both the Dragon Balls and the person who murdered their comrade Raditz. After blowing up a few cities and finding the Z-Fighters, Nappa kills Yamcha, Chiaotzu, Tien, and Piccolo without breaking a sweat, before having his back broken by Goku.

As a reward for his achievements, Vegeta does what any good friend would do and turns Nappa into a pile of ash. As a result of his premature death, Nappa is one of the only Saiyans in the entirety of Dragon Ball who does not attain the Super Saiyan form. He must feel really embarrassed when he has to fight children who have already perfected the transformation.

While he may not be able to go Super Saiyan, Nappa is still an absolute powerhouse. Nappa excels at making the opponent panic, and then capitalising on any weakness with his hard-hitting attacks. He’s not just brute strength though – Nappa can also summon Saibamen to help get round his opponent’s guard. After planting one of these little green guys in the ground, they will sprout up from the earth and start attacking the opponent independently. They can slide across the ground to trip the enemy up, jump behind an enemy to attack their back, or directly grab a foe and self destruct. If Nappa gets momentum with a Saibaman on the field, his offence becomes a hellish thing to defend against.

Gotenks

Level 1 Supers:

Super Kamikaze Ghost Attack – Gotenks spits out a host of explosive ghosts, which fly towards the opponent and detonate on impact.

Level 3 Supers:

Charging Ultra Volleyball– Gotenks transforms the opponent into a volleyball, punts them into the air, and then spikes them down to earth with an almighty slap.

Imagine your annoying eight-year-old cousin gained superpowers. Now imagine if your cousin and his obnoxious mate (who also has superpowers) fused together into one immensely powerful and immensely irritating being. That’s Gotenks in a nutshell.

A fusion of Goten and Trunks, this pint-sized Super Saiyan was one of the last lines of defence against the evil Super Buu. With a plethora of wacky abilities – like summoning giant yellow donuts to bind an enemy in place – Gotenks was able to go toe-to-toe with Buu, holding out until Gohan returned to Earth after his secret training. Both Goten and Trunks died after Kid Buu blew up the planet, but they were quickly revived by the Namekian Dragon Balls. Dying seems to be a way of building character in the Dragon Ball universe.

To suit his hyperactive personality, Gotenks has been designed as a gimmick-heavy rushdown fighter. Both his Miracle Super Punch and Great Special Rolling Kick are great for moving around the screen, with the heavy version of Great Special Rolling Kick allowing Gotenks to hover in the air while continuously throwing out hitboxes. Gotenks can even grab opponents from half a screen away with his Galactic Donut, knocking them into the sky for an air combo. He’s not all up-close attacks mind you – his Super Kamikaze Ghost Attack is perfect for locking the opponent down, allowing Gotenks to approach from any direction he likes. He can even delay when the ghosts start flying towards the opponent, giving you a chance to bait out of an unsafe jump.

Adult Gohan

Level 1 Supers:

Potential Unleashed– Gohan taps into his Ultimate form, boosting his damage and enhancing his specials and Supers. This Super scales in power depending on how many Super bars you devote to it, starting at Level 1 and going all the way up to Level 7. Once applied, this buff lasts until Gohan dies.

Level 3 Supers:

Bros. Kamehameha– Gohan powers up to Super Saiyan 2 to deliver a Kamehameha, along with his little brother Goten. If Goku is on your team, he also flies in to assist with this Family Kamehameha. If Gotenks is on your team, Gohan fires off an Ultimate Kamehameha by himself.

Despite spending most of his childhood fighting against intergalactic warlords and genetically modified bugmen, Gohan grows up to be quite the grounded adult. Unlike his father, Gohan goes to school and attempts to be a normal member of society – when he’s not dressing up as a superhero and fighting evil as the Great Saiyaman.

Any sense of normalcy goes out the window when Majin Buu is revived, though, as Gohan is called into battle against the malevolent marshmallow. Over the course of the arc, Gohan gets a substantial power boost while training with the Old Kai, gaining access to his Ultimate/Mystic form. Despite this power supposedly making him stronger than Super Saiyan 3, Gohan gets absorbed by Super Buu, forcing Goku to save the day. While he never lived up to his potential in the original series, Gohan is finally getting his chance to shine in Dragon Ball Super and, hopefully, in Dragon Ball FighterZ as well.

If you are moving from Teen to Adult Gohan, many of his specials are the same – just with the added bonus of Adult Gohan’s longer limbs. He has gained an overhead dash punch special, as well as a palm strike which knocks the opponent all the way to the wall.

The main difference between Teen and Adult Gohan is his Potential Unleashed Super, which powers up all of his special and Super moves. You can get all the way to Level 7 should you have enough meter, turning Gohan into the most powerful character in the game. The Potential Unleashed Super even has a blowback effect, meaning you can knock opponents into the air and start a combo if you catch them attacking. If you want to get the most out of Adult Gohan, he is best placed as the last character on a team. By carefully managing your meter and buffing him up wherever possible, you can guarantee that your final fighter will hit like a freight train.

Kid Buu

Level 1 Supers:

Human Extinction Attack– Buu raises his hand above his head, firing an energy beam into the air. The beam then splits, causing smaller energy bolts to rain down from up high.
Pearl Flash – Kid Buu beats his chest and then charges at the enemy with a flying tackle. Can only be performed in the air.

Level 3 Supers:

Planet Burst – Buu lets out a roar to stun the opponent, and then flings a planet-smashing energy sphere at them.

The final and purest form of Majin Buu, Kid Buu wants to see the whole universe destroyed. Lacking any compassion or remorse, this childish demon blows up Earth and several other planets for jokes. Kid Buu eventually makes his way to the Sacred World of the Kais, where he fights Goku (and the good version of himself) to determine the fate of the universe. Goku wins out, using a Super Spirit Bomb to finally destroy Kid Buu, and bring Dragon Ball Z to a close. Kid Buu is revived as a human boy called Uub – luckily without the appetite for universal annihilation – and is destined to become Goku’s future disciple, according to Dragon Ball Z’s epilogue.

As a being of pure malice, Kid Buu’s kit is centred around making your opponent feel helpless. Similar to Cell, Kid Buu has successfully copied the moves of many other fighters, giving him access to his own versions of moves like the Kamehameha and the Spirit Ball. His Candy Beam can turn opponents into jawbreakers, while his Mystic Ball Attack has him slamming into the enemy and bouncing off their body. You’ll need to watch out for Kid Buu’s stretchy limbs too, as he can grab opponents from out of the air, and even shoot his legs up from beneath the ground to catch you unaware. He seems to struggle up close, so get in Kid Buu’s face and never give him a chance to start his devious pressure game.

Hit

Level 1 Supers:

Death Blow– Hit performs a Time Skip and reels back for a punch. Once time resumes, the opponent is hit by a lightning-fast energy beam.
Realized Power– Hit performs a Time Skip and dash punches the opponent. A tenth of a second later, the opponent takes damage from this punch. This Super can be performed both on the ground and in the air.

Level 3 Supers:

I keep improving– Hit taps into his Full Power state and blitzes the opponent with a rapid series of punches. On the final punch, Hit stands back to reveal the Time Cage around his opponent. The Time Cage then shatters, with the opponent reeling from Hit’s assault.

A legendary assassin from Universe 6, Hit is one of the strongest fighters in the Dragon Ball canon. His immense power comes from his Time Skip ability which allows him to freeze time and then jump forward one tenth of a second. When combined with his Vital Point Attack, Hit can kill you in one punch before you even know he’s there. He’s cold and antisocial most of the time, but he’ll occasionally crack a smile if someone manages to give him a good fight.

As a close-combat specialist, Hit has no projectile attacks outside of his Death Blow Super. In return, Hit has the best grounded mobility of any character in Dragon Ball FighterZ, thanks to his Deadly Intent command dash, which has him dashing through opponents at lightning speeds. He can attack straight out of this dash, meaning Hit can mix you up eight ways to Sunday after a knock-down. Hit technically has a ranged move with his Icy Glare, which knocks opponents into the air if they stand on the trap for too long. Combine this with Hit’s ability to switch sides mid-combo, the Tides of Time which makes him briefly invulnerable and his special Time Skip counter, and you’ve got a character that can turn any grounded exchange in his favour. Expect plenty of Hit players dashing around like lunatics on launch day.

Beerus

Level 1 Supers:

Beerus Ball– Beerus creates a giant orange energy sphere and throws it at his opponent. By spending an extra Super bar, Beerus can detonate the giant Sphere of Destruction for additional damage.

Level 3 Supers:

God of Destruction’s Judgement– Beerus grabs the opponent and draws them close. Depending on the opponent’s current health, they will either be flicked away with extreme force, or turned to dust.

As Beerus is the God of Destruction for Universe 7, he is one mean kitty cat. Clocking in at several millions years old, it is Beerus’s job to destroy any planets or species that would threaten the balance of the universe. Turns out he’s not that great at his job, spending all of Dragon Ball Z asleep and letting the likes of Frieza and Majin Buu run amok.

He finally woke up at the beginning of Dragon Ball Super, coming to Earth in search of someone who was prophesied to be a worthy opponent. To cut an incredibly long story short, Beerus and his attendant Whis took a liking to Goku and friends, with Whis helping Goku and Vegeta attain the Super Saiyan Blue form. Beerus is currently stuck on the sidelines of Dragon Ball Super’s Tournament of Power, hoping that his band of warriors will come out on top against the remaining Universes 3 and 11.

Similar to Ginyu or Hit, Beerus is a character that will require a fair bit of training to master, but once people do he’ll live up to his title of God of Destruction. Beerus’s gameplan revolves around careful use of his Spheres of Destruction – stationary projectiles that the cat god can kick or shoot to certain positions on screen. He can summon up to six orbs at once, allowing him to set up minefields that the opponent is forced to deal with.

If that isn’t enough projectiles for you, Beerus’s God of Destruction’s Wrath has him firing out Ki blasts in multiple directions, forcing opponents to block or take big damage. When combined with several Spheres of Destruction on screen, this move can turn a match into a deadly game of pinball. For those who want a zoning character with a fun gimmick to experiment with, Beerus is your guy.

Goku Black

Level 1 Supers:

God Slicer Dance – Goku Black impales his opponent with several energy lances. The lances then explode, sending the opponent flying.
Holy Light Grenade – Together with his partner Zamasu, Goku Black summons a giant purple Ki ball and throws it at the opponent.

Level 3 Supers:

The Work of a God – Goku Black summons a giant energy scythe, along with several clones of himself. The clones batter the opponent before kicking them back to the real Goku Black, who cuts the opponent in half with the scythe.

No, you aren’t reading some of my Dragon Ball Z fanfiction, Goku Black is a genuine villain in Dragon Ball Super. Technically speaking, he isn’t actually Goku – he is the evil Kaioshin Zamasu who swapped bodies with Goku in an alternative timeline, in order to achieve his dream of a universe without mortals. Got it so far?

After finding a timeline where there was no God of Destruction to stop him, Goku Black put his plan into action by purging the Earth of all life. Unfortunately for him, the timeline he ended up in was that of Future Trunks’ – who wasn’t going to take Black’s plan lying down. As to not spoil the arc for anyone who is trying to get into Dragon Ball Super, I’ll just say that Future Trunks goes back in time to warn Goku and friends, they get involved with fighting Black and Zamasu, and it results in one of the best fights in Dragon Ball history.

Despite sounding like a character an angsty 11-year-old would dream up, Goku Black’s moveset is one of the coolest in Dragon Ball FighterZ. While he does retain some of Goku’s moves like the Kamehameha, Black plays a hell of a lot differently to his pure-hearted counterpart. Most of Black’s attacks use the God Slicer – the purple energy blade that he conjures round his right hand. He can use this on the ground, he can use it in the air while firing off Ki blasts, he can even transform it into different weapons for his Supers. Black can also bring in his partner Zamasu for certain moves, with the evil Kaioshin holding enemies in place while Black readies an attack. You’ll have to learn the Black matchup pretty quickly, as I expect everyone and their dad will be using him on launch day.

Android 21

Level 1 Supers:

Photon Wave – Android 21 warps into the air and charges up energy in her finger. She then fires off a powerful energy beam, which causes a explosive wave to erupt from beneath the ground.

Level 3 Supers:

Sweet Tooth – Android 21 fires off a candy beam which turns an enemy into a specific pastry, cake or sweet. She then takes a big old bite out of said confection, and then spits out her confused opponent.
Excellent Full Course – Android 21 flies towards the enemy, pinballs them round the screen and slams them into the ground. She then charges up a giant energy ball and fires it at the downed opponent. This Super can only be performed in the air.

The current leader of the Red Ribbon Army, Android 21 is a character specially created for Dragon Ball FighterZ. Once an ordinary scientist for said evil army, Android 21 is the de facto villain for the game’s Story Mode. Not only is she made up from the DNA of the galaxy’s greatest fighters like fellow android Cell, but she can absorb her enemies and gain their powers. While her bugman brother preferred to suck out his opponent’s energy via a giant stinger, Android 21 goes for the more refined option of turning her foe into cake and then gobbling them whole. Lovely.

Through the use of her Connoisseur Cut, Android 21 can absorb an opponent’s special move, dramatically expanding her moveset and combo potential. She can absorb up to four moves, two from the normal Connoisseur Cut and two from the Aerial Connoisseur Cut. If you absorb a move at the wrong time or want to switch your move order, Android 21 can reset her move queue by perform the Heavy version of her Total Detonation Ball special. Should you want to try out combos using specific absorbed specials, Dragon Ball FighterZ’s Training Mode allows players to pick the exact specials they want to test out. This unique absorption mechanic makes Android 21 one of the harder characters to play, so you’ll need to spend some time in the lab if you want to make the most out of this malevolent machine.

Dragon Ball FighterZ characters we’d like to see

In this section, we’re going to take some guesses at the characters who could potentially make it into Dragon Ball FighterZ, perhaps via DLC. They range from almost guaranteed to pretty unlikely, so don’t go making any bets on our predictions. We’ve also theorised how each character would play in Dragon Ball FighterZ, just for a bit of extra fun.

Launch

A companion of Goku, Krillin and Master Roshi in the original Dragon Ball series, Launch was a character that series creator Akira Toriyama simply forgot about. It’s a shame, as Launch would have been a welcome member of the Z-Fighters during Dragon Ball Z. She suffers from a strange disorder which has her swapping between two vastly different personalities whenever she sneezes. ‘Good’ Launch has blue hair and wouldn’t say boo to a goose. ‘Bad’ Launch has blonde-hair and would fill a goose full of hot lead if it so much as looked at her funny.

To match this personality switching, Launch would be a character with multiple forms similar to Tira in Soul Calibur V or Eyedol in Killer Instinct. In her Good form, Launch would be a keep-away character who fights by throwing household items at her opponents. Bad Launch would use her full arsenal of guns, rocket launchers and other weapons to unleash hell against her enemy. If the game falls in line with the not-particularly-progressive charaterisation of the anime, her Good Form Level 1 Super would probably see her cooking up a huge meal which either heals her friends or poisons her enemies. In her Bad Form, her Level 1 Super would see her jumping on her S-Cargo bike and perform a drive-by shooting. Whenever she uses a weapon or item-based special, there would be a chance of making Launch sneeze, triggering the form switch. Perhaps Launch would forego a Level 3 Super in exchange for another Level 1 that guarantees a form switch.

As with Hit, Launch’s inclusion depends on whether Arc System Works allows characters from the original Dragon Ball series to feature in DBFZ. There is the small problem of Launch just being a regular human going up against beings that can destroy galaxies, but her dual offensive/support moveset would make her stand out compared to yet another Saiyan.

Pikkon

The strongest warrior in Universe 7’s West Galaxy, Pikkon has never really had a chance to shine outside of the one movie and filler saga he appeared in. An honourable fighter who managed to give Goku a run for his money during the Other World Tournament, DBFZ could be Pikkon’s time to shine given that he was snubbed as a potential member of Universe 7’s squad in the Tournament of Power.

Rather than using just boring old energy blasts, though, Pikkon’s signature abilities would see him either setting himself on fire and punching his opponent to death – as you do – or shooting a giant firestorm out of his fists. Similar to Gohan, Pikkon would work best as a rushdown character who burns his opponents to a crisp before they even get a chance to retaliate. His Burning Shoot would be his Level 1 Super, which would see him launching directly at his foe and unleashing a barrage of flaming punches and kicks. He would suit a projectile Super as well, perhapsSuper Energy Bomb being a Level 1 Super akin to Vegeta’s Big Bang Attack. His Level 3 would have to be his signature Thunder Flash Attack which has him charging up and releasing a huge pillar of flame to scorch his foes.

When looking at the massive pool of potential DBZ characters to join the roster, Pikkon is probably far down Arc System Works’ list. But hopefully his unique fire-based attacks and dedicated fan following will see the proud warrior fighting alongside Goku once again.

Tambourine

The strongest of King Piccolo’s children, Tambourine loves nothing more than slaughtering humans. Whenever he’s not helping his father collect the Dragon Balls, you can bet he’s trying to kill some innocent karate master. As the first creature to start of the long-standing tradition of murdering Krillin, Tambourine was quite the villain during the King Piccolo Saga, racking up over 50 kills before his eventual demise. He was able to defeat Goku on their first encounter, but was savagely beaten and vaporised by the young boy on their second meeting. He still holds the record for the most terrifying villain named after a percussion instrument.

Based on his ruthless personality, Tambourine would likely be a frustrating foe in DBFZ. His moveset would be all about making your opponent feel helpless, with Shocker Flatline stunning opponents for a short time, and his Lick Twister acting as a long-range command grab. His wings would also allow him to float in the air, giving him time to create tricky Assist mix-ups in the corner. His Evil Cannon would be his Level 1 Super, with the demon charging up a giant laser and then spitting it out of his mouth. To finish off his opponent, his Level 3 Super would be the Sidearm Flamer, with Tambourine powering up his fist, flying towards his enemy and driving his arm straight through their waist.

While he is a push-over compared to current Dragon Ball villains, Tambourine is still one of the most menacing antagonists in the entire series. Having an original Dragon Ball villain would remind newer fans of the series’ roots and possibly get them to check out the series that started it all. In reality he’s a pipe-dream character, but he’s more likely to get in than Spike the Devil Man.