Dragon Ball Super has introduced many new elements to the franchise and many new transformations. As the stakes continued to get higher and more godly, Goku and the gang had to find a way to match them. It's tough to beat the very first Super Saiyan reveal, but some of these are up there with the best of Dragon Ball Z.
Super Saiyan Rosé
Super Saiyan Rosé was a form reached by Goku Black who was really Zamasu, the apprentice Supreme Kai of Universe 10. The history of Zamasu is incredibly complicated, even for Dragon Ball standards, but basically, he craved the powers that could be achieved by Saiyans. When he discovered the ability to go Super Saiyan, he attempted to do the same.
Unlike other power-ups and transformations in the Dragon Ball franchise, Super Saiyan Rosé is a little underwhelming. The power level is able to match Super Saiyan Blue, but Zamasu ends up just being able to achieve it. There was no work done on screen or any emotional weight put on it. The characters just act shocked that he's able to achieve this form.
Super Saiyan Blue
First introduced in Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F and then again when the same story was adapted into the Dragon Ball Super anime, Super Saiyan Blue is the next step up from Super Saiyan God. When Frieza came to Earth to take revenge, Goku and Vegeta both used this transformation to beat him.
While the anime does go a little further to show the training that led to this transformation, it's a bit underwhelming. There's no emotional weight to either character achieving the form and the fact that they show up already being able to use it is disappointing.
Super Saiyan Rage
After returning to his timeline, Future Trunks hadn't advanced in power but was able to take out all the villains that popped up anyway - except for Goku Black. After learning of Goku and Vegeta's new transformations, Future Trunks tried to push his limits and was able to achieve a new form called Super Saiyan Rage.
Super Saiyan Rage seems to be able to access god chi even though it isn't a god form. Like all Super Saiyan forms, it's powered by intense rage. It's kind of a confusing form, but watching Trunk finally break through his limits like his kin was truly great.
Golden Frieza
The power scaling that had happened throughout Dragon Ball Z made it so that by the end of the series, Frieza was not the threat he used to be. Although some feel that Frieza should have stayed dead, Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F brought the villain back, they needed to find a way to make sure he could go toe to toe with his Saiyan enemies. Turns out, all he needed to do was train.
Golden Frieza is the name of the form that Frieza was able to take. Even when Goku and Vegeta were using the power of the gods, Frieza was able to match them in speed and power. His transformation was pretty exciting too. Audiences felt the rage and desperation the first time he powered up to his golden form. It has almost the same issue as Super Saiyan Blue though, in that audiences didn't get to see the build-up.
Evolved Super Saiyan Blue
Goku constantly strives to sur his limits and Vegeta is always one step behind him. That began to change in the Universal Tournament in Dragon Ball Super. Vegeta made a promise to Cabba, the Saiyan of Universe 6, and was enraged when Cabba and the other of Universe 6 were erased from existence. Vegeta was able to channel that rage and push through his own limits to reach Evolved Super Saiyan Blue, a form that Goku hadn't reached yet.
Much like Super Saiyan Rage, Evolved Super Saiyan Blue is kind of confusing. It seems to be a more perfected version of Super Saiyan Blue but at any rate, watching Vegeta finally step out of Goku's shadow made this transformation worth it. Vegeta's reluctant mentorship of Cabba was an interesting development and created just the right amount of emotional fuel to make this transformation work.
Super Saiyan God
Beerus the Destroyer god's desire to find out what a Super Saiyan God is has led him to Earth, the home of the only known Saiyans in the universe. Goku tried to reach this form but was unable to until they summoned the mighty Shenron. The dragon informed them that the Super Saiyan God form could only be achieved by combining the powers of 6 Saiyans into one.
On paper, it kind of seems disappointing that Goku received a power-up from his friends rather than achieving the power on his one. But it turned out to be rather refreshing since Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods is all about putting aside Goku's pride. Thankfully he did, because the fight with Beerus is one of the best in Dragon Ball.
Gohan Beast
Dragon Ball Super put Gohan back in his training and he had decided that he wanted to find a way to get stronger without going Super Saiyan. In the latest movie, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, he seems to have achieved just that. After Piccolo appears to die at the hands of Cell Max, Gohan transforms into a new form called Gohan Beast.
Most of the emotional beats that led up to this form are copied from Gohan's legendary Super Saiyan 2 transformation, but it was still mostly effective. While not the best transformation in the movie, Gohan Beast is an epic-looking form that finally puts Gohan close to being the strongest in the franchise.
Ultra Instinct Sign
Whis informed Goku of a level that would allow his body to react without his mind having to think. After finally fighting Jirren at full strength, Goku summoned all his energy and the energy left around him to create a massive spirit bomb. But Jirren was able to throw it back with more power. Goku, somehow, absorbed the energy and channeled it into the first step to Ultra Instinct.
He didn't quite get there, but the build-up of the spirit bomb and the potential that Goku could have just died was enough to create a massive amount of tension leading up to this transformation. When Goku finally emerged with a glowing white aura, it was an incredible rush of excitement that was only about to get better.
Legendary Super Saiyan
Even though Kale was the first in-canon Legendary Super Saiyan transformation, Broly's transformation in Dragon Ball Super: Broly remains the one to beat. After Frieza killed Paragus, Broly was thrown into a fit of rage that shook the Earth to its very core. Broly was already an unstoppable rage monster but tapping into the power of the Legendary Super Saiyan made it so much worse. It's one of the reasons why Broly is one of the best villains in Dragon Ball.
The Legendary Super Saiyan form is so powerful that it takes an incredibly strong will to control it. Broly will surely be able to do so one day, but his first transformation was an incredible combination of emotion and visuals. His power level was so great that Vegeta and Goku had to fuse to even get close to matching him.
Orange Piccolo
Like a lot of heroes, Piccolo had been left in the dust by Goku and Vegeta when they achieved their god powers. But thankfully that changed in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. Not only did Shenron unlock Piccolo's latent potential, but Shenron also delivered a gift to his former creator in the form of a new transformation.
Orange Piccolo gives Piccolo orange skin and a beefier body and a massive power-up. His transformation seen is incredibly satisfying for long-time fans and incredibly emotional within the story. It's a "cheer moment" that can rival Marvel's best.