Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi offers an expansive combat system that captures the frenetic energy of the anime series. With 56 unique characters and 90 distinct forms, players can experience every major fight from the Saiyan Saga through the early Baby Saga. The roster includes fan favorites and rare forms that have never before appeared in a Dragon Ball Z game, ensuring a fresh experience even for series veterans.

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The control scheme is intuitive yet deep, allowing both casual button mashers and competitive fighters to find their groove. Basic attacks chain smoothly into flashy special moves, while flight controls and ki charging add strategic layers to each duel. Environmental interactions—such as terrain destruction and dynamic camera shifts—heighten the sense of scale during epic clashes.

Multiple modes add longevity and challenge. “Battle Gate” mode lets you relive famous story battles in quick succession, while “Ultimate Battle” tasks you with defeating 100 opponents in a gauntlet format. The “World Tournament” mode recreates the series’ iconic martial arts events, complete with bracketed eliminations and spectator energy. Moreover, head-to-head two-player battles provide endless local multiplayer fun for friends.

Progression feels rewarding: winning matches unlocks new characters, alternate costumes, and bonus content. Whether you’re striving to complete your character collection or mastering each fighter’s nuances, the game’s variety of challenges and rewards keeps you engaged for hours on end.

Graphics

Visually, Budokai Tenkaichi embraces a cel-shaded style that closely mirrors the original anime’s aesthetic. Characters pop with vibrant colors and bold outlines, while signature attacks—such as Goku’s Kamehameha or Vegeta’s Final Flash—light up the arena with dynamic particle effects. The 3D arenas are richly detailed, featuring destructible landscapes that crumble under the force of super-powered assaults.

Stage designs range from rocky wastelands and verdant forests to sprawling cities, each rendered with remarkable clarity on the PlayStation 2 and GameCube hardware. Backgrounds shift realistically as fights escalate: dust clouds billow, debris flies, and energy blasts carve fresh craters. These environmental reactions reinforce the feeling that you’re truly unleashing world-shaking powers.

Cutscenes that bookend key battles are fully voiced and animated, offering faithful retellings of pivotal story moments. While not entirely on par with modern HD standards, these sequences capture the drama and emotion of the series with surprisingly high fidelity. Even today, the game’s presentation holds up as a testament to cel-shaded animation in the early 2000s.

Frame rates remain stable during intense skirmishes, and camera transitions—while occasionally dramatic—rarely hinder gameplay. The blend of smooth performance and striking visual design makes for a spectacle that both newcomers and long-time fans will appreciate.

Story

Budokai Tenkaichi organizes its story content into digestible “Battle Gate” episodes, each spotlighting a key saga from Dragon Ball Z. Whether you’re facing the terror of the Saiyans or confronting the bio-engineered menace of Baby, the game walks you through the narrative with context-setting intros and post-battle summaries. This episodic approach makes progression clear and satisfying.

Although the game is not a full-fledged RPG, it weaves in familiar plot beats via short cutscenes and in-battle objectives. Characters voice their trademark lines, and special moments—like Trunks’ arrival from the future—are given ample fanfare. The result is a concise retelling of the series’ main arcs that serves both as a nostalgia trip and as an accessible primer for newcomers.

Alternate “What If” scenarios are unlocked as you play, offering hypothetical matchups and timeline deviations. These bonus battles provide creative spins on established lore and encourage replayability. Fans will delight in pitting characters against unexpected foes or exploring scenarios that never aired in the anime.

Dialogue and mission briefings are straightforward but effective, ensuring that players always know their objectives. While the narrative stops short of fully interactive storytelling, the game strikes a commendable balance between faithful adaptation and streamlined gameplay progression.

Overall Experience

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi delivers a comprehensive package for anyone eager to dive into high-flying, ki-blasting warfare. The huge roster, varied modes, and faithful presentation create an experience that resonates with long-time devotees and casual gamers alike. Unlocking every character and mastering their unique move sets provides a long-term goal that motivates continued play.

Local multiplayer is a standout feature: nothing tops the thrill of challenging a friend to a one-on-one duel, complete with camera swoops and dramatic energy clashes. While online play is absent, the split-screen battles and tournament lobby options offer substantial couch co-op value. Even solo players will find enough modes and challenges to keep them occupied for dozens of hours.

Some minor quibbles—like occasional camera angle frustrations during large-scale clashes—are easily overshadowed by the game’s strengths. The combination of tight controls, explosive visuals, and authentic Dragon Ball Z flair makes Budokai Tenkaichi a memorable entry in the franchise’s history.

In summary, this title remains a high-water mark for anime-based fighting games. If you crave a robust Dragon Ball Z experience that balances depth, spectacle, and fan service, Budokai Tenkaichi is well worth revisiting or discovering for the first time.

Retro Replay Score

7.5/10