Dragon Ball Z: Budokai

 PlayStation 2
  • Publisher: Atari
  • Release Date: Dec 3, 2002
Metascore
67

Mixed or average reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 28
  3. Negative: 3 out of 28
Buy Now
Buy on
  1. Cinescape
    91
    A Dragonball fan’s dream. It is the first "true" American game based on the series, and Infogrames really came through on this one.
  2. GamingTrend
    91
    If you are a DBZ fan, this is a dream come true. The game does just about everything right. Go and buy this now (you probably would even if I told you that the only difference between this and a bag of manure was the bag). If you aren’t a DBZ fan, you might be turned off by the simplistic gameplay.
  3. Gamezilla!
    90
    Doesn’t have a lot of spit & polish, and at first glance would seem to be a pretty crappy game, but that’s only skin deep. Get underneath the hood, and you’ll find an enjoyable fight engine, lots of extra material, and an impressive amount of content for a fighting game.
  5. netjak
    83
    Officially the first fun Dragonball Z game to hit the market. While it has a couple problems in the lack of jump or flight and a few strange mini-games in story mode, this fighter is remarkably deep and entertaining.
    All this publication's reviews
  6. Gamer.tv
    78
    Dramatic, hilarious and impenetrable by turn, it's a cold heart that won't be warmed by this one, but hardcore fight fans may find themselves irritated.
  7. Media and Games Online Network
    78
    The authenticity will truly impress the fans of the series with the soundtrack and voice acting all wrapped up in one neat and tidy package.
  8. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    75
    Between the terrific cinemas, TV voice actors, and perfectly re-created story lines, you'll really feel like you're playing the show. And isn't that what you've wanted all along? [Feb 2003, p.136]
  9. Games Radar
    75
    It doesn't always make sense, but it's so big, daft and loud that you can't help but join in with all the shouting. [PSM2]
  10. Into Liquid Sky
    75
    It's hard to find a Dragon Ball Z game that's fun, fast, and enjoyable. DBZ nuts should savor this one. For every one else - it's a solid rental at best.

Awards & Rankings

11
#11 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2002
25
#25 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2002

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 101 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 62 out of 101
  2. Mixed: 29 out of 101
  3. Negative: 10 out of 101
  1. Zilcell
    Nov 8, 2011
    8
    Each fight in the game is harder than the one before it so hardcore gamers will like the difficulty. The fighting is fast so a lot of buttonEach fight in the game is harder than the one before it so hardcore gamers will like the difficulty. The fighting is fast so a lot of button mashing is required. It follows the Dragon Ball Z storyline very well. If you like fighting games, then you just might like this game.… Full Review »
  2. TheQuietGamer
    Mar 7, 2011
    8
    Dragon Ball Z: Budokai is a great fighter, with a great selection of characters, and a fun story mode, but is lacking in tournament modes andDragon Ball Z: Budokai is a great fighter, with a great selection of characters, and a fun story mode, but is lacking in tournament modes and replay value, but has some pretty good multiplayer, if your a fan of the DBZ Budokai series and you want to see where it began this is a great purchase.… Full Review »
  3. Burger-Man2
    May 15, 2023
    8
    Dragon Ball Z - Budokai is a good game 20 (or 21 if you consider the PS2 version release date) years later? The answer is... kinda. The gameDragon Ball Z - Budokai is a good game 20 (or 21 if you consider the PS2 version release date) years later? The answer is... kinda. The game has some problems, such as the main story being short and graphics being, while they certainly have their charm, compared to other DBZ games even on PS2, not great. We can see that this game didn't aged well on that. But here's the thing: Graphics don't make a game. And that's why I gave a 8/10. The gameplay is simple, but actually pretty fun, the game faithfully recreates the anime scenes with incredible detail considering this was also the first Dragon Ball game for the PS2, and the english dub is surprisingly solid, and the actors are actually the same ones from the show (from what I know, though). But here's the problems: People say that, to unlock all the capsules, it takes a lot of time and people criticizes that, but since I just played the story mode... I can't say anything about that. What I can say something about though, is the length of the adventure. It takes about 2-3 hours to beat at the first time, and while there is extra content, I think the story should be a bit longer, it should have the Majin Boo saga, which this game (weirdly enough) doesn't has. The short length is also a good thing though, since people who don't have a lot of free time can beat this in one seat. Overall, while definitely not being the best Dragon Ball game for the PS2, it is definitely a fun one, and I genuinely recommend it to DBZ fans.… Full Review »
See all user reviews »