Dragon Ball FighterZ (DBFZ) is not only the fighting game of the year, but also the best game to come out in Universe 9, the ninth of the twelve universes in the Dragon Ball series.
The anime fighter united the fighting game community and thrust the genre into the public consciousness. There were many ways DBFZ could fail as a fighting game. It would be dead on arrival if it prioritized imagery and graphics over gameplay, a game for fan service, or it played too much like other games that solely leverage a well-known franchise title. It wasn't enough to combine the popularity of the Dragon Ball series with the concept of a fighting game; there needed to be proof that this wasn't a flash in the pan.
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DBFZ struck a delicate balance between simple and complex with an easy control scheme and auto combos that also provided the blueprint for a deeper fighting system. In place of tight-frame windows to perform a combo, timing presses were forgiven for chunk damage.
With the implementation of a super dash, mobility was no longer a halt for beginners, but the system also allowed grinders to move quickly with instant air dashes. While it would take practice for optimal play and mobility, the learning curve was not an impossible barrier. Not since Street Fighter 4 has there been a game that brought in both new and veteran players and combined different groups of styles together. DBFZ's player base was a melting pot of anime and air-dashers, 2D and 3D fighters, and everything in between. The game provided a great bridge for newcomers who wanted to experience a dream fight in a beloved universe.
