GamePro.com will be holding an exclusive stream of all-new “Dragon Ball Z 3” (“Budokai 3”) footage starting tomorrow (Saturday, 14 August) at noon.
In the mean time, you can read GamePro’s interview with Daisuke Uchiyama to hold you over — there is some interesting stuff concerning new play mechanics in there.
Gamepro.com: What is the biggest change from Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2?
Daisuke Uchiyama: The transition from Budokai 1 to 2 was mainly a visual one, where we brought the graphics closer to the anime. However, with the change from 2 to 3 you’ll immediately notice the difference the moment you get your hands on the controls. You’ll be surprised how different the feel is.
GP: Budokai 2 didn’t have the same story mode as in Budokai 1–what can we expect for the next installment?
DU: Budokai 3 won’t have the type of story mode you saw in Budokai 1, with a cut scene-driven plot. Nor will it have something like Dragon World in Budokai 2, with a plot line that slightly differs from the anime. We received a lot of feedback for Budokai 2’s Dragon World–fans noticed that it didn’t progress exactly like the manga or anime series did. There won’t be any CG, or real-time 3D cut scenes either.
GP: Will there be new modes? Online play?
DU: There will be a mode that you’ll find very surprising, though we don’t want to reveal any details. With the main mode in the game you will find that you can give your characters more of a sense of individuality to them–it will really feel like you have your personal Goku.
GP: Where will the story mode start off from, in terms of the manga/animated series plot?
DU: Well, the Dragon Ball Z series name was created from the emergence of Raditz, so you can expect it to start off from there. You’ll be able to play the game from many different points of views.
GP: Will there be any new characters?
DU: You can expect more movie characters, such as Broly and Cooler. Also, there will be some more strange characters from the animated series, and also characters that you thought, “why didn’t they put this character in?”
GP: How has the fighting system changed? Can you fly or jump? Also, how have special moves changed?
DU: Budokai 1 & 2 could be thought of as the first phase of the fighting system we wanted to achieve, and Budokai 3 as phase two. There will be a heavy emphasis on air battles, and a significant part of this game will be to “take the backside” of the opponent. The system will encourage very aggressive gameplay, and the controls will be simpler, with a better response.
GP: How far in development is the game? What about the release date?
DU: We are hard at work on the game, and expect the game to be released in the same timeframe as previous installments.
GP: Do you have any plans to develop Dragon Ball games on the PSP or Nintendo DS?
DU: We have a lot of interest in those consoles–the PSP is very beautiful, and the DS would allow for interesting opportunities, such as ground and air battles [with the split screen]. The question we’re pondering is, “how to use the DBZ franchise in a handheld format?”
GP: What’s your favorite Dragon Ball game of all time?
DU: I would have to say the very first game that was released on the Famicom, Dragon Ball: The Mystery of Shenron. When I was a kid, it had a big impact on me.
GP: Do you have any final comments for fans?
DU: Being a part of the development process for the series, I can say that Budokai 2 was the evolution of the series, and Budokai 3 is the fulfillment or completion of the series. The issues that fans felt will be addressed, and I can say with confidence that it will be a very high quality title. You’ll be shocked and amazed of the level of polish that will be in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3.