More valuable: Budokai PS2/NGC Or Budokai HD?

[dbboxkaifan]

Budokai 1 - PS2/NGC
Budokai 2 - PS2/NGC (< This one does not count)
Budokai 3 - PS2

The Budokai games for PS2/NGC featured the original Yamamoto music, but as for the graphics they were indeed inferior, and since there isn't an Online Mode on the new Budokai HD it potentially makes lose another point, as many many people were expecting to have a multiplayer mode (XBL / PSN).

And the fact that the old Budokai games for PS2/NGC will eventually go out of stock even with used copies.

[VegettoEX]

There are so many complementing trade-offs (does that phrase even make sense?!) that it's hard to assign "value" to one over another.

As you've heard me talk about so much, the music is such an integral part of the experience with those games and where I place so much of the charm with them that it's hard for me to recommend a changed version. They are no longer themselves.

If by "value" you mean monetary, those original three PS2 games are still PLENTIFUL in the wild out there, and I don't see them taking a hike in price any time soon. They did very well in all three main territories (Japan / North America / Europe), and I find it hard to imagine a time that you can't just grab one of them for under $10 at any game shop or online retailer.

[dbboxkaifan]

Michael, I was thinking more in terms of quality content but yep, good thing the games aren't going rare like Dragon Box Z Vol. 2 for absurd prices.

Maybe for a fan/gamer that never played the originals perhaps won't mind the music or even know it was replaced.

[MCDaveG]

Well inferior..... NGC had some graphic improvements and it's not HD. I have all Budokai series trough 1 to Infinite World (B1 & B2 Japanese, B3 & IW European) on PS2 and after what I saw was released as HD collection, I keep my copies of these games as a gems. Maybe I'm sentimental or whatever, but I can't even imagine not having Yamamoto music in it.

[Rukura]

I would certainly say that, in this case, the originals have a lot more value as a product.

I don't feel like I gained ANYTHING with this HD Collection. In fact, I lost a lot from the originals in this one.
In Budokai 1, I lost the Cha-la Head Cha-la sequences that I have in my japanese copy and lost the soundtrack only to gain a sometimes very poorly placed soundtrack and new censorship.
In Budokai 3, I lost the soundtrack and opening theme, gained Broli censorship (lol), only to gain a new layer of shinyness on top of the character models (which doesn't make it look all that much better anyway.

I guess this might have more value for new fans that didn't play the originals and don't have a PS2 anymore, but for someone who has...there's a LOT to cringe at here.

[NitroEX]

The HD collections are worthless. I'm pretty sure you could get both Budokai 1 and 3 for a cheaper price than the HD collection. The games not having the original soundtrack detracts from any nostalgic value it could of had and the only thing your gaining is a few measly achievements and a minor update to the graphics. Online mode could of saved this collection but as usual... lazy developers.

[Li'l Lemmy]

If the HD Collection had bothered to implement any sort of online versus functionality, it would have an entirely different value from the original versions. But as it stands, with additional censorship and and especially that butchered soundtrack...


~Da Lemmy

[Hellspawn28]

Online mode could of saved this collection but as usual... lazy developers.

I don't think they could have added online given that the original versions didn't had them.

[Cold Skin]

It's hard to really put a value on it, cause with all the changes from one version to another, it's very subjective in the end (depending on personnal preferences, country you were in - European had all the censorship and don't feel like losing anything compared to before on that point -, edition you might have, etc).
If you take the majority though, you should know that changes in general are not received well, and HD collections will constantly get bashed for being at best "not necessary" and most of the time "lame compared to the original", cause "the original was perfect and will always be" (some people won't even realize consciously they blindly obey this rule). To the point where those people will often bash a change before they could even see the new result, because of course there's no way to reach more than perfection itself, meaning the God-forbids-it-shall-ever-be-touched-upon original!

Most people get high on nostalgia. Make things better, and they will still say it was better before thanks to that magical feeling that beats logic.
They run after their comforting past. They're not into getting into the adventure of novelty no matter the risks. It's just the choice of peace and serinity over excitement and big waves on the ocean.
Most people think HD collections are meant to have the exact same experience than before. This will never happen cause - by definition - it is not a discovery if it's the second time, it will never be the same experience, and getting an "updated" collection for the sake of nostalgia is not the smartest move when nostalgia is linked to the past and "updated" encompasses the present date and its current rules, no matter if they're good or bad. For nostalgia, you play your old stuff that was not HD and get the feelings you once felt back up through your chest. For a sense of anticipation and new discovery, you play a collection that actually tries not to be the same, tries new things - albeit small ones.

So it should be a different experience with as many little twists brought as possible, the objective is not "if you have the original game, it's mostly the exact same thing, just go buy the PS2 version already, why are you wasting your time even looking at that box?", it's a "if you have the original game, good, but what we propose is a game based on it that will not feel the same than back then and has been updated to fit more with nowadays standards, graphics and trophies to start with, but possibly other adjustments. By definition, you won't play this to get nostalgic, you'll play this to feel something half new". They're called "HD collection" to show the seller "HD" expression, but it's reductive, the reality would be called "half-new edition", and on that, that Dragon Ball gets it right.

So...
Basically, if you're looking for nostalgia for having played the PS2 game, the PS2 game has the most value.
The graphics are a matter of taste, and people will choose PS2 of NGC has the one with the most value depending on their own favorite style.
Those who are looking to precisely not have the exact PS2 game but a way to have a renewed feeling of discovery, with new graphics and sounds, will value the HD collection most, regardless of the result of changes, cause the rediscovery is there indeed.

[Insertclevername]

Online mode could of saved this collection but as usual... lazy developers.

I don't think they could have added online given that the original versions didn't had them.

I don't think that would've mattered. There are numerous fighting games originally released without an online function then re released with an online function added for the port.

[mysticboy]

I don't think that would've mattered. There are numerous fighting games originally released without an online function then re released with an online function added for the port.

Yep. Virtua Fighter 5, Street Fighter Turbo HD Remix, Marvel Vs Capcom 2, and Ultimate Mortal Kombat come to mind.

[Hellspawn28]

The Budokai games on the PS2 are hardly valuable. None of those games have been around long enough to reach high prices. Other then the Budokai 3 collector's edition, the highest I seen a un-opean copy of Budokai 1 has been around at least $30 or $40.