Dragon Ball games usually follow a very predictable, albeit satisfying, rhythm. You pick Goku, you scream for three minutes, and you punch Frieza through a mountain. It's a formula that has worked for decades, from the pixelated days of the Super Famicom to the cinematic brilliance of FighterZ. But back in 2016, Ganbarion—the same folks behind some of the better One Piece games—decided to get weird. Like, really weird. They released Dragon Ball Fusions on the Nintendo 3DS, and honestly, the franchise hasn't been the same since.
It’s a game that asks a very specific, fan-service-heavy question: "What if literally anyone could fuse with anyone else?"
If you grew up scrolling through DeviantArt in the mid-2000s, this game was essentially your fever dream come to life. We aren't just talking about Vegito or Gogeta here. We are talking about Majin Hercule. We are talking about a fusion between Chiaotzu and Saibamen. It’s chaotic. It’s colorful. And despite the aging hardware of the 3DS, it remains one of the most mechanically dense RPGs in the entire Dragon Ball catalog.
The Combat Mechanics of Dragon Ball Fusions Are Not What You Expect
Most people go into a Dragon Ball game expecting a brawler. Even the RPGs, like Kakarot, tend to lean heavily into real-time action. But Dragon Ball Fusions is a different beast entirely. It’s a turn-based strategy game that feels more like a cosmic game of billiards than a traditional fighter.
The battle system is built around a timeline. You see your character’s icon moving across a bar at the bottom of the screen. When you reach the end, you act. Simple, right? But the depth comes from the positioning. Every attack has a knockback effect. If you hit an enemy into one of your teammates, that teammate gets a free hit. If you knock them into another enemy, they take extra damage. You’re constantly trying to line up the perfect shot to bounce your foes around the arena like pinballs. It’s incredibly satisfying.
There’s also this rock-paper-scissors element with Power, Speed, and Technique types. It sounds basic because it is, but when you’re managing a five-person team against a group of high-level fusions, that type advantage becomes the difference between a sweep and a total party wipe.
The Ring-Out System is a Literal Game Changer
You can't talk about this game without mentioning the Ring-Outs. If you knock an opponent out of the designated combat zone, their turn is reset on the timeline. This is the core strategy of high-level play. You aren't just trying to deplete health bars; you're trying to manipulate time itself. By repeatedly ringing out the fastest enemy, you can effectively prevent them from ever taking a turn. It feels a bit like bullying, but in the world of Dragon Ball, that’s just efficient training.
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Why the EX-Fusion System Actually Works
The central hook of Dragon Ball Fusions is the Metamo-Ring. In the anime, fusion is a high-stakes, time-limited gamble. In this game, Bulma (of course it’s Bulma) invents a ring that allows for permanent, stable fusions between almost any two characters.
This is where the game gets its legs.
There are over 700 possible combinations. While some are just generic "create-a-character" blends, the unique fusions are where the art team really shined. Seeing Karoly (Goku and Broly) or Towane (Towa and Arale) for the first time is a genuine trip. It taps into that primal "gotta catch 'em all" instinct. You find yourself hunting down specific rifts in space-time just to find that one obscure character from the original Dragon Ball run so you can fuse them with a literal god from Dragon Ball Super.
The progression is tied directly to these fusions. Your custom protagonist—who can be an Earthling, Saiyan, Namekian, Offworlder, or Alien—gets stronger by absorbing the moves and stats of their fusion partners. It’s a loop that keeps you engaged far longer than the story actually deserves.
A Story That Is Pure, Unadulterated Fan-Fiction
Let’s be real: the plot is thin. You and your rival, Tekka, make a wish on the Dragon Balls to create the greatest martial arts tournament in history. Shenron, being a literalist, creates the Timespace Rift—a giant, floating world made of chunks of different eras.
It's an excuse.
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It’s an excuse to have Kid Goku interacting with Beerus. It’s an excuse to see Cell and Frieza arguing over who gets to kill you. But honestly? It works. Because the game doesn't take itself seriously, you don't have to either. It embraces the absurdity. The dialogue is snappy, the cameos are frequent, and the sense of discovery is genuine. You never know who you’re going to find behind the next barrier.
The Reality of Playing Dragon Ball Fusions in 2026
If you’re looking to pick this up now, you have to deal with the 3DS reality. The resolution is low. The frame rate can chug during Maxi-Fusions when five characters merge into one giant, screen-filling entity. And yet, there is a charm here that the high-definition, big-budget titles often miss.
There’s a soul to this game.
It was clearly made by people who love the deep cuts of the lore. When you see characters from the Dr. Slump crossover appearing as playable units, you realize this wasn't just a licensed cash grab. It was a love letter to Akira Toriyama’s entire body of work.
One thing to keep in mind: the Western version of the game suffered a weird bit of censorship. In the Japanese version, characters like Future Trunks used swords. In the US and European releases, those swords were replaced with wooden sticks. It doesn't change the gameplay, but it’s one of those "only in the 2010s" localization quirks that adds to the game's strange legacy.
Finding the Rare Rifts
To get the best characters, you have to master the "S-Rank" and "G-Rank" rifts. This involves flying around the map and generating energy by winning battles. It can be grindy. Very grindy. But the reward of finally fusing Yamcha and Tien to create Tiencha—a character that only existed in some old Budokai games and fan art—is a high that few other Dragon Ball games provide.
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Common Misconceptions About the Game
People often think Dragon Ball Fusions is just for kids because of the "chibi" art style. That's a mistake. While the aesthetic is definitely "super-deformed," the math under the hood is complex. Managing your team's Ki, timing your Zenkai Attacks to recruit new members, and navigating the elemental weaknesses requires more brainpower than your average fighting game.
Another myth is that it's a "dead" game because it's on a handheld. On the contrary, the community around this title remains surprisingly active in niche circles. People are still sharing QR codes for special characters and debating the best move-sets for the "Ultra Gauge" builds. It has a cult following for a reason.
How to Get Started if You’re New
If you are dusting off your 3DS or using an emulator to dive into this for the first time, here is the move. Don't rush the main quest. If you rush, you'll end up under-leveled and frustrated by the barrier requirements. Instead, focus on gathering a diverse team early on.
- Focus on Recruitment: Use Zenkai Attacks whenever possible. This is the only way to "catch" new characters. If you kill an enemy with a standard move, they’re gone. You need that Zenkai finish to recruit them.
- Check the Types: Don't build a team of five Saiyans just because they're cool. You will get shredded by a balanced team. Keep a Speed type and a Technique type on hand at all times.
- Explore the Map: There are hidden side quests that grant unique moves (Special Moves) that you can't get anywhere else. These moves can be taught to other characters, allowing for some truly broken builds.
Dragon Ball Fusions is a reminder of a time when developers were allowed to take big, weird risks with massive IPs. It’s not perfect—the world can feel a bit empty and the grind is real—but it’s undeniably unique. In a world of repetitive sequels, that’s worth its weight in Dragon Balls.
If you want to maximize your experience, start by hunting for the legendary fusions like Kuru (Krillin and Goku) or Ginyuman (Captain Ginyu and Great Saiyaman). These aren't just powerful; they are hilarious. The game is at its best when it leans into the comedy that defined the original 1980s run of the series. Go out there, open some rifts, and start smashing characters together.