Ever since I discovered the existence of the Dragon Ball Z Scouter by Casetify and realized it was not a headset, but an accessory for Apple's AirPods Max headphones, I've been on a journey to find the best Dragon Ball gaming tech.
It's been over 40 years since the original manga debuted in 1984, but even in that time, I've only seen a sprinkling of accessories, from headsets, controllers, to keyboards, all ready to hook up alongside the best gaming PCS and create the ultimate anime-inspired setup, which has left me with a Yamcha-sized hole in my heart.
As the resident anime nerd of the hardware team, I've taken it upon myself to try and find the best officially licensed Dragon Ball accessories still available to pick up today to fill that void, and fill my house with even more Akira Toriyama goodies, and you can find my favorite tech discoveries down below.
FRTEC Dragon Ball Z Thumb Grips
The moment I discovered that these adorable 4-star Dragon Ball Z Thumb Grips existed, I went out on an eBay hunt and bought my own pair. Sadly, they haven't arrived in the post yet, so I can't give you a lowdown on exactly how they feel to use while playing the likes of Dragon Ball Sparking Zero on the PS5, or if they 100% even fit the DualSense sticks, as these are originally designed with the PS4 in mind.
However, that hasn't stopped me from wanting to bring them to any Dragon Ball fans' attention. I mean, who wouldn't want to turn their boring old black Sony controller sticks into replicas of the 4-star Dragon Ball?
While I don't have experience with the sticks quite yet, I do have a frame of reference, as I have grips attached to pretty much every controller in my possession, Sony or otherwise. These 4-star designs remind me of my Spider-Man grips, which don't add a huge amount of extra elevation, but their silicon texture makes it easier to grip the sticks, which is especially handy in online games.
Subsonic Dragon Ball Z XXL Mousepad
Dragon Ball mousepads are by far the easiest gaming accessory to find out in the wild.
The designs available from brands like Grupo Erik and ABYSTYLE range from everything from subtle silhouettes of Goku and friends on an RGB lit pad, like on the PC Dragon Ball Super MousePad available for £24.99 from Amazon UK by FRTEC, or just key-art from art from series like Dragon Ball Super. However, I'm more partial to this Shenrom design by Subsonic.
This officially licensed mousepad is 90mm x 40mm and features Shenron looking as fierce as ever, with the seven dragon balls all splayed out behind him. It's not the most subtle of designs, but I like it more that way. It reminds me of the classic Ocean dub anime opening that starts with that iconic shot of Shenron before the "Rock the Dragon" chants chime in, and that kind of nostalgia would be perfect sitting on my desk.
Dragon Ball Kame Nintendo Switch Controller
This is undoubtedly my favorite piece of official Dragon Ball gaming tech I've found so far, if not one of the best Switch controllers I've ever laid my eyes on.
Just like the official thumb grips, the wireless controller is another product from FRTEC, who seem to be behind most of the Dragon Ball accessories available on the market today. However, out of every product I've found underneath the FRTEC name, this is the one I want the most.
Its translucent orange design feels like a nostalgic call-back to the early 00s where I spent my weekends playing on my friend's translucent orange N64, after watching episodes of Dragon Ball Z on Toonami, of course. Outside of the nostalgia, I adore the printed art of Master Roshi and young Goku and Krillin, especially as it's more unusual to find a homage to the original Dragon Ball series - especially where tech is concerned.
Unfortunately for those of you across the pond, I can only find this from UK retailers, despite FRTEC and its many Dragon Ball products, which are otherwise fairly easy to find on the likes of US Amazon. If you're itching to give your controller a Dragon Ball makeover, you can otherwise grab the Dragon Ball Z Hard Case + Grips + Sticker PS5 combo pack for £25.64 at Amazon, which lets you show off your fandom via your DualSense controller.
It's not as cool as a translucent controller, but it's better than nothing.
FRTEC Dragon Ball Super 24 Storage Case for Nintendo Switch
I tried my hardest not to just pick out FRTEC products, but they really do have the market covered where Dragon Ball accessories are concerned. This Nintendo Switch Game Storage Case is simple but effective, and matches well with the FRTEC controller thanks to its translucent plastic form factor.
You can store up to 24 game carts for your gaming handheld in this case (along with two microSD cards), but what I like most about it is the fact that it's compatible with Switch 2 games too. This is a slightly older product, so I don't think it was on purpose, but out of pure luck for Dragon Ball fans, as Switch 2 carts are the same size as the older carts.
With Dragon Ball Sparking Zero making its way to the Nintendo Switch 2 on November 14th, this little compact case would be the ideal way to store it, and any older Dragon Ball Switch games you might have in your collection.
TEKNOFUN Official Dragon Ball Z Gaming Headphones
Until brands like Razer (known for their big, anime tech collabs) ever get a hold of the licence to make Dragon Ball gadgets, I doubt we'll see a high-end gaming headset designed with adults in mind. However, this official headset by brand Teknofun is at least better than nothing.
Its design is a bit more understated than other bits of Dragon Ball tech out there, featuring a black and yellow colorway with the 4-star dragon ball featured on either earcup. As a wired headset aimed towards a young audience (judging by the promotional images), you're likely not going to get the same impressive audio quality as per the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, but for a $28.49, that's to be expected.
At least the wired 3.5mm headphone jack means it'll be compatible with a change of platforms, from the PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and even the Steam Deck. Just make sure you're okay being at the mercy of wires before you pick this up.
The specs state that the headset comes equipped with 50mm audio drivers, too, so that extra room for the sound to bounce should at least make it sound good enough to make the Switch version of Dragon Ball Kakarot Diama Edition sound pretty decent.
- View all Dragon Ball gaming deals at Amazon
- Dragon Ball Sparking Zero - PS5:
$58.40$53.99 at Amazon - Dragon Ball Kakarot - PS5: $19.99 at Amazon
If you're not a Dragon Ball fan, our guides to the best PS5 headsets, best Xbox Series X headsets, and the best PC headsets for gaming are bursting at the seams with high-quality pairs of cups for your gaming platform of choice.
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