Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi

 PlayStation 2
  • Publisher: Atari
  • Release Date: Oct 18, 2005
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 97 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 68 out of 97
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 97
  3. Negative: 5 out of 97
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  1. JarvisS.
    Oct 19, 2005
    4
    This game sucks, the camara is awkward, the characters are hard to control in the air, and you CAN'T TRANSFORM!!! Give it back to Dimps, they new what they were doing!!
  2. mewkid1234
    Nov 8, 2013
    3
    Bad game..very bad game. I mean..if you want a good DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi game then play the 2nd one. The characters are just...wow. I mean...seriously...they look like Minecraft blobs on crack. The gameplay and story alike are just wow. It's good...but not that perfect. The camera sucks, the controls are easy to maneuver and the best this game can do is give you a good CharacterBad game..very bad game. I mean..if you want a good DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi game then play the 2nd one. The characters are just...wow. I mean...seriously...they look like Minecraft blobs on crack. The gameplay and story alike are just wow. It's good...but not that perfect. The camera sucks, the controls are easy to maneuver and the best this game can do is give you a good Character Introduction mode. All in all...this game sucks.… Expand
  3. iKen
    Apr 12, 2020
    7
    Played on PlayStation 2.
    Gameplay: GOOD.
    Story: OKAY.
    Graphic: GOOD.
    Music/Sound: OKAY.
    Dialogue: OKAY
  4. JinjongC.
    Nov 16, 2005
    10
    it was totally awesome
  5. RyanH.
    Oct 22, 2005
    8
    A good solid game but in melee your eather totaly dominating your opponent your your being beating to a pulp with no way to defend.
  6. Alex
    Dec 7, 2005
    6
    When i first played this game i was very pleased at its attempt to recreate the fast paced action. But after a while I noticed that the characters moves were not very well thought out. For instance Bardok has lost his spirit of the sayins for a awful energy ball. Another flaw is the lack of dediacated action, they have taken out the ingame fusions and trasformations.This is very When i first played this game i was very pleased at its attempt to recreate the fast paced action. But after a while I noticed that the characters moves were not very well thought out. For instance Bardok has lost his spirit of the sayins for a awful energy ball. Another flaw is the lack of dediacated action, they have taken out the ingame fusions and trasformations.This is very dissapointing sequel, my advice buy dbzb 3 platinum.… Expand
  7. RonD.
    Aug 19, 2006
    7
    its not the best game but its only the first one, it'll get better just like how budokai 1 did. and all those people complaining about the fighting being to fast pace just put down the remote and dont ruin it for the people who like the game, your just to weak to keep up. things they should have kept were in game transformations and put better cut scenes for story mode and more its not the best game but its only the first one, it'll get better just like how budokai 1 did. and all those people complaining about the fighting being to fast pace just put down the remote and dont ruin it for the people who like the game, your just to weak to keep up. things they should have kept were in game transformations and put better cut scenes for story mode and more dramatic death moves. the story mode should be like db3 where you could fly around just without the diolouge and cut scenes to take the place. the player should be able to interact with people and there should be two on one battles, then right after a battle they shouldnt go to a load screen, they should go striagt into a cutscene with the wide screen black things that come from the top and bottom of the screen, that would make a pretty good sequal.… Expand
  8. JimJ.
    Oct 18, 2005
    10
    This game rocks.
  9. JonnyoS.
    Oct 20, 2005
    10
    I havent played it yet, i gotta wait 2 or 3 days, but i been previewin it more than anybody who likes dbz, i got budokai 2 and 3, and got some of the GBA games and this game is meant to b the best, seriously cant wait, anyway, thx 4 readin, lol, bye xxx
  10. MLee
    Oct 29, 2005
    8
    This game is not perfect, but the GEEK in me will not allow me to vote anything lower! I must admit, I had to break my mindset a bit and get out of the way I'd played the other Budokai Games. Now that I've finally begun to understand the way to play this game, it's totally broken itself away from the other Budokai games, and I'm still pleased with it. Good game...
  11. HadiN.
    Oct 30, 2005
    10
    This game is the best of all other dbz games.
  12. Youdon'twanttoknow
    Aug 6, 2006
    9
    Altough i am a fan of the Dragonball series i was a bit disappointed with somethings in the first games. There was the small enviroment, how hard it was to break something and the very annoying problem with the power up system (you would lose energy more rapidly the higher up the power up list you got and so when you reached the top one you had a very limited ammount of time left). Altough i am a fan of the Dragonball series i was a bit disappointed with somethings in the first games. There was the small enviroment, how hard it was to break something and the very annoying problem with the power up system (you would lose energy more rapidly the higher up the power up list you got and so when you reached the top one you had a very limited ammount of time left). Altough i found myself missing the power ups the rest of the game got me hooked and this has easily become my best game if not my best PS2 game. I love playing with my friends wich pick up the controller and so "No, no. Dont worry I'll figure out the buttons myself" and then watch as every last attack they make fails to hit me until they finally admit to needing help. Or those that have playe the game alot and we have a long battle over who is best. The only reason i'm going to give this game a 9 is because of the fact that you can't power up and because you can pick some of the weakest guys in teh series and easily kick the toughest ones ass.… Expand
  13. James
    Nov 20, 2005
    10
    This is totally awesome. I love how you have the freedom of flight, larger arenas, and less cinematic time for moves. It is awesome how the map is more 3D and destructible than all the other previous games. BEST GAME EVER!
  14. SumDood
    Nov 30, 2005
    8
    Pretty good game.(Although i like the first on the best)! this game captures the world of dbz like none other. Definetly a good RENTAL!
  15. ShadowC.
    Oct 18, 2005
    10
    Amazing... Just what I always wanted.
  16. ChrisE.
    Dec 22, 2005
    5
    does anybody else think that there have been one to many of these games?
  17. WilliamK.
    Oct 23, 2005
    10
    The ultimate DBZ game.
  18. Kite
    Oct 23, 2005
    9
    This is really awesome game. Good graphics and good controls. lots of characterers and story mode is quite large. Only bad things in game is that there is no more transformations during a fight and some moves is totally powerless. That's why i can't give 10 to this game, but overally this is the best dbz budokai that is made.
  19. Addictedtopc
    Oct 28, 2005
    10
    This game is brilliant its the ultimate fusion of all games +50 characters its brutal!!!!
  20. WilliamW.
    Sep 29, 2006
    7
    This is a fairly solid DBZ game. You could make a fair argument for this or Budokai 3 being the best DBZ game out. What makes Budokai Tenkaichi better than Budokai 3 are slightly better graphics, 3D environment and more characters. Budokai Tenkaichi does lack a couple of features that were missed, like in-battle transformation and fusion. I will admit that this game is somewhat too simple This is a fairly solid DBZ game. You could make a fair argument for this or Budokai 3 being the best DBZ game out. What makes Budokai Tenkaichi better than Budokai 3 are slightly better graphics, 3D environment and more characters. Budokai Tenkaichi does lack a couple of features that were missed, like in-battle transformation and fusion. I will admit that this game is somewhat too simple and basic, when it comes to gameplay, but it's not something that I'll lose any sleep over. Budokai Tenkaichi 2 will more than likely bring back some of the elements from Budokai 3...making it definitely the best DBZ game ever.… Expand
  21. LindseyW.
    Nov 14, 2005
    10
    I wish I had two more hands to give this game four thumbs up. Before I played it i kind of worried about the camera angles but I was able to adjust to them very easy. I must say the same about the controls, they grew on me. In the next one I would like to be able to customize clothing and accessories like wrist bands, shoes, armor, scouters and other things from the cartoon. Also how I wish I had two more hands to give this game four thumbs up. Before I played it i kind of worried about the camera angles but I was able to adjust to them very easy. I must say the same about the controls, they grew on me. In the next one I would like to be able to customize clothing and accessories like wrist bands, shoes, armor, scouters and other things from the cartoon. Also how about some team battles like two on two, maybe that can get worked in somehow or two on one battles. Also what about more destruction to the ground when thrown in to it. If it all gets destroyed then it becomes an air battle.… Expand
  22. MIchealB.
    Nov 14, 2005
    10
    This is a really great game and they should make more
  23. KrishnanK.
    Nov 15, 2005
    10
    it's really cool kicking a computer charecter esspically bad guys in dragonball z: bakudai tenkaichi or sparkling!
  24. ThomasA.
    Nov 6, 2005
    10
    I like this game in all ways that i can speak. i played evey game dbz put out and this is the one that takes the pie.
  25. Watermelon789
    Jul 29, 2011
    6
    In my first day (years ago), DBZ got what it needed ,improved in the way we always wanted to, destructibility , the clothing messed up , etc. Replaying then, i don't see the logic of the sense, the wacky fighting, weird structure , unnecessary new entry whatever. Spending 50 bucks wasn't reasonable.
  26. christab
    Apr 5, 2012
    9
    DBZ BT2 conducted in 2006 with a good story mode which follows almost cartoon fashion with several that are part of the game that makes fun of the person who plays, Spike has not really his game rate.
  27. TheDarkKnight22
    Sep 5, 2014
    8
    in my opinion, this is the best DBZ to date, the fighting is really fun, the multiplayer is very addictive and the graphics are really good for the ps2. This game might be more fun for a DBZ fan but it is just a fun game in general.
  28. caligula_king
    Oct 4, 2015
    8
    Lo jugué hace 8 años o mas, y me pareció bueno , lo disfrute bastante y me lo pase en enseguida . Otro punto a favor que tenía este juego era la campaña, muy larga y entretenída. El resto de modos tambien eran buenos, como por ejemplo derrotar a 100 enemigos, o las clasicas batallas 1 vs 1. Los gráficos estaban muy bien hechos . Hicieron un buen juego para los fans de dragon ball .
  29. Diegochocho
    Jul 5, 2018
    6
    Es el principio de una gran saga que fueron lanzando, pero el pongo un 6 por lo tosco que son los controles.
  30. MajinCCB
    Aug 9, 2021
    7
    Has a large number of characters which is fun, however that hardly matters when besides animation differences there are only 3 types of moves that all behave the same
  31. TyeBuster
    Apr 6, 2023
    7
    Not bad start for this series, DBZ Budokai had much worse first game, much worse...

Awards & Rankings

94
#94 Best PS2 Game of 2005
39
#39 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2005
64
#64 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 29
  3. Negative: 2 out of 29
  1. IGN
    82
    Throw in a massively deep list of modes and features, more than 50 playable characters, and customizable goodies for your fighters and you have everything necessary to please both Dragon Ball diehards and fighting game curiosos alike.
    Read full review
  2. GamePro
    60
    Tenkaichi succeeds in all the areas that DBZ fans love: brilliant, innovative graphics, a gajillion (more than 60, actually) playable characters from the beloved anime series, and (everyone together) Saiyans!
    Read full review
  3. Jolt Online Gaming UK
    80
    It’s novel, it’s a good fighting game and it’s extremely well presented, but Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi is still one for the fans.
    Read full review
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