The first new characters for Season 2 of Dragon Ball FighterZ have been announced with a new trailer shared by Bandai Namco. The trailer was revealed at the conclusion of this year's Dragon Ball FighterZ World Tour tournament finals.

The characters joining the Dragon Ball FighterZ roster in 2019 include Jiren from Dragon Ball Super and Videl from Dragon Ball Z. Both characters will be available beginning January 31.

Jiren is the strongest elite Pride Trooper that fought against Goku in the Universe Survival Saga from Dragon Ball Super. Videl is the daughter of Mr. Satan, the world's strongest martial artist and "Savior of the World," and Gohan's wife.

Along with Jiren and Videl, the recent film version of Broly as well as Super Saiyan Blue Gogeta will be coming to the fighting game soon. While no release date for these two characters has been announced, it seems that we can expect to see them in the not too distant future.

Dragon Ball FighterZ was released last year to critical acclaim, winning numerous awards, including "best fighting game" at last year's Game Awards. It has shipped over 3.5 million copies since October of last year.

We have Majin Buu and Kid Buu, so why don't we get Super Buu. After his evil counterpart absorbs Majin Buu, the latter transformed to this powerful being. 

Let's not go with the plain vanilla version of Super Buu, let's have him in his absorbed Gohan form.

This version of the character not only has all of Gohan and Gotenk's moves, he's also able to combine the attacks into powerful mega-skills.

It took Goku and Vegeta to form Vegito to take him head-on, so imagine what would happen if he took on Super Saiyan Blue Goku and Vegeta.

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Which characters would you like to see join the Dragon Ball FighterZ roster? Let us know in the comments below!

Brianne de Chateau is a unique character from Universe 2.

She's a skilled fighter who can turn into a much larger version of herself, called Ribrianne. In this form, she's able to keep up with both Android 17 and 18. The later of the two can match Super Saiyan Vegeta and Super Saiyan Blue Goku.

With her Pretty Cannon and Heart Arrows of Love, she's Dragon Ball's answer to Sailor Moon.

Also, her English voice actor by the OG voice of Ash Ketchum, Veronica Taylor. Pokemon and Dragon Ball? How much more '90s can you get with your anime?

Master Roshi maybe an old perv, but acquired a lot from his years of fighting. 

From bulking up with Hulk-like muscles and holding his own against multiple opponents in the Tournament of power, this old coot even invented the trademark Kamehameha technique.

The man who taught Goku and Krillen nearly everything about fighting needs to be on this list. There's no excuse for him not being in the roster. Could we see him this year?

The first female Saiyan introduced, Caulifla comes to us all the way from universe 6. She's a leader of a group Saiyan punks, who won't back down from a challenge. 

This girl was able to hold her own against a bunch of combatants from the Tournament of Power,  especially Goku. He even taught her how to turn Super Saiyan 2. That alone should earn her spot on the upcoming roster.

A filler character appearing in the Other World Tournament, Pikkon was the strongest fighter in the southern area of Universe 7.

The alien of unknown origin was able to make short work of Frieza, the Ginyu Force, and Cell. The later villain killed Goku only a few episodes before Pikkon's first appearance.

His Hyper Tornado attack and Thunder Flash Attack gave Goku a beating in the tournament, and you'd be able to give your foe's one with this fighter.

Let's face it: We're probably going to get both Super Saiyan God Goku and Vegeta. After getting the base forms of Goku and Vegeta, it's pretty safe to say that we'll get the god forms of the two iconic Saiyans.

It's especially true with the two forms making appearances in the recent Broly. To be fair, the Super Saiyan God forms of the two do have a decent amount of powers to use.

From the yellow Big Bang Attack to Goku being able to stop his opponents, it's easy to make this from playable.

Janemba was the main villain from the 12th film, Fusion Reborn. He started as a giant, child-like blob. Similar to Majin Buu, he eventually turned into a twisted demonic fighter.

Janemba's teleportation ability and swordplay made him more than a challenge for both SSJ3 Goku and Vegeta. 

In the right hands, this character could be a destructive force.

It's hard to believe that Dragon Ball FighterZ is a year old. The excellent 2D fighter managed to capture the look and feel of the fan-favorite anime perfectly, while also catering to both newcomers and fighting game veterans.

With the recent world tournament, it has been confirmed that there will be a second season pass. So, there isn't a better time to speculate and hope for specific characters from the series will make it into FighterZ.

Here are a few characters we would love to see in the future.

It looks like fans of Dragon Ball Z have plenty to look forward to this year in the gaming arena. Not only can they expect updates to Dragon Ball Fighter Z, which include the introduction of the Warrior from Universe 11, but there is also a new Dragon Ball Z action RPG in the works.

The new project, currently titled Dragon Ball Game Project Z Action RPG, was teased first on the V Jump Twitter account and later shared by Bandai Namco.

The Microsoft translation of V Jump's tweet is a bit shaky, but it seems to promise a large universe. Bandai Namco's tweet promises that the game will focus on the "world of Dragon Ball Z." 

As fans of the manga and anime can confirm, that's a pretty vast universe — not just covering a landscape that always seems to have more land to explore every time you turn around, but also a large array of different worlds and dimensions. Depending on the scope of the game, players may find themselves exploring everything from Earth to Namek to the various dimensions of the afterlife.

Of course, we really can't tell exactly how this will all shake out based on two little tweets, and we will have to wait until the developers are ready to share more information with us on the game. But it will be interesting to see if the upcoming action RPG consists of new adventures or is a retelling of the stories fans of the series are already so familiar with.

The only thing that does seem confirmed — in the V Jump tweet anyway — is that Goku will be in it. 

Black Friday is just around the corner, and of course, that means it's time to start planning your shopping list. With so many retailers and so many games to choose from, it's difficult to know just where to start. Except when you have our handy Black Friday 2018 guide at your fingertips!

We've put together a list of the major retailers' upcoming Black Friday sales including console sales and price drops, and we've broken them down by price and platform, making your Black Friday shopping easier than ever before.

Walmart

Walmart's putting out a variety of deals this year, including the $199.99 PS4 Spider-Man bundle. But, there are plenty of other smaller deals the retail giant's offering, and here are some of the best ones. Not all items in the ad are available online, so in-store would be your best bet, and the sale is good for Thanksgiving night and Black Friday only.

Consoles

• Xbox One X, 1TB: $399.00 ($70.00 off all other XB1X bundles)
• Xbox One S, 1TB Minecraft Bundle: $299.00 (All other XB1S bundles priced at $229.00)
• Nintendo Switch, Neon Joy-Con, Mario Kart 8 Bundle: $299.00

$35 Games

PlayStation 4

• Soul Caliber VI
• We Happy Few
• Assassin's Creed: Odyssey

Nintendo Switch

• Xenoblade Chronicles 2
• ARMS
• Kirby Star Allies
• The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
• FIFA 19

Xbox One

• Sea of Thieves
• For Honor: Marching Fire
• Forza Horizon 4

$25 Each

PlayStation 4

• God of War
  
• Call of Duty: WWII
• Detroit: Become Human

Nintendo Switch

• Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
  
• Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
• Rocket League

Xbox One

• Far Cry 5

$17 Games

PlayStation 4

• Diablo III
• Monster Hunter: World

Nintendo Switch

• LEGO Worlds
• South Park: The Fractured But Whole

Nintendo 3DS/2DS

• Super Mario 3D Land
  
• The Legend of Zelda: Link Between Worlds
• Animal Crossing: New Leaf--Welcome Amiibo

Target

Target's Black Friday ad is huge, but it's game selection isn't quite so impressive. Still, you can pick up some good deals on hot titles and older favorites.

Consoles

• PlayStation 4, 1TB, Spiderman Bundle: $199.99
• PlayStation VR Bundle (includes Creed: Rise to Glory and SuperHot VR): $249.99; save $100.00 on all other PSVR bundles

$35.00 Games

PlayStation 4

• Soul Caliber VI
  
• NHL 19

Xbox One

• Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
  
• Sea of Thieves
• Forza Horizon 4

$25.00 Games

PlayStation 4

• Call of Duty: WWII
• God of War
• Detroit: Become Human
• Dragon Ball FighterZ

Nintendo Switch

• Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
  
• Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
• Nickelodeon Kart Racers

Xbox One

• Far Cry 5
• LEGO The Incredibles

$15 Games

PlayStation 4

• The Evil Within 2
• Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
• DOOM
• Overwatch

Xbox One

• Star Wars Battlefront II
  
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
• PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG)

Miscellaneous

• Starlink: Battle for Atlas Nintendo Switch Starter Pack: $39.99

Best Buy

The tech king's putting on some pretty good sales this year, including console bundles. These sales start Thanksgiving night and continue into Black Friday.

Consoles

• PlayStation 4, 1TB, Spiderman Bundle: $199.99
• Xbox One S, 1TB, Minecraft Bundle: $199.99
• Nintendo Switch, Neon Joy-Con, Mario Kart 8 Bundle: $299.99
• Nintendo 2DS Super Mario Maker Edition: $79.99

$29.99 Games

PlayStation 4

• Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
• FIFA 19
• Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider
• LEGO DC Super Villains
• Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker

Nintendo Switch

• LEGO DC Super Villains
  
• Hello, Neighbor
• Overcooked! 2
• Nickelodeon Kart Racers
• Dragon Ball FighterZ

Nintendo 3DS

• Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

XBox One

• FIFA 19
  
• Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
• LEGO DC Super Villains
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider
• Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker
• For Honor: Marching Fire

Save $20 on Select Switch Games

• Donkey Kong Country Returns: Tropical Freeze
• Kirby Star Allies
• Bayonetta 2
• Valkyria Chronicles 4
• Scribblenauts Mega Pack

GameStop

As usual, GameStop offers a wide variety of discounts and deals, including a buy 2 get 1 free on all preowned products from November 23-26.

Consoles

• PlayStation 4 Pro, 1TB: $349.99
• PlayStation 4, 1TB: $199.99
• $100 off all PSVR headsets
• Xbox One S, 1TB: $299.99
• Xbox One S, 1TB, Middle Earth: Shadow of War Bundle: $299.99
• Xbox One S, 500GB: $189.99

$30 Games

PlayStation 4

• Persona 5
• Yakuza 0
• LEGO Ninjago Movie

XBox One

• F1 2017: Special Edition
  
• Project Cars 2

$25 Games

PlayStation 4

• Dragon Quest Heroes II
  
• NieR: Automata

Xbox One

• The Witcher III: Wild Hunt Complete Edition
  
• Tekken 7
• Dirt 4

$20 Games

PlayStation 4

• Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 Remix
  
• Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8: Final Chapter Prologue
• Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
• Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood
• World of Final Fantasy
• Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
• Knack II
• Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration Edition
• Horizon: Zero Dawn
• Everybody's Golf

Xbox One

• Dead Alliance
  
• Cities: Skylines
• Golf Club 2
• LEGO City Undercover
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

$15 Games

PlayStation 4

• Dishonored: Death of the Outsider
• Borderlands: The Handsome Collection
• The Last of Us

Xbox One

• Wolfenstein: The Two Pack
• MS Vs ATV Supercross Encore 2017 Track Edition

Save $20

Xbox One

• Cars 3: Driven to Win
  
• NHL 18
• Halo Wars 2
• Forza Motorsport 7

Save $10

PlayStation 4

• Batman: The Telltale Series--The Enemy Within
  
• NBA 2K18

Xbox One

• Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
  
• LEGO Worlds
• Super Lucky's Tale
• Disneyland Adventures
• Outlast Trinity

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That's it for now, but be sure to check back for more sales updates as they become available. And if you're looking for what to get for the young ones on your list this year, check out our family-friendly buying guides.

• Best PS4 Games for Kids 2018
• Best Nintendo Switch Games for Kids 2018
• Best Xbox One Games for Kids 2018
• Best PC Games for Kids 2018

Nintendo going the Direct route for E3 these past few years has been a strange ride, but fans can always count on E3 Directs to have two things: Some anticipated reveals, and a lot of gameplay.

Though today's biggest Nintendo announcements were Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and the Fortnite launch, they did reveal a number of other ambitious projects that can find a home in most Switch libraries.

Out of all of Nintendo's showings today, I am most excited to see Kenichiro Tsukuda's DAEMON X MACHINA in action as it's been a long time since we've seen a mecha game from Armored Core's backbone producer. And the Macross guy doing the mecha designs? Yeah, I'll take that.

DAEMON X MACHINA may be my most hyped game out of this Direct, but chances are you're excited about any of the other great titles shown during the conference.

There's something for everyone in Nintendo Direct E3 2018!

Fire Emblem Three Houses trailer

It's been how long since Fire Emblem has seen a release on a home console? Ah, that's right: It's been 10 years since Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn was released on the Wii.

Fire Emblem Three Houses looks to be the most graphically/technically impressive game in the series yet. Look for its release in Spring 2019.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2: "Torna -- The Golden Country" trailer

The only expansion in Nintendo's lineup this E3, "Torna -- The Golden Country" is set 500 years before the events in Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

"Torna" won't just be a story expansion; it will also feature tweaks to the battle system, allowing you to play as both Blades and Drivers in combat. This is a sure buy for fans, look for it on the Nintendo Switch on September 21.

DAEMON X MACHINA trailer

We need more mecha games these days. Fact.

DAEMON X MACHINA from Marvelous! is headed by Armored Core producer Kenichiro Tsukuda, with designs from Macross's Shoji Kawamori, not to mention the other talent involved. It will be making its way to the Nintendo Switch in 2019.

Super Mario Party trailer

The Mario Party games have come in a lot of numbers, but none of them have had "Super" in the name.

Super Mario Party will be able to make use of two Switch consoles for unique four-player gameplay and minigames. For the first game in the series to be Super, you've got to assume Nintendo is confident in this entry to their long-running party game series. Expect to see this one on the Switch this fall on October 5!

Overcooked 2 trailer

Overcooked has swiftly taken over as one of the go-to co-op games for many, so it makes sense for developer Ghost Town Games to keep the ball rolling with a sequel.

Overcooked 2 will feature more recipes, kitchens, and chefs to keep returning players engaged -- and if that wasn't enough, the game will also come with online multiplayer. There's no such thing as too many cooks.

Along with all of the above, Nintendo showed the following games briefly during today's Direct:

• Hollow Knight (2018)
• Fortnite (Today)
• Killer Queen Black (Winter 2018)
• SNK Heroines (September 7)
• Octopath Traveler (July 13)
• Dragon Ball FighterZ (2018)

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And that's it! Everything you need to know about the great games shown at Nintendo's E3 Direct! 

As always, stay tuned to GameSkinny for more news and information on these titles as they develop. 

Frantic, super-powered, 3v3 mayhem is on tap with Dragon Ball FighterZ as players duke it out for online supremacy! In terms of art aesthetics and base gameplay, we're calling it -- this game will be one of the best fighters of the year.

Unfortunately, some of the mechanics are less amazing, like the malfunctioning ring matches (still) or lack of explanation on certain topics. One of those unknown topics is the square color assigned to every player and shown during a match.

Separate from both rank and player rank, these seemingly random colors have left the fanbase wondering what each square is meant to signify. Wonder no longer -- we figured out the Dragon Ball colored squares mystery!

 Color Rank Squares (thanks to DBZenkai for the screenshot)

Dragon Ball FighterZ Colored Squares Explanation

All players start at one color and gradually move up or down a scale according to wins and losses. A white square is where everyone starts out as they first begin engaging in online matches.

After either winning or losing five battles, you then get assigned your very own color square. Going higher up on the list means you win more than you lose, while going lower indicates more losses than wins.

In other words, you probably don't want to face off against a Red/Purple player unless you are supremely confident in your abilities. The Blue/Light Blue end of the spectrum, on the other hand, basically says, "I'm terrible at this game, please beat me senseless and earn some free BP."

 Dragon Ball FigherZ Color Square Explanation Grid

Moving up or down the rank depends partially on what rank you are fighting as well. Beating Red ranks moves you up quicker, while beating Blue ranks doesn't increase your color nearly as quickly.

Oddly, in some cases the block remains white for more than the first five battles. It's unclear if this has something to do with the connection problems where people drop out unexpectedly from an online match (so it doesn't count towards your total), or if something has changed in the algorithm and you stay white longer than five matches at this point. Expect this issue to get ironed out or clarified with the next patch.

Still trying to up your game and improve your Saiyan combat skills? Check out our character list and tier rankings here to put together the best 3 vs. 3 team and start increasing your square color rank!

One of the most unique mechanics in Dragon Ball FighterZ is the ability to have Shenron help you turn the tables in a close fight, and much like in the show, it revolves around the dragon balls.

Dragon balls can be acquired in one of two ways by other players so you don't have to build an individual stock, and both ways require you to perform combos. Depending on the number of hits in your combo, you'll be rewarded with X amount of dragon balls. The dragon ball number you get corresponds to the 'tens' digit in your combo. For example, you can grab DB #7 with a 70+ hit combo, #6 with a 60-69 hit combo, and so on and so forth.

If you're having problems landing the big ticket money, never fear. You can also use the full light attack auto combo, which will grant you a dragon ball at random. While this will prevent you from choosing which you get specifically, it's a good backup option if you aren't feeling confident in your combos.

The final piece of the puzzle is to build seven bars of super meter. If all dragon balls are on the board, regardless of who originally earned them, the next auto light attack combo will summon the man himself and grant you one of four wishes.

"Restore My Health!" - Brings your current character to full HP

"Make Me Immortal!" - Heals all regenerating health for your entire team and adds a restore function to your super meter, which fills it automatically

"Bring Back My Ally!" - Revives a team member with 20% of their HP

"Give Me The Ultimate Power!" - Adds a second charge to your Sparking Blast and fills your ki gauge to max

Think of Shenron as a tool and not a goal. If the opportunity arises where you're able to summon him without putting yourself at any great risk, go for it. Keep in mind, however, that Shenron isn't an auto win, but if you play it smart and know when to pull the trigger, the dragon might just save your ass.

Having released only about two weeks ago, Dragon Ball FighterZ has already become a massive success in the fighting game community and even secured a spot at Evo 2018! Since the day of launch, modders have been busy at work trying to put together mod packs to help change the way the game looks, sounds, and feels.

I've spent hours testing out dozens of these mods. Some are good, and others are very, very bad. If you're looking for a list of the best and most complete Dragon Ball FighterZ mods to date, I've got you covered.

SSGSS Vegeta

Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan, more commonly known as Super Saiyan Blue, is one of the most visually pleasing Saiyan forms in all of Dragon Ball.

This mod brings the SSGSS form of Vegeta to Dragon Ball FighterZ. In its latest version, 2.2, the mod had a significant update that added color to SSGSS Vegeta's aura and particles. A lot of these mods are released unfinished (including this one), but this is one of the few Vegeta mods that comes with updated auras.

SSGSS Vegeta is unlocked in Dragon Ball FighterZ organically by earning an A in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber Course (Hard) in Arcade Mode. This course is hidden until you beat the standard Hyperbolic Time Chamber Course. A lot of people are saying this mod does a better job of portraying SSGSS Vegeta to Dragon Ball Super, in terms of hair and costume, than Dragon Ball FighterZ itself does.

Download the SSGSS Vegeta mod for Dragon Ball FighterZ here.

Gohan Blanco (White Gohan)

Gohan Blanco is a popular meme in Dragon Ball culture. Often referred to as "Godhan" due to the white hair, Gohan unlocked his highest potential in the 88th episode of Dragon Ball Super. It was one of the most anticipated moments for fans of the series.

This mod is very complete, offering a Blanco form for all 12 of Gohan's skins in Dragon Ball FighterZ. There's even a Blanco form for Gohan's clone. The author of the mod put a lot of attention to detail into these reskins, and it's one of my favorite mods so far.

Download the Gohan Blanco mod for Dragon Ball FighterZ here.

Uganda Knuckles

Clearly a more fun and less serious mod of the bunch, Uganda Knuckles jumps from VRChat to Dragon Ball FighterZ in this modded skin for Gohan.

The author of this mod confesses that the model import for Uganda Knuckles isn't his best work. With the rising popularity of the mod, that's being worked on as we speak. The mod is still completely functional in its current state, and maybe even the "trashy" (as they described it) nature of the visuals lends even more to the hilarity of it.

Download the Uganda Knuckles mod for Dragon Ball FighterZ here.

Chrono Trigger Trunks

Old-school Dragon Ball and SNES fans are really going to like this one. It's been in the air for a while now that Trunks vaguely resembles Crono, the main protagonist from what many will say is the best JRPG of all time. The purple hair is the most noticeable difference, and this mod changes that.

This mod adds the option to change Trunk's fourth costume color to resemble a skin with Cronos' hair and costume from the SNES classic Chrono Trigger.

Download the Chrono Trigger Trunks mod for Dragon Ball FighterZ here.

Purple Heart's OST Pack

Unlike the rest of the list, this is one of the earliest and most complete music packs for Dragon Ball FighterZ. This mod will change several themes in the game to popular songs from the Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super anime series.

Here's just a few of the changes to music in the game:

• Main: Cha-La Head-Cha-La
• Character Select: Resume (Buu Saga)
• Cell Games: Song used during Cell Games (DBZ)
• Space: Bardock's theme (DBZ)
• Hit: Hit's theme (DBS)
• Goku: Super Saiyan theme (used in the Cooler OVA)

Any Dragon Ball Z fans will get a nostalgic kick out of this OST pack. A few of the songs (like the one previewed in the video above) are also fan-made remixes. All of them are really high quality.

Download the Purple Heart's OST Pack mod for Dragon Ball FighterZ here.

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Installing mods for the PC version of Dragon Ball FighterZ is very simple and usually just requires dragging and dropping an archive (or set of files) into a folder in the game's directory. If you go to the referenced download link for each mod, there are instructions on how to install. If you're having any issues, you can feel free to ask in the comments below, and I'll do my best to help you out.

Check out some of our other Dragon Ball FighterZ content:

• Dragon Ball FighterZ Guide: All Special Event Combinations
• 5 Dragon Ball Characters Who Should Be DLC for Dragon Ball FighterZ
• No Rooms Found Fix for Dragon Ball FighterZ

Dragon Ball FighterZ has a great Story Mode with a series of hidden cut-scenes that reveal even more plot points. If you're a fan of the Dragon Ball lore and want to know more about the special link between certain characters, then take your time and trigger these link events in all the story arcs.

In order to unlock some of these Dragon Ball FighterZ special events, you will need to bond certain characters on certain maps (indicated by the "+" sign), while others are unlocked when you pit certain characters against each other (indicated by the "vs." sign). Don't worry if you didn't manage to unlock them upon your first try -- you can always go back and do them again.

In any case, follow the guide below to unlock all the possible special events in Dragon Ball FighterZ.

All Special Event Combinations in Super Warrior Arc

• Goku + Vegeta + Gotenks
• Goku + Gohan + Piccolo
• Goku + Vegeta vs. Frieza (Map 11-13 only)
• Goku + Vegeta vs. Clone Kid Buu
• Goku + Gohan vs. Cell (Map 11 & 12 only)
• Gotenks + Gohan
• Gohan + Piccolo vs. Nappa (Map 11-13 only)
• Vegeta + Tien vs. Nappa (Map 11-13 only)
• Goku + Krillin + Yamcha
• Gohan + Buu vs. Clone Kid Buu
• Goku + Buu vs. Clone Kid Buu
• Vegeta + Piccolo
• Gohan + Krillin vs. Captain Ginyu (Map 11-13 only)
• Krillin + Yamcha
• Yamcha + Tien
• Goku + Tien vs. Clone Piccolo
• Goku vs. Clone Goku
• Vegeta vs. Clone Vegeta
• Gohan vs. Clone Gohan
• Gotenks + Buu
• Vegeta (SSGSS) vs. Cell (Map 11 & 12 only)
• Gohan + Krillin vs. Android 16 (Map 08 boss fight only)
• Goku (SSGSS) vs. Captain Ginyu + Frieza (Map 12 only)
• Piccolo + Yamcha
• Vegeta + Gotenks + Piccolo
• Vegeta + Gohan
• Goku + Yamcha vs. Frieza (Map 11-13 only)
• Gotenks + Tien
• Piccolo + Krillin
• Vegeta + Buu
• Vegeta + Krillin vs. Clone Kid Buu
• Goku (SSGSS) vs. Clone Kid Buu
• Vegeta (SSGSS) vs. Frieza (Map 11-13 only)
• Piccolo vs. Clone Piccolo
• Krillin vs. Clone Krillin
• Yamcha vs. Clone Yamcha
• Tien vs. Clone Tien

All Special Event Combinations in Enemy Warrior Arc

• Captain Ginyu + Frieza
• Nappa + Captain Ginyu vs. Clone Vegeta
• Frieza + Cell vs. Goku (Map 05 only)
• Captain Ginyu + Frieza + Cell
• Vegeta + Captain Ginyu
• Goku + Captain Ginyu
• Goku + Cell
• Gohan + Captain Ginyu
• Gotenks + Captain Ginyu
• Goku + Vegeta + Frieza
• Tien + Nappa
• Yamcha + Nappa
• Vegeta + Nappa vs. Clone Goku
• Gotenks + Nappa
• Krillin + Cell vs. Android 16 (Map 09 boss fight only)
• Goku + Majin Buu + Frieza
• Majin Buu + Cell vs. Clone Kid Buu
• Gotenks + Frieza
• Gohan + Cell
• Piccolo + Frieza
• Tien + Cell
• Goku + Frieza
• Nappa vs. Clone Nappa
• Goku + Vegeta + Piccolo
• Frieza vs. Clone Frieza
• Cell vs. Clone Cell
• Goku + Yamcha + Tien
• Nappa + Cell
• Vegeta + Krillin
• Captain Ginyu vs. Clone Captain Ginyu

All Special Event Combinations in Android 21 Arc

• Goku + Android 21
• Piccolo + Android 21
• Android 18 vs. Clone Cell
• Vegeta + Gotenks + Android 21
• Gohan + Android 18 + Android 21
• Majin Buu + Android 21
• Krillin + Yamcha
• Piccolo + Tien + Android 21
• Android 18 vs. Clone Vegeta
• Android 16 + Android 18
• Android 18 + Android 21 vs. Clone Frieza
• Android 16 vs. Clone Goku
• Yamcha + Android 18

Once you've unlocked all of the special links in Dragon Ball FighterZ, you have access to the entire story arc of the game.

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That is it for all the special event combinations guide, and for many other Dragon Ball FighterZ guides here at GameSkinny, be sure to check out the list below:

• No Rooms Found Fix
• Android 21 Maijin Guide
• Complete Character Tier List & Rankings

Vegito

When Goku and Vegeta's powers aren't enough to get the job done and they have no choice, the two will use the power of the Potara earrings to fuse and become Vegito, a super cocky warrior who possesses Goku and Vegeta's powers, plus some more. Along with the Kamehameha wave, Big Bang Attack, and the ability to go both Super Saiyan and Super Saiyan Blue, Vegito also has his mighty Spirit Sword and the powerful Final Kamehameha attack at his disposal. No questions needed as to why this fused warrior needs to be in this game. 

Master Roshi

The pervy, old sage that taught Goku and Krillin everything they know about martial arts deserves a spot on the FighterZ rooster. He's shown to be able to stand up against Frieza's forces and held his own for a while in the Universe Survival Saga in Super, so he can still go toe-to-toe with these super power combatants. He may be old and a human, but he's still got a trick or two up his sleeves ... and a dirty magazine too.  

Broly

The most recognized and popular of all of DBZ's movie villains, Broly is one of the most powerful opponents Goku and gang have ever faced. Sure, he's not the deepest villain, but he's basically the DBZ version of the Hulk: the madder he gets, the stronger he becomes. From his powerful Eraser Cannon energy blasts to his energy shield he uses as a weapon to rush towards his opponents, there's a reason why Broly is the Legendary Super Saiyan and got his own trilogy of films. 

Caulifia

The first female Saiyan that can turn Super Saiyan, Caulifia has already won fans' hearts with her cocky attitude and tomboy spirit. She might not have as many signature moves as Goku and the gang, but her Crush Cannon is something to watch out for. Cross your fingers for her to get a chance in the spotlight for FighterZ. Just check her out and see for yourself:

Jiren the Grey

For all those that haven't been keeping up with Dragon Ball Super online, just know that Goku and the Z-Fighter are competing in a tournament to keep their Universe alive, and they have their hands full with Jiren, an opponent that easily took Goku on and beat him in a one-on-one duel. His power is said to nearly rival the mighty Beerus, and it's taking Goku and Vegeta working together to stand a chance. 

He's become a fan favorite antagonist, and it will be interesting to see how the alien who defeated a Super Saiyan Blue (even with Kaioken 20X) would play in this latest DBZ epic.

Dragon Ball FighterZ was recently released, and critics as well as fans agree that it's spectacular. It's already contender for best fighting game of 2018 and easily the best DBZ game to come out in years. But, knowing DBZ's large cast of characters, there's no way that developer Arc System Works was able to put everyone's favorite side character/movie villain in the final product. So, like many other devs, ASW will obviously listen to fan feedback to decide which characters to bring out in the form of DLC. 

As a fan of both the show and FighterZ, here's just a few characters that I personally would love to see ASW add in at a later date. If you have a character you want to see that's not here, leave a comment below. With that said, let's begin.

Launch days for online competitive games always seem to land with more than a few bumps these days, and sadly that is also the case with Dragon Ball FighterZ today.

Everyone is wondering how to play with friends, as there's not a lot of great information in the game itself on hooking up with fellow Dragon Ball Z fanatics to get some matches going.

Dragon Ball FighterZ - How To Play With Friends

After accessing the online mode of the game, to start a match with a friend, you need to make sure you've both joined the same lobby in the same region. These lobbies max out at 64 players, so choose one with a low number of connected players if you have a group wanting to join.

At the moment, this whole process is further complicated for PS4 players; the PlayStation Network is undergoing maintenance this morning, so many on the Sony side can't access online matches at all, creating a sad launch for this killer fighting game.

 This is the face a lot of people are making trying to connect today.

Once you are in the same lobby in the same geographical region, the next step is to either create a new ring match yourself or to join the ring match your friend already set up by walking to their section of the chibi map and bringing up the menu.

Tap R2 (or right trigger on Xbox One) to access the ring settings menu and make a new match if no one else has started one yet. Here you can set a password on the match if you want with a numeric code between 0000 and 9999 that your friends need in order to join the battle.

Solving No Rooms Found Error

Even if you are able to log into Steam, Xbox Live, or the PlayStation Network and get into a lobby with your friends, there's still a potential issue.

The first major problem is that people are frequently getting a "no rooms found" error when trying to join a match with friends, even if they have the password and are in the same lobby.

 This has been a constant, vexing error all morning long.

Two main issues are causing this problem right now. The first is that whoever sets up the ring match is setting the number of players allowed at too low a threshold. In the ring settings menu, make sure to select the option for up to 8 players so everyone can get in.

The second issue is a typical Day One launch problem, as lobbies and match making aren't quite working properly. About half of players can fix this issue simply by restarting the game entirely by exiting the application (not just switching to the dashboard).

If that doesn't work, completely restart your console instead and then join the same lobby again with a new ring match. Make sure you aren't just going into low power mode by pressing the power button but instead actually selecting the menu option to fully restart the Xbox One or PS4 console.

Unfortunately, for many players the issue will start happening again after the match is over, even if the restart resolves the problem.

If we come across a surefire fix for the issue, we'll update this article, but for now it appears we've just got to wait on a patch from the developer for a 100% permanent solution to the No Rooms Found Dragon Ball FighterZ error. It looks like your plans for beating up friends all Friday night will have to be put on hold for a few hours (or potentially even days).

 Hopefully soon this will be you!

When you are finally able to get in and unleash all those devastating combos on your buddies, be sure to check out our other Dragon Ball FighterZ guides:

• Complete Dragon Ball FighterZ Character Tier Rankings
• Android 21 Fighter Guide

More than 20 characters are up for grabs in the 3-vs-3 brawler Dragon Ball FighterZ, including an entirely new one created just for this game's story line.

Only available to unlock after you conclude the story mode in full, Android 21 is a very different type of fighter, focused on mid-range domination but capable of absorbing enemy attacks for extreme versatility.

Below is a complete listing of the Android 21 move list, along with some tips for how to best utilize this new character in the frenzied Dragon Ball FighterZ matches.

Android 21 Combos

A unified combo scheme is utilized in Dragon Ball FighterZ, so all characters have the same basic controls to launch their special combo moves.

Try practicing Android 21's combos in training mode so you can see how they function differently from the other characters and can be used to break enemy combos or push the opponent back.

While she isn't your currently selected fighter, Android 21 can be called on for an assist that launches a smaller version of the Total Detonation Ball to hit an enemy at range while preparing for the next bout of melee attacks.

Hors d’Oeuvre Stab should be your go-to damage dealer, and when launched properly, it can even stop an opponent's aerial combo dead in its tracks. The heavy attack version combined with a super dash in particular can be deadly.

Total Detonation Ball changes based on which type of attack you use for the combo. The medium attack version angles upwards so you can hit someone in the air, while the heavy attack version flies faster (but it also discharges your absorbed special move from Connoisseur Cut).

Connoisseur Cut and Aerial Connoisseur Cut are Android 21's game-changing abilities, as successfully landing the attack allows her to absorb a special ability from the opponent. Launching the same Connoisseur Cut combo will then use the special attack instead, which will vary depending on which enemy you hit.

You can potentially hold up to four special absorbed moves, gained by using Connoisseur Cut or Aerial Connoisseur Cut either on the ground or in the air. In essence, this makes Android 21 a chameleon character that can launch an opponent's attacks back at them, which drastically changes how Android 21 plays based on who you are fighting against.

 Yeah, you can cover the screen in fire with Android 21's crazy move list!

Android 21 Supers

These super combos are only available when your bar has been fully charged by getting in hits or performing other special moves first. The first ability, Photon Wave, requires only one full bar, while the other two Android 21 super moves require three full bars to utilize, with one available on the ground and the other in the air.

Keep in mind that Photon Wave attacks in a diagonal line pattern from your current position to the edge of the screen, so if the enemy is directly beneath or slightly behind you, it won't hit when you leap in the air. Since you teleport upwards to launch the attack, that super move is best used when the enemy is on the ground or it can actually miss.

Sweet Tooth does less damage than you might expect for a three bar super, but it's also one of the only abilities in the entire game that allows a character to recover health, making it incredibly useful in close matches.

     Eating an opponent is an interesting way to win a match ...

Have any other tips and tricks for winning a round with Android 21 that have worked well? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to check out our complete Dragon Ball FighterZ character tier list and rankings here before you try out any other character combinations!

Fighting game fans are about to get spoiled very, very early this year as Dragon Ball FighterZ is destined to make a whole lot of year-end lists when 2018 finally wraps up.

A large number of characters from the anime series are available at launch with fast paced, 3v3 matches available in story, arcade, or multiplayer modes. It's clear Fighter Z is a labor of love from the developers, who absolutely nailed the feel of the Dragon Ball Z while interweaving elements from the anime into the gameplay.

From the color palette to the combo scheme and the sound effects, there's just not much that Dragon Ball FighterZ does wrong. Let's face it: letting you throw a guy through a couple of mountain ranges (ouch) or fill the screen with blazing blue fire is fun in its own right, but even better when it's Dragon Ball.

 Fighter Z doesn't lack series character diversity

Fighter Z is a Head Banging Anime Wonder

Dragon Ball FighterZ has a whole lot of different elements at play, but they all fit together really smoothly, offering up an experience that's a joy to either watch or play. It's not just the graphics and fighting mechanics either (although those are spot-on), but all of the game's backing details as well.

Considering developer Arc System Works has been involved in the Guilty Gear series, it probably shouldn't be too much of a surprise, but there's a killer hard rock/heavy metal soundtrack working to connect the game's moving parts, from cut scenes to battles and even some of FighterZ's menus. Most surprising to me (in a good way!) was that the opening trailer even has some guttural, harsh vocals, which you don't typically find in video games -- even when they do go more on the metal side.

Providing a strong contrast to the heavy music score is the offbeat way the menus work. Instead of just providing a standard menu screen to pick a game mode (although you can use a menu if you want to move around faster), there's an adorable chibi game hub where any mode can be accessed by running to a different hut. 

You can actually spend a good deal of time here if you want, using stamps and emotes to interact with other players or swapping between different chibi characters unlocked over time. It provides a feeling of community and a reason to earn different outfits between FighterZ's matches.

  Welcome, adorable chibi fighter!

Randomized Loot That's Not a Terrible Grind

One of the primary reasons for the chibi hub is to swap out color schemes and other items based on what you've unlocked through Z Coins (otherwise known as loot boxes).

Wait, wait, wait -- loot boxes?!? Yeah, they are even here in your beloved Dragon Ball Z -- but they are only for cosmetic items and random extras like new outfits for your DBZ characters.

Unlike some other games we're not going to mention, you don't have to spend real money (the option isn't even available) or waste hundreds of hours in random number hell trying to unlock full characters.

Although they aren't really needed for anything, if you want to buy those loot boxes, you can earn Zeni really fast by completing trials, playing different game modes, or just accessing different areas of the chibi hub in the tutorial.

 Unlocking 10 items with Zeni

Beating Up Your Friends And Family in FighterZ

But enough about the music and loot -- the heart of any beat 'em up, of course, is the combat, and if that aspect fails, then everything else is just window dressing. Thankfully, Dragon Ball FighterZ knocks the combat mechanics absolutely out of the park.

There's a decent number of combos to learn without going either overboard on complexity or pandering into simplistic. Potentially anyone -- maybe even grandma -- could pick up Dragon Ball FighterZ and grasp how to play.

The game utilizes a universal style for combos, one where you can essentially understand how to play any character once you've grasped the basics, then eventually master the specific differences between character types as you go along.

It's a system that's easy to get into, but there's enough depth present for the hardcore crowd to show off their skills. 

Plenty of options are available in how you want to fight as you build up a combat gauge for better attacks on the ground or in the air, with vertical recoveries to learn and a few different ways to break an opponent's guard.

FighterZ's 3v3 style offers up a nice change on the tactical side for swapping out your other two characters or using them for combo assists -- or even forcing the opponent to swap to another damaged character when they would prefer to stay with one healthy warrior.

 Any character match up offers fast, fun combat 

Substance With A Heaping Dose Of Style

While the combat feels fluid and is plenty of fun, Dragon Ball FighterZ doesn't skimp on the super slick graphical presentation. Every arena and character is lovingly crafted, and frankly, this game is just much more visually interesting than recent big name entries like Street Fighter V.

Every single color and super powered combo draws your eye in with an amazing combination between the game's anime style and a 2.5D fighting orientation. There's an incredibly organic feel where the characters, background, and effects are all melded together without a hitch.

It frequently feels like you're playing an episode of the anime series, and the little mini cut-scenes for certain devastating combos are smoothly transitioned so it doesn't feel like you are losing time or having to wait to get back into the action.

 As the power gauge builds, beautiful shots like this become more frequent

The Bottom Line on Dragon Ball FighterZ

I can't really overstate how visually appealing this game is, whether you care about the anime or not. Even people who don't normally show interest in fighting games can have a good time here just with the impressive visuals that feel like a moving graphic novel.

Before testing out your prowess in multiplayer, there's plenty of fun features to try out with the campaign mode -- like leveling up, unlocking different bonuses, plotting a course across the map to the boss, and earning new companions for the 3v3 battles.

On the campaign side, you are basically getting a couple of extra episodes of the show with a story that's very meta as you the player inhabit Goku's body and the other characters recognize this while talking directly at you.

Secret cut scene segments are available to unlock that are very much aimed at long-time fans of Dragon Ball Z  -- if you get the right combination of characters in story mode locations (or if you defeat an enemy with the proper team build). This extra effort to please the fans gives a reason to keep playing the single player campaign in different ways and adds a lot of replay value over time.

My only real complaints so far are that sometimes all the clone battles in between the boss stages feel a little repetitive, and the story isn't going to win any Oscars, but its definitely serviceable.

The bottom line here is that whether you are a fighter newbie or hardened vet, Dragonball Fighter Z is a killer entry that's well worth your time and has brought the anime series to life in a way no game before it has managed.

 This guy approves, and shouldn't that really be enough of an endorsement?

Dragon Ball FighterZ is poised to lead the flood of top-tier fighting games are slated to land on consoles and PC this year -- many drawing on the characters and rosters of much-beloved anime and gaming series. 

If you've been following Dragon Ball FighterZ or developer Arc System Works, you should already have a good grasp of how fighting in FighterZ will play out, as there are plenty of similarities between it and Guilty Gear Xrd when it comes to all-around gameplay mechanics. You'll also have a good idea what characters are already on the DB FighterZ's roster.

While the game's 3v3 system lets you select a trio of characters from the game's list of more than 20 combatants, it's imperative you pick the right characters for the fight at hand -- and having them ranked really helps in that endeavor. 

Dragon Ball Fighter Z Character List

Counting different versions of primary characters, there are more than 20 options available in Fighter Z's character list, including the all-new character Android 21. While different combos will play out differently for different character variations and teams, there's actually more to your character trio decision than just combat tactics.

Some character combinations will give you different intro segments that fans of the series will love, and there are special cutscenes triggered when you defeat an enemy with specific character pairings. Try out different list pairings and see if you can find all the Dragon Ball Easter eggs with these characters:

Dragon Ball Fighter Z Character Tiers

So how do all of those characters stack up to each other? We're going to rank each character from the roster from best (S Tier) to good (A Tier) to usable but not as immediately awesome as the others (B Tier).

These rankings are based on preliminary beta impressions and limited time with the game ahead of official launch -- and these tier lists are primarily centered on the basic abilities of each character and their combo potentials.

Any character can work for you if you practice enough, especially with Dragon Ball FighterZ's auto-combo system preventing players from having to memorize complicated combo schemes. So your mileage may vary depending on your playstyle.

Dragon Ball FighterZ S-Tier Characters

S-Tier characters in FighterZ are the absolute best of the best you can find on the game's roster. These will often be your go-to fighters -- especially when times get tough. 

 Android 21 is the main villain of the story, and
loves turning characters into cupcakes!

Dragon Ball FighterZ A-Tier Characters

If you can't have all S-Tier characters for some reason, you'll want to try and get some of these A-Tier characters into your party. These characters have a lot of great strengths, so overlook them at your own peril. 

  Of course, longtime character Piccolo appears in Dragon Ball FighterZ!

Dragon Ball FighterZ B-Tier Characters

Ok. So why go B-Tier at all? Because B-Tier characters in Dragon Ball FighterZ are awesome, too. Sure, maybe they're not as powerful as other characters on the game's roster, but they're fun to play as and should be given a chance. you never know -- maybe you'll find your favorite in this group. 

     Anybody dominating in multiplayer with Vegeta? If so, let us know your trick!

Dragon Ball FighterZ Online Rankings

While character lists and character tiers are more a matter of personal preference or player skill, the Dragon Ball FighterZ does include official rankings where you earn Battle Points by winning ranked multiplayer matches.

Ahead of launch -- and before the rankings fully open up for all players worldwide -- these are the Dragon Ball FighterZ rankings we know about so far:

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What character trio from this list are you going to play when the official Dragon Ball FighterZ release date of January 26 finally arrives? Let us know who you are most excited to try out, and stay tuned for full guides on each character's basic abilities and combos.

If you're following fighting games news, then you are well aware of the release of two games based on popular franchises later this month: Dragon Ball FighterZ and Dissidia Final Fantasy NT.

This is great news for both fighting game fans and the fans of Dragon Ball Z and Final Fantasy. But which one do you think will be more popular in the end? Something tells me it's Dragon Ball FighterZ, and here's why.

Dragon Ball Z Is a Fighter, Final Fantasy Is Not

Undoubtedly, both Dragon Ball Z and Final Fantasy are super popular, but the problem with Final Fantasy is that it's an RPG, and although there is a crowd for fighting games based on FF characters, it is much smaller than that of Dragon Ball Z.

Dragon Ball has always been a fighting game, and it has a huge audience that knows what it wants and what to expect from FighterZ. This alone makes DBZ so much more attractive for new and casual players. However, there is also a big chance that Dissidia will attract a new playerbase as well.

There won't be much competition in the end since the two games are rather different. Dissidia is an arena fighter, while FighterZ is a classic 2D fighter, so there is enough room on the market for both fighting games. It's just the sheer popularity of DBZ among gamers in the space that will pull it to the leading spot.

Dragon Ball FighterZ: More Technical With Better Gameplay

In order for Dissidia's online mode to be good, you will have to play with at least 4-6 other players, which is not as easy to achieve as it seems. Also, the gameplay itself can at times be really frustrating. Instead of giving players simple options, you must first decide everything in terms of customization, such as equipment, armor, etc., which is not what you want to do in a fighting game at all.

DBFZ is a totally different story. Its simple yet effective combat merges elements of the previous DBZ games and Marvel vs. Capcom fighters. No customizations or additional work needed -- all you have to do is choose a character and fight in a familiar manner.

Of course, if you want a complex arena experience, then Dissidia would be your first choice, but DBFZ has a 3v3 mode as well, so there isn't much of a difference really.

What the Future Holds for Both Games

While both games have well-established story modes, it looks like DBFZ will have more changes in the future. So you can expect certain shifts in the story there, which is great, as many fans have gotten tired of the same ol' storylines migrating from one game to another.

There are also rumors that the online aspect of DBFZ will be constantly improved and upgraded with better netcode. On the other hand, this aspect will probably be the biggest problem for Dissidia, which already receives early reports of bad online support.

Well, it's no surprise, since DBFZ is in the hands of Arc Systems, a developer that knows the franchise really well and generally has high quality standards. Team Ninja, who developed Dissidia, also has a great name to it, but it's not particularly well versed in specifically fighting games.

So be sure to expect some lags and other unpleasant network-related issues when playing Dissidia in online mode. Apart from that, the game doesn't have much to offer in the single-player department either. So it does all come together in favor of DBFZ.

---

The two games are obviously quite different and will cater to different audiences. Each game will have a fanbase of its own, but in the end, it is clear that DBFZ will have a much larger following. So if you still haven't decided on which one you want to play, then be sure to check out DBFZ first.

Bandai Namco Entertainment has revealed more details on new content and a collaboration between Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 and Dragon Ball FighterZ. The new game mode - Hero Colosseum - will be available for free this Autumn on all versions of Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2.

Hero Colosseum will have its own story mode where players will experience a tactical figurine battle. New content will also be available with the paid Extra Pack 1 and Extra Pack 2. Both will offer new characters and gameplay features:

• Extra Pack 1, to be released this Autumn, will include Tapion, Android 13 and 2 new characters.
• Extra Pack 2 will contain a new original character, a new scenario and a new way to interact with Dragon Ball characters. On top of that, players may also discover an all new form Goku in the Extra Pack 2.

Finally, the last important announcement is the collaboration between Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 and Dragon Ball Fighterz. Special items will be given to those who own both Xenoverse 2 and FighterZ.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is available now in Europe, Middle-East, Australasia and Africa for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch. FighterZ will be launched on January 26, 2018 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.

Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite (MvC:I) has been available for a month, and one thing has become clear -- it's one of the most divisive fighting games to hit the market in a while. The fighting game community (FGC) either doesn't mind it, or totally hates it.

There are a lot of strong feelings among fans about this game. A considerable number of them are calling MvC:I the worst game in the series. This might sound like a baseless accusation, but closer examination reveals a number of glaring issues with Infinite that make it a significantly less satisfying fighting game than its predecessors. 

But what happened, exactly? Where did this iteration of Marvel vs. Capcom go wrong? Let's break down this game to see if we can find out why it's become the target of such deep loathing among the fighting game community. 

Deadly Sin #1: A Roster Missing Notable Characters

When Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite was introduced, one thing was very clear: the roster was...different. It didn't feature any X-Men or Fantastic Four heroes -- meaning no Dr. Doom, Magneto, or Wolverine.

These characters have been part of the MvC crossover titles even before the Marvel vs. Capcom titles as we know them today were developed. From X-Men vs Street Fighter in 1997 and Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter in 1998 to Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes a few years later, characters from the X-Men and Fantastic Four have been a staple in the series that's almost as recognizable as someone like Ryu. So it's understandable that fans were concerned about not seeing them featured in this iteration.

Why didn't these legacy characters get to make an appearance in MvC:I? It's a little bit complicated, and has a lot to do with the franchise rights.

Although Marvel (and by extension, Disney) owns the rights to almost all of its characters, 20th Century Fox owns the film and TV rights to the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and Deadpool.

Credit goes to fans but it's been brought to my attention that the videogame rights are owned by Marvel (Disney). So these characters can make appearances within the game. The issue however is Fox's control of these movie franchises.  

It was in Marvel's best interested to have MvC:I advertise their MCU (Marvel cinematic universe) heroes first and foremost. Now, Marvel would love nothing more that to gain control of those film rights from Fox. The relationship between these two studios as we speak isn't...nice, thus the additions of these characters seems unlikely. So we may not see Gambit or Doctor Doom on the roster...ever.

Regardless of the circumstances, though, the omission of these fighters was very off-putting for fans of the franchise. You'd be hard-pressed to find a MvC player who wouldn't list at least one of the X-Men as a recognizable mascot for the series. In fact, fighters like Wolvering have been consistently top-ranked in character tierlists because they are just so good. 

To be honest, Marvel and Capcom probably could have recovered from this. But Capcom pulled a major PR blunder when a GameSpot journalist asked about the missing characters during an interview. Associate Producer Peter Rosas tried to sidestep the issue by saying that the specific mechanics which made those characters beloved had been embedded in other characters:

"If you were to actually think about it, these characters are just functions. They're just doing things. Magneto, case and point, is a favorite because he has eight-way dash and he's really fast, right? So our more technical players, all they want to do is triangle jump and that kind of stuff. Well guess what, Nova can do the same thing, Captain Marvel can do the same thing. Ultron can do the same thing. Go ahead and try them out."

But the real insult came when Producer Michael Evans tried to imply that the X-Men weren't recognizable to current audiences:

"Then the third one is obviously the popularity of these characters. X was one we had to get in there. A lot of fans wanted to see X, so we brought him back. Then also we talked with Marvel very closely about their future roadmap, about what's gonna be happening. Your modern Marvel fan, maybe they don't even remember some of the X-Men characters, but they know some of the Guardians characters or Black Panther. You know what I mean?"

This developer actually tried to sell the idea that the X-Men weren't recognizable characters for current Marvel fans. I'll just let that idea sit for a minute. 

Has it started to sink in? Good. Now let's analyze that statement a little more. The reign of the X-Men started with a popular 1990s cartoon that a lot of comic book fans watched and enjoyed. The franchise's roster of mutants then went on to appear in a number of films of varying quality, from 2000's eponymous X-Men film to 2014's critically acclaimed X-Men: Days of Future Past. To imply that the modern Marvel fan wouldn't recognize characters from a franchise that's released iterations as recently as 2016 is one hell of a statement -- and some fans found it downright insulting. 

It's possible that these missing heroes may appear later on as DLC, but nothing has been confirmed thus far. So for now, fan backlash over the limited roster of characters is understandable. A Marvel vs. Capcom game that doesn't feature at least some of the X-Men is incredibly alienating for long-time players. 

Deadly Sin #2: Failure to Diversify Characters

The omission of legacy heroes from the MvC:I roster is one issue, but character diversity among the heroes that did make the cut is another. Out of the 30 fighters that players have at their disposal, only four of them are female characters. 

If you ask me, and a lot of other fans, that's pretty tone deaf for a game in 2017. It has "boy's club" written all over it -- and puts MvC:I in the long list of titles that prove the gaming scene has some serious representation issues. Under-representing female characters in this iteration of the franchise not only hurts its appeal to an increasingly diverse market, it also ignores the history of the series itself. There were significantly more female fighters present in Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, so the lack of them in MvC:I feels like a step back. 

Sure, we've got Captain Marvel, Gamorra, Morrigan, and Chun Li. Those are some badass ladies. But it's not nearly enough. 

Some might say that licensing issues have a lot to do with the poor representation in Infinite's character roster. But to be blunt, that's a pretty weak excuse. Both Marvel and Capcom have plenty of other recognizable heroines who could have made an appearance here.

On Capcom's side of the equation, the Darkstalkers character pool alone has five women to choose from, two of which made it into UMvC3. And aside from the multiple female characters that could have been reused from UMvC3, there are also plenty of newcomers from Street Fighter V that could have made an appearance as well. 

As for Marvel, there's almost no excuse for how few female characters made the list. Many fans are wondering why Black Widow is nowhere to be found, especially since nearly all the other Avengers are in the game. The same is true for Scarlet Witch. Heck, now that Sony has loosened their grip on the Spider-Man franchise, perhaps Spider Gwen could have even made her premiere for the series. 

To summarize, there's really no shortage of female characters that both Marvel and Capcom could have chosen from. So the idea that it all had to do with licensing is pure nonsense -- cuts were made to the roster, and a lot of female characters never made it past the chopping block.

It's certainly possible that more diversity will come with DLC characters (like the female Monster Hunter who is set to join the MvC:I roster down the line), but the lack of representation at launch is an unfortunate and rather embarrassing business decision. 

Deadly Sin #3: Poor Character Design

If the representation and notable omissions from the fighter roster wasn't enough to put a wrench in MvC:I's machine, another glaring issue with its characters is how the fighter models are actually designed. To put it simply: they don't look good -- and it wouldn't be a stretch to say they're downright unappealing. 

Don't get me wrong. Some characters in the game look decent enough. Captain Marvel, for example, has some solid animation and looks alright overall. It's just too bad the same can't be said for other characters. 

Though it's hardly a surprise, many models and assets featured in MvC:I were reused from UMvC3 and other games. And the resulting clash of aesthetics has made most things, especially the character design, look...off. 

The FGC was quick to point this out and make a mockery of it. 

In the transition between the series' predecessors and Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite, its comic book aesthetic was lost along the way. The visuals included in this iteration of the franchise is less of a graphical style and more like a Marvel film. But that sort of realism doesn't really work when half the cast doesn't look right in an art style that doesn't closely mimic comics and animation. It creates a weird aesthetic dichotomy, a la Mega Man X. 

Both the original MvC and MvC2 capitalized on 2D sprite work to create exaggerated visuals. Every fall, super move, taunt, and so on popped on the screen and made those games wonderful to look at. Though some of this distinct style was lost when MvC3 started using cel-shaded characters, even that art direction had a distinct look to it. All the models were detailed, but not realistic -- and more importantly, they still had most of the comic book aesthetic.

The same was true for UMvC3. In that game, everything from the user interface and story scenes to the character select screen and actual combat UI was flamboyant and unique. If you need a refresher on what it looked like, check it out below:

When you compare the graphics of UMvC3 with the graphics of Infinite -- and let's face it, most fans have by now -- it's obvious that one just looks better than the other. And surprise! MvC:I definitely doesn't come out on top in that regard. 

In addition to the granular details of character design that simply doesn't work in the game's favor, many of the body proportions in these designs seem suspect as well. The titan Thanatos looks a bit weird, for example, because his upper torso is way too short for his massive frame. And during previews of the game, internet commentors mocked Chun Li's face relentlessly -- so much so that the developers actually went in and changed her character model accordingly. 

It's a shame that MvC:I looks a step backwards in the looks department. When you compare it to something like Injustice 2, these characters look bad no matter how you slice it.

Deadly Sin #4: Poor Production Value

On the production front, it's not just character design that's an issue in MvC:I. The game's overall production value leaves a lot to be desired, from voice acting to animation and beyond.

Starting with one of the game's most egregious production sins, the voice acting in MvC: I is inconsistent at its very best. At worst, it's flat and completely unbelievable. Some heroes sound (kind of heroic), while others sound completely uninspired. And if you sit down to listen to the voice tracks for Jedah and Morrigan, it's easy to see why there were so many rumors circulating about the game having a relatively small budget. 

On top of that, many of the game's characters have strange, janky animations during a lot of MvC:I, whether that be in matches or during cut scenes. This makes a lot of the fighting uninspired and just plain hideous to look at. Add to that the lack of cohesion between character models and it's a perfect storm of half-assed aesthetics that make the game significantly less engaging than many of its predecessors. 

It's really strange that the production value is so ridiculously poor considering the game's pedigree. If you look at the production values in a game like Dragon Ball Fighter Z, the difference is night and day. DBFZ is clearly the superior game in that regard -- and it hasn't even launched yet.  

So what gives?

Budget. In a video Liam Robertson posted (based on unconfirmed sources), he reports that the budget for MvC:I may have been around half of the budget spent on the DLC for SFV. If true, that would go a long way in explaining why the presentation of this game looks so backward when compared to those classics that came before it. 

Robertson also mentions in his report that MvC:I uses a number of assets from past titles. These elements were reintegrated into the new game with a number of touchups -- but not quite enough. This could explain the game's weird animations and unusual-looking character models. 

Deadly Sin #5: No 3v3 Crossover Combat

One of the largest and most noticeable design changes in MvC:I is the omission of 3-versus-3 gameplay. Capcom insists that this change was meant to be one that appealed to new fans in an effort to grow the game's playerbase. Sure, that's a reasonable answer, but the thing is that MvC has never really been casual-friendly. 

Yes, the original MvC:Clash of Super Heroes featured 2-versus-2 teams, but the decision to return to that is adhering to something diehard MvC fans didn't want. A more casual friendly game invokes the message; "that we're ignoring our fans". 

Three-versus-three gameplay reinforces the hectic nature of Marvel vs Capcom. In fact, the series has been welcomed and celebrated for this "chaos". Consequently, the community had to ask the simple question: If your series has held onto a gameplay style for over a decade, why abandon it? 

Deadly Sin #5: Public Relations Debacles

You may or may not have noticed but this hasn't been advertised much. This was likely due to small budget...allegedly. Naturally, to promote this, game it was shown at events and tournaments. Logically, Capcom worked with FGC personalities and professional players. Whom better than the most well known and hardcore of fans to help you show off a new fighter?

Eventually...a few questions arose. Were these individuals being honest for the game's hype? I mean, why wouldn't they be honest? Then fans asked why should they believe that they're being genuine? Part of the FGC began to call this praise shilling and we quite adamant about it. 

As discussed by The Nameless Fighting Game Show (seen above), we simply have to look at Street Fighter V, which was released in 2016. Practically everything surrounding its launch, post launch, and business plans were messy. Promises were made to make it better and to this day they haven't made good on them.

Now, we know they will make good on SFV...in January of 2018. Now, considering how MvC:I was released while SF is still being fixed...that's not exactly reassuring. Understandably, the community had little to no reason to believe if Infinite will be ok. Sure, we could give Capcom the benefit of the doubt however they've been in business for ages. They've given people more than enough reasons to be leery.

Now as for the other reason why the PR surrounding MvC:I is sketchy. After an accidental upload to youtube, we learned that MvC:I maybe a part of the 2018 Capcom Pro Tour. It missed that window this year due to its September release. The tour is a year round event that begins in January.

The tour is an opportunity for competitors to earn monetary prizes. If SFV's tour is any indication, the cash pool is quite attractive.

So, these same professional players (who could win big) were given the chance to sing the game's praises. As well as get their hands on it during development. Capcom is a big part/sponsor of eSports, so it appears like a "you help me, I help you kind of deal". 

The thought process generally speaking is this: as a pro, it's beneficial to me get a leg up on a game that I can win money on later. Also having a good relationship with a big sponsor means more opportunity in the future.

It should be noted that if the pro tour gains another game, then more support for the qualifying tournaments would be gained. A new game means new players and they in turn would add more entry fees for tournaments. Thus, tournaments would grow in size and importance -- So it's a win-win for everyone involved. 

Is This A Bad Game?

The FGC at large is still torn on Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite. We are now a month post launch but some things are already very clear. It's main support has been mainly from professional players...for obvious reasons. It still remains to be a subject of mocking by members of the FGC.

I never really imagined there would be a "bad" Marvel vs Capcom game, yet here we are with weakest entry in the series. Honestly, at this point I'm not sure how long it will remain relevant either. Having a portion of the FGC harboring loathing and contempt for this game definitely doesn't help. The game we have again plays fine but is marred by poor production values. 

Maybe you think all this hate and lack of support is extreme. Well, people have legitimate reasons to not like this and question its quality. 

Its unfortunate but Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite is a definitely victim of it's publisher's bad business practices. Marvel vs Capcom you're a shell of your former self. Hopefully we'll see you return to form. Or maybe not? Series long fans and fighting aficionados whom are hurt, I feel your pain and share your sentiment.

Do you think Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite is a bad game? Do you disagree? Do you have more to add? Let us know in the comments below.

Ok we went through a lot of games over the years. So you're probably wondering what does the top ten list look like right? So here goes.

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1. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
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2. Dragon Ball Xenoverse
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3. Dragon Ball Z Hyper Dimensions
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4. Dragon Ball Z Budokai 3
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5. Super Dragon Ball Z
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6. Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans
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7. Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden
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8. Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit
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9. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3
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10. Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai Another Road.
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Well that's our Dragon Ball Z game tier list friends. Were we wrong with our tier lists? Do we missing any games? Maybe you disagree? Let us know in the comments section!

2010s (2010-Current Handhelds)

Around this time the handheld titles also saw a resurgence as well. Though no were near the level of their console counter parts. These will barely rank anywhere or will they?

In 2010 the PSP received Dragon Ball Z: Tenkaichi Tag Team. This game like many is carbon copy average. 2015 marked the release of Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden for the Nintendo 3DS. Now, Extreme Butoden received mixed reviews from players and critics. The overall gameplay is very responsive and fine tuned. Its no surprise it was developed by Arc System Works.

2016 saw the release of Dragon Ball Fusions for the Nintendo 3DS. Fusions plays like a miniature Xenoverse but also players to fuse anyone for battle. It's pretty fun for the what if scenarios.

2010s (2010-present)

Ahh, I've wanted to get closer to the present Dragon Ball Z games. The consoles have seen some good entries and bad ones too. Around this time we're shifting over to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, so there's growing pains unfortunately.

In 2010, Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2 released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi was released in 2011 for the PS3 and Xbox 360. Both of these titles suffered the same issues as most games. They were passable but barely. The story modes weren't special and gameplay awkward. Keep these below average.

Oh 2012 saw the release of Dragon Ball Z: For Kinect. This Xbox 360 exclusive should be avoided and is best used as a coaster. A month later, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai HD Collection was released. It played the same as the Budokai games but with better resolution. Eh, solidly average within our hierarchy.

2014 was the release of Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z. This was released on the PS3, Xbox 306 and PS Vita. This game was really just made to ride the hype of the movie at the time. Nothing impressive to see here folks.

Just when things weren't looking up 2015 saw the release of Dragon Ball: Xenoverse. This was a Dragon Ball that read like a fan dream for the PS3, PS4, PC, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. A RPG adventure with a custom character? Time traveling and fights within all story arcs? The gameplay was also the culmination of what worked in the past. I mean what could be better?

Oh, I'll tell you what is better: its sequel. In 2016, Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2 was released on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. With a shift to modern consoles, its visual were improved. The game was larger the the previous. Also the game has been constantly updated as the new Dragon Ball anime airs. All your favorite characters can be teachers of your created character. You can unlock them all and the story is massive. Of course its endless hours of fun. Online versus is also very solid.

As of now Xenoverse 2 is the best Dragon Ball Z game. No game comes close. If you don't own this game and like Dragon Ball Z, something is wrong friend.

2000s Part 2(2005-2009 Handhelds)

Ok, by now you should know the handheld titles aren't anything to write home about. Yet we still have to rank the rest of the early 2000s. This time we saw releases among the DS, PSP, and a few GBA remnants.

2005 saw the releases of Dragon Ball GT: Transformation for the GameBoy Advance and Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors 2 for the Nintendo DS. 2006 saw the release Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai for the PlayStation Portable. 2007 saw the Dragon Ball Z: Harukanaru Densetsu for the DS and Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai - Another Road for the PlayStation Portable.

All of these are forgettable and should be filed as painfully average. The only standout title is Another Road. It played like a nearly portable copy of Tenkaichi. Having a fighter with tons of characters, decent mechanics, and visuals on the go? This helped it stand above the others. Still average though

2009 saw the release of Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans for the DS. Now this was the best game on handhelds around this time. This was a well made RPG. It was the first in awhile too. It focused on one arc so the roster was small and time was spent of fleshing out the adventure. Fans found it fun and kids were content. Who knew a Dragon Ball Z RPG just worked? Thus this become a contender for our list.

2000s Part 2(2005-2009)

Around this time were getting into the era of the PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, & Xbox 360 offerings. Overall things were a mixed bag.

2005 saw the release of Dragon Ball Z Sagas for the Xbox. Avoid this game, its F tier. It was the only Xbox exclusive DBZ game and it left the wrong impression. Bland looking, gameplay was poor, and I could go on. Could the reason that it was developed by a Western studio be the reason? No, it was just bad.

Now things stayed a float with Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi. Yes that's quite the title. Like the name implies, Tenkaichi is an expansion of the Budokai series and played nearly the same. There were some notable changes where the gameplay was a bit more strategic. The roster was also bigger than the Budokai games. Tenkaichi released in 2005, Tenkaichi 2 released in 2006, and Tenkaichi 3 released in 2007 for all major consoles at the time.

These games are mainly average and barley reach the top ten except the third. Dragon Ball Z: Tenkaichi 3 should be the only one to play. No game to date had a roster so exhaustive. The gameplay was also pretty on point.

2006 saw the release of perhaps the best PlayStation 2 Dragon Ball Z game, Super Dragon Ball Z. Unlike the Budokai games, this focused more of delivering a traditional arcade fighting game experience. What this meant a small roster and more emphases on solid gameplay. So you could consider this to be the most Street Fighter like at the time. This is a top ten contender for sure. Side note: it's cool if you're forgetting what's going in the top ten. I'll have at the end for you.

2008 was the year for the modern consoles. Both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 saw the release of Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit. This title was the first entirely HD title. The game had a small roster, very impressive visuals, and responsive gameplay. Unsurprisingly it played like Budokai 3 with some slight improvements. Plus the edition of online play was another bonus. This was also a personal favorite of mean as well.

Although 2008 was looking great, we got the last PlayStation 2 title Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World. So unlike the leeway made by the games mentioned before this took a backsteps. It was less linear but the gameplay designs came together poorly in execution. The game included quests and minigames unnecessarily. Fighting was very reminiscent of the Tenkaichi titles. You can leave this at the bottom. Although, it's not as bad as some game mentioned. 

We end the early 2000s with Dragon Ball Z: Raging Blast. Released in 2009 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. This title was another fully HD title. Now this is ultimately another pass. It did feature a few interesting turns with the story mode and what if characters. Sure, the game looks good and the online was solid. The downside however was the strange control scheme chosen. It often felt more difficult than necessary. Play at your own risk but trust me leave it unplayed.

2000s Part 1 (Handheld titles from 2000-2004)

Now this is list won't be as detailed as the previous section. The reason being is that all these titles played nearly the same. They were hardly standout in any capacity. For the purposes of our tier list I have to rank them accordingly nonetheless.

The Nintendo GameBoy Advance saw a lot of releases within a few years. 2002 saw the releases of Dragon Ball Z: Collectible Card Game, Dragon Ball Z: Legendary Super Warriors, and Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku.

2003 saw the releases of Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku 2 and Dragon Ball Z: Taiketsu. 2004 saw the releases of Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors and Dragon Ball Z: Buu's Fury.

Now these games are what I like to call mediocre. Aside from Supersonic Warriors(seen above), you aren't missing much with these. They're average at best and mildly entertaining. They aren't horrible but passable.

2000s Part 1 Consoles (2000-2004)

So the 2000s blew up with Dragon Ball Z games everywhere. Now because of all these games we'll separate the 2000s titles by consoles and handhelds. So we'll mull over games from 2000-2004.

The first game, Dragon Ball Z Budokai, was released in 2002 for the Nintendo GameCube and PlayStation 2. This is where the 3D games take a turn for the better. We could freely move (and fly!) around arenas and fight like a traditional fighter as well. The game looked pretty good and story wise it went all the way to the end of the Cell Saga. Now, this game is pretty up there for DBZ games. In fact, it laid the blueprint for what works.

Then we have its sequel, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2 which released in 2003. This was also a multiplaform title. Now, this is slight better than the first. It has a considerable sized cast. The story goes all the way to the end of the Majin Buu saga. This can be passed up as its above average along with the first Budokai.

Now, probably the best of the early 2000s is Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3. Released in 2004 for the PlayStation 2, this title is considered one of the best by fans. As a console exclusive, all resources were poured into making it the best possible. It featured a huge (understatement!) cast of characters from BDZ, and BDGT as well. The gameplay was also refined to its smoothest. The visuals were ok though. So what should a DBZ game be? This is the answer. A top 5 candidate. 

The 2000s wasn't all that good for the Dragon Ball Z games. 2003 saw the release of Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Battle 22 for the PlayStation. This game is bad, very bad. Visually it looked horrible as they used low resolution sprites. Gameplay was pretty mindless. You would fight in giant areas (empty spaces) and just hit the attack button. There was no strategy involved. It feels like the game was just thrown together. This has to be at the bottom of the list.

1990s

So for our list we'll separate the titles by their respective decade. So as the series ended in Japan. It was the start of anime series in the West. It was also the start of game flood for the west. It was a little barren however.

Dragon Ball Z: Hyper Dimension. Released in 1996 for the Super Famicom. Now if you were in the import scene, you knew about this game. This game even by today's standards this is one of the best titles. It played as a well-tuned traditional fighter. The roster focused on 8 characters. So more detail was provided to their sprites, animation, stage design, music, and etc. Best game of the 1990s? -- Yep, it's easily in the top 5.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have Dragon Ball GT: Final Bout. Released in 1997 for the PlayStation, the title was a 3D fighter. It was one of the first fully 3D games for the franchise. Now, this game should be something you should pass on. The roster, although packed, felt very phoned in. The game play was mediocre at best and it looked unappealing. It belongs around the bottom of the barrel, untouched.

Ahh, Dragon Ball Z. A show where you have more screaming that a heavy metal concert and more angst than a highschool. The popular multimedia series is still going strong today.

The manga series ran publication in the mid 1980s and the anime began in 1989. Since then the world has fallen in love with its over the top stories.

Over the years, the shonen series has also inspired some video games. Well, many video games actually. From the SNES to modern consoles, we've had a healthy amount of titles. Of course, we have the new Dragon Ball FighterZ due in 2018. Which looks amazing by the way.

So we figured why not have a Dragon Ball Z game tier list? So grab a drink friends and enjoy our list -- and if you don't want all the fluff between all the slides, you can find the list in full in the last slide here.

The highly anticipated Dragon Ball FighterZ set for release in 2018, and it has players abuzz with excitement and curiosity about the roster of characters that it's going to include when it launches for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. 

Since the game's title has that glorious big Z in it, we know for sure that it will be related to the world of the Dragon Ball Z anime that fans know and love. This new DB fighter will feature stunning 3D graphics, and the traditional 3v3 style of combat. 

Full List of Characters in Dragon Ball FighterZ

According to the beta info we have so far, there are currently 9 characters confirmed for the roster in this new game:

• Buu (Majin Buu)
• Frieza (100%, Golden)
• Gohan (SSJ2)
• Goku (Normal, SSJ, SSJ3)
• Krillin
• Perfect Cell
• Piccolo
• Trunks (SSJ Future)
• Vegeta (Normal, SSJ)

Though this is all we know for now, it's likely that more characters will get added in the future and through DLC. We'll update this list as more characters are revealed. 

What other fighters would you like to see come to the roster for Dragon Ball FighterZ? Let us know down in the comments!

When it released, Dragon Ball Xenoverse was widely praised for its sprawling customization options, but it was ultimately lacking as a fighter. Its sequel expanded on its predecessor's strengths by having even more customization options and adding more moves, as well as more single player and multiplayer options, however it was still deemed a disappointment by fans of previous Dragon Ball Z fighting games.

Xenoverse 2 obviously wasn't the answer to people's wishes. The real answer comes in the form of Dragon Ball FighterZ. This 2.5D fighter is being developed by Arc System Works, who are primarily known for their work on the Guilty Gears and Blazblue series'. They also developed multiple 2D fighting games such as Persona 4 Arena and Dragon Ball Z Supersonic Warriors, so we can see that this company has a long, long history with fighting games. With this in mind, Dragon Ball FighterZ sounds like it is in very good hands with a team that will elevate the franchise back to its pedestal.

At this early stage, the new game is already looking promising. Instead of taking Xenoverse's approach to fighters by having practically every single character in the series be playable, FigherZ refocuses the spotlight back on the main characters -- the Saiyans and the Villains. While the cast could still expand (considering the developer's huge rosters in past titles, it's expected), the very fact that it stays focused on much fewer characters this time around is a clear indication that each character will be unique in design. 

While Xenoverse does indeed have many more individual characters, there are a lot of overlaps in the way they play. Aside from initial damage being different, the actual movesets of characters regularly merge together, losing the unique factor that successful fighters possess. With the cast of FighterZ focused on simply a few characters, each one can be given their own unique combos and skills, eliminating this glaring blemish that caused Xenoverse to be a game of missed potential.

Another thing that FighterZ is looking to do much better is the environments. While Xenoverse already does an incredible job in replicating the various settings of the franchise, FighterZ will be taking it one step further. By condensing the map to a small 2D plane, it is able to emanate the essence of what each environment signifies, therefore creating a unique atmosphere for every area in which you fight. Not only that, it emulates the vast destruction that's common in the series as well.

Impact craters in the ground will stay there for the duration of the fight, environmental backdrops will be physically damaged from the force of your energy attacks, and if you unleash a devastating amount of power in one attack, the stage will straight up change into a destroyed version of the previous map. While Xenoverse had impact craters as well, they quickly disappeared, no doubt due to the size of the maps. The diversity of environments in FighterZ thanks to this small, but significant change will surely make it the superior game.

The thing that sells FighterZ as an incredibly faithful adaptation is the fact that many of the animations are a near perfect rendition of various manga panels. The developers specifically said that they took inspiration from the manga, and it definitely shows. Of course, it helps that the animations themselves are almost excessively smooth, with even dust clouds being smoother than most other games.

With all of this in mind, it clearly goes to show that these guys have gone above and beyond in creating something that fans will truly enjoy. If crafting faithful animations isn't enough, I don't know what is.

Taking all of this into account, FighterZ is looking to blow both Xenoverse games completely out of the water, appealing to both fighting game fans and Dragon Ball Z fans. With a much deeper combat system and a company with a pedigree for the genre, you should keep an eye out for when this game finally hits the shelves.

Are you interested in the latest Dragon Ball Z game? What are your thoughts on previous titles in the franchise? Sound off in the comments below!