Dragon Ball Z is one of the most iconic anime of all time. Many grew up with the story of Goku and his quest to become the universe’s best fighter. One of the more notable aspects of the show is the idea of power levels. Power levels are measurements of someone’s combat capability in terms of numerical value. This concept is almost exactly the same as a tool used in most fighting games: tier lists. In light of the recent news about a new 2D Dragon Ball fighting game being developed, I’ve decided to examine the similarities between the two.
Tier lists are alphabetical rankings given to characters in a game based on strength and combat capability when compared to other characters of the same game. The purpose of a tier list is to show which characters are better than others, for use when playing in tournaments or ranked modes, however the key point of a tier list is to show potential. This is where the ideas of tier lists and power levels begin to merge, as both don’t necessarily hold much weight to them.
Both concepts show the potential of a character, showing how weak or strong they are perceived to be. However, both are constantly changing due to characters getting stronger or weaker (be it through plot devices or patches that buff or nerf them). Another thing to note is that tier lists only apply when both players are of equal skill. These restraints lead to the conclusion from both Dragon Ball Z creator Akira Toriyama and fans of competitive gaming: power levels/tier lists are ultimately pointless.
Consider the following example when comparing a scenario from both a fighting game and DBZ arcs: while Goku is often shown to have an incredibly high power level, he is easily bested by villains at their initial interaction in most arcs of the show. Ultimately, he trains and bests the opponent in the final confrontation, rinse and repeat.
In gaming two players (A and B) decide to play a fighting game. A defeats B, despite B picking top tier characters. B goes into practice mode, and returns a week later to defeat A despite using the same team.
In both examples, training was the ultimate factor to victory. In Dragon Ball this is due to the show emphasizing the hard work necessary to overcome limitations, and in gaming the age-old idea of “practice makes perfect” holds true. Anyone can pick high tier characters, but unless they’re broken (i.e. think Meta Knight in Super Smash Bros. Brawl) they can still be defeated by someone with more experience and knowledge of the game (this can still hold true even if the opponent picked an overpowered character, depending on the character)
Even when both players are of equal skill, tier lists are still not the defining factor of a match. Fighting games use reaction as much (if not more so) than strategy. If you know how to react and counter a move, you can turn the battle in your favor. While in games like League of Legends, tier lists can be helpful in figuring out who to play as to counter the enemy team, the factors at play (such as the builds your opponent may use, team compositions, and player skill) are so numerous that relying on a tier list to make decisions is often a poor idea to some.
What are your thoughts on tier lists? What do you think counts the most towards a win? Excited for the new Dragon Ball Z game? Leave your thoughts below.
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