Dragon Ball Z: Budokai

 PlayStation 2
  • Publisher: Atari
  • Release Date: Dec 3, 2002
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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Acemebrotha5fingazyomamaVentura
    Dec 8, 2002
    0
    this is the best game i ever palyed in my life. why did i give it a 2?? CUZ thsis game is hott you can actually have sex during the game play!! can you believe it well u need game shark of course and a special combo to unlock and id say i beoive i can fly~~ i beileve i cna touch teh sky thsi si a hott gamwe!!! excellente my brotha five fingers jo wat~jo mama~~~~<^>
  2. ZiggyStardust
    Dec 12, 2002
    4
    Dragon Ball Z tends to be popular with very young, nerdy kids. If you fit into that category, you might like it. Most people should probably avoid playing this one though.
  3. Drag-onballbland
    Dec 14, 2002
    4
    Just put it this way; if you removed the dragon ball license. You wouldn't play this game, simple because there are far better 3d fighters on the market.
  4. OwenE.
    Jul 7, 2003
    3
    Okay it is a great game and the music is amazing But i live in the United Kingdom, and this counts for prob all of Europe Why!!! Is the voices of budokai that are region 2 have Japanese voices and i heard the american version region 1 has the english voices Why! why!! why!!!! Explain! ! it pisses me off so much! that i spent the same amount of money to get a crappy japanese language that Okay it is a great game and the music is amazing But i live in the United Kingdom, and this counts for prob all of Europe Why!!! Is the voices of budokai that are region 2 have Japanese voices and i heard the american version region 1 has the english voices Why! why!! why!!!! Explain! ! it pisses me off so much! that i spent the same amount of money to get a crappy japanese language that sounds horrible and i have to read bad subtitles...its not just my game.. i know at least 4 of my friends who have it and its the same. so for me now to get english voices il have to buy a regional changer for my ps2 probarly a mod chip and re buy budokai an american version...what where these guys smoking?… Expand
  5. SamC.
    Apr 2, 2004
    1
    I think that this game is boring ps i think that it is CRAP.
  6. DragonFurbyZ
    Jun 14, 2004
    2
    This game lacks at least 1 powerful attack for each character. What about Android #19? Amatuer!
  7. TysonB.
    Feb 12, 2004
    3
    Looks terrible, sound terrible, and the gameplay is somewhat terrible. I heard Dragonball Z Budokai 2 Is going to be a lot better.
  8. FreedomFighters
    Feb 25, 2018
    4
    Let's get this out of the way right now: I'm not really much of a fan of the "Dragon Ball" franchise. Not that I dislike the series, it was just never my cup of tea. As a kid, I was part of the "Pokémon," "Digimon" and "Yu-Gi-Oh" boats, but I never found a huge interest in "Dragon Ball Z," or "DBZ," as some call it. That said, I fully believe that a fighting game based around the "DragonLet's get this out of the way right now: I'm not really much of a fan of the "Dragon Ball" franchise. Not that I dislike the series, it was just never my cup of tea. As a kid, I was part of the "Pokémon," "Digimon" and "Yu-Gi-Oh" boats, but I never found a huge interest in "Dragon Ball Z," or "DBZ," as some call it. That said, I fully believe that a fighting game based around the "Dragon Ball" franchise is a match made in heaven...at least on paper, because while "Dragon Ball Z: Budokai" has the right idea, it just doesn't execute it well.
    Off the bat, the game really captures the feel of the show pretty well (basing this off of what little I've seen, along with word-of-mouth from friends who watched the show). It really feels like I can watch these cutscenes and understand the plot of the show. I also appreciate how the game actually follows the different "sagas" of the shows, which makes it feel like it could be enjoyable even for people like me that have no experience with the franchise.
    Unfortunately, that's about where the positives end. Though it captures the feel of the show, it certainly isn't visually brilliant, and it's extremely easy (and rather fun) to just make jokes about the cutscenes being weirdly animated and poorly-acted. You'll also find yourself making jokes about the story and the dialogue, and worst of all, the gameplay is extremely frustrating. "Dragon Ball Z: Budokai" has all the potential in the world to be a really technical, exciting, competitive fighting game, but unfortunately, the game is weighed down by some really poor controls that fall somewhere between "bulky" and "unresponsive."
    It's clear that this game hasn't aged wonderfully and, unless you're a huge fan of the show or you really need a good laugh, you'd be a smarter person if you invested your time and money into a more interesting fighter. "Dragon Ball Z: Budokai" had some great ideas going for it, but unfortunately, it's a disappointing fighting game.
    Final rating: 4 out of 10 "Bad"    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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
  1. GamePro
    70
    Non–Dragon Ball Z fans, however, may have a hard time not only grasping the quirky DBZ story, but also wrapping their fingers around the repetitious controls.
    Read full review
  2. 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.
    Read full review
  3. 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.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »