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The Dragon Ball Z gang lets you flail your arms around crazily. The Budokai series has steadily improved since its debut in 2003. DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2, really the third game in the series, is the culmination of this steady steam of improvements. The Wii version of the game does make some use of the motion sensing controls although the game is still best suited for either the Classic or Gamecube controllers.
Budokai Tenkaichi 2 has several gameplay modes. These include Dragon Adventure, Dueling, Ultimate Battle Z, and Dragon Tournament, as well as a training mode. Dragon Adventure is the game’s key singleplayer mode. The game lets you play through the vast DBZ story. As you play through the game, you’re given objectives to complete as well as optional side quests. Dueling is the game’s exhibition mode since you play in quick matches and is also where the game’s multiplayer mode takes place. Subtypes in Dueling include singles match, tag matches, and free battles (up to teams of five players).
Spike made some changes to the game’s fighting system. You still have access to the typical punches, kicks, dashes, blocks, and energy and special attacks. The game has an elaborate combo and counter system, as well. Budokai Tenkaichi 2 limits the number of finishing moves you can pull off which eliminates some of the game’s flashiness but also makes fights more balanced than they were previously.
Budokai Tenkaichi 2’s control scheme was very involved on the PlayStation 2 and many wondered how Atari would translate that to the Wii. The answer is not very well due to the nature of the controls and the complexity of the game. Flailing the Wiimote and Nunchuk execute the various moves, but these controller movements are not only context sensitive in the game but also correlate to the controllers’ actual location. Thankfully, the game provides support for the Wii Classic and the Gamecube controllers, both of which provide a more engaging experience.
The multiplayer component lets you use any of these subtypes and although it isn’t particularly deep, it’s pretty good nonetheless. Ultimate Battle Z is a ranking of sorts where winning a match moves you higher in the leaderboards. The Dragon Tournament is a tournament mode with several tournaments including Cell Games and World Tournament.
The game’s visuals are a good replica of the cartoon. Developer Spike has perfected the game’s look and it really does appear like another episode in the cartoon. The cel-shaded characters look great and are instantly recognizable thanks in part to the authentic costumes that they wear. You’ll notice that the clothes will wear and tear as a fight progresses, and that characters get injured. The animation system is equally good with all of the over-the-top moves coming off well. The Wii graphics are almost indistinguishable from the PS2 version of the game.
The audio is also good. The highlight of the audio is the authentic voice acting provided by the North American cast of the cartoon. The dialogue is well delivered. The sound effects in the game are also good. The soundtrack is about what you would expect for the game and is on par with the rest of the audio.
Your enjoyment of Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 will be directly proportional to how much like you like the Dragon Ball Z universe. But it will also be directly related to which controller you’re using. The game is complicated and unwieldy with the Wii Remote, but manageable on either the Classic or Gamecube controllers. As a fighting game, it’s very flashy and somehow shallow, but fans of the cartoon will appreciate this as well as the careful use of the license. -- Jose Liz, PGNx Media
---- Jan 30, 2007
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