Meet the ‘Dragon Ball FighterZ’ Beta Roster

Lucas DeRuyter
Dragon Ball Anime
Dragon Ball Anime

The release of the highly anticipated fighting game Dragon Ball FighterZ is rapidly approaching. To generate even more hype for the game – and to test the sure to be hard-working servers – an open beta is happening from January 14tto the 16. Here’s everything you need to know about the 11 available characters so you can jump right into the anime action.

Goku

The man, the myth, the main character of the most popular anime and manga ever conceived; Son Goku, of course, appears in this beta. Needing no introduction, Goku is the character you should try out first if you are new to fighting games. His combos are exceptionally approachable, and he is perhaps the most balanced character in the roster. His Super Saiyan 3 Meteor Smash move is also one of the most absolutely gorgeous attacks in the history of video games, even if it is a bit difficult to pull off.

Vegeta

The Prince of Saiyans, former antagonist, and the guy Dragon Ball fans really wish would finally get a win is here to do as much damage as possible in this open beta. As approachable as Goku, but a bit faster and softer hitting, Vegeta is very newcomer friendly. If you want to get the get the hang of stringing combos or want to try to feel out an opponent’s playing style, Vegeta is a great character to start with for both newcomers and fighting game vets alike.

Adult Gohan

Goku’s eldest son – and high school student despite the “Adult” in his name – is playable for the first time in this open beta. Adult Gohan seems to fill the niche of a boost character, as he can temporarily transform into his ultimate form to increase the power and range of his basic moves and combos. Fingers crossed one of his alternate costumes is the Great Saiyaman outfit, and he’s able to strike a pose or two within the game.

Frieza

The galactic tyrant Frieza – or Freeza if you feel like engaging in one of the oldest arguments in the DBZ fandom – appears in his fourth form with the opportunity to transform into his golden form. Frieza is an odd fighter with a lot of moves that are unique to him. Between these unusual techniques and his further reaching attacks, Frieza is a great character to switch into to throw your opponent off their rhythm or to deliver the last bits of damage needed for a knockout.

Kid Buu

Kid Buu, the pint-sized final form of Majin Buu, is a being of pure evil that can only exist after expelling all of the people he’s absorbed over the course of millennia. Kid Buu is the final antagonist in the last story arc of Dragon Ball Z and one of the series most vicious villains. While it’s not yet entirely clear what kind of play-style he’ll have, his trailer depicted a few attacks similar to his larger counterpart; such as turning his opponents into candy.

Cell

The android Cell will appear in his Perfect and final form in this beta. Created from the combined DNA of the universe’s strongest fighters, Perfect Cell plays rather similarly to Goku. He’s an extremely balanced character with a useful teleport move and an area of effect attack. Cell might be slightly more difficult to get the hang of than Goku, but he’s still a solid choice to round out any FighterZ team.

Piccolo

Formally the reincarnated Demon King and currently one of the best dads in all of anime, Piccolo is one of the most technical fighters in FighterZ’s roster. While he does take quite a bit of practice to get a handle on, Piccolo is arguably the best character in the game when it comes to screen control. He may not be the best finisher or damage dealer, but he is perfect for whittling down an enemy’s health before switching into a heavier hitting character to wrap up a match.

Krillin

One of the most longstanding characters and everyone’s favorite try-hard Krillin is getting his due and appears in both FighterZ and this open beta. Krillin is one of the weirdest characters in the game and can be difficult to play as or against, as many of his attacks utilize random number generators. One of his ki attacks flies in random directions, and a ranged attack that involves him throwing a rock has a chance to throw a senzu bean to his teammates instead to recover their health. His unpredictability is further enhanced by his ability to launch a number of Destructo Disks, so long as his ki meter is above level five.

Nappa

Originally a villain that killed the majority of the Z Fighters while hyping up Vegeta during the Saiyan Saga,Nappa became an enduring character after Team Four Star’s interpretation of him gained widespread popularity. In FighterZ, Nappa is a pretty standard close-range fighter with the unique ability to plant Saibamen that attack automatically. If utilized well, this move could stall opponents long enough to switch characters and begin a combo, making Nappa one of the best lead-in characters in the game.

Android 18

Android 18 is a literal fighting machine, wife to Krillin, mother to their daughter Marron, and a character in the beta. With her brother Android 17 assisting, Android 18 is maybe the best ranged fighter in the entire game. 17 acts a puppet character that inflicts damage while 18 stays a safe distance away. Krillin can also sub in for 17 for some of 18’s most powerful attacks, which is actually pretty fun and cute.

Beerus

The God of Destruction from Universe 7 and one of the best and naughtiest cats in all of anime, Beerus is the last character to appear in this open beta. Beerus is another difficult to approach fighter that is great at screen control and aerial attacks. He can create balls of energy that stay on screen and then launch them at opponents in a rather unpredictable attack pattern. His most useful attacks do require a bit of set-up, though, so it may be difficult for the purple kitty to hold his own if an initial attack misses and he finds himself under pressure.

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Lucas DeRuyter
Anime Community Manager