The definitive favorite Ps2 DBZ game thread.

Conan the SSJ · Post by **Conan the SSJ** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 1:01 am

I figure since we've all had a month (2 months for purchasers of the Japanese version) to let Sparking! NEO/Budokai Tenkaichi 2 sink in, which is most likely the final Ps2 DBZ game (my wallet and sanity hope), we should all take a moment to reflect on all the DBZ games released for this big console. Over the last 4 years, 7 DBZ games (8 counting Budokai 3 Greatest Hits and 9 counting D.O.N.) have one way or another been released to us DBZ fans. While such games as Sagas and D.O.N. are exclusive to certain countries, along with Budokai 3 Collectors' Edition/Platinum/Greatest Hits being practically a separate game from the original, it's all a crazy mishmash. As you can all see, compliments of my sig', I have every DBZ games released in North America for the Ps2 (as well as the Ps1 games, Ultimate Battle 22 and the re-release of Final Bout respectively).

On topic, now that I've had time to play each of every game listed below, letting them each sink in, I've gotta say Super DBZ and Sparking! NEO/BT2 really caught me for a surprise as they both turned out to be very fun games for many different reasons. Sagas as well, a game released only here in North America, wasn't as nearly as bad to me as it seems to be to others. Also, one final thing, the original Budokai will always hold a place in my heart for being my first ever Ps2 game and DBZ game (well, my parents bought me the NES game Dragon Power when I was a little SSJ, but you all get the point); just the awesome 3D character designs, finishing move aspects, and absolute divine cut-scenes that no following game has surpassed. But despite all that, what is still my utmost favorite game, you guessed it; Budokai 3 Greatest Hits!

The reason Budokai 3 GH is my favorite, now and always, is just because of how much of an improvement it was upon the original Budokai 3, which was a stellar game as it was. I mean, many of you may remember the lengthy editorial I wrote nearly a year ago, that alone shows how much I love this game! The Dragon Universe and Dragon Arena modes, as well as the fantastic Duel mode, they're just so much fun to play. The game definitely seems to have the best cell-shaded and design work done to the combo and finishing moves, as well as making sure every character is different in their own aspect and always showing some type of emotion. 39 characters (yes, I count Piccolo Daimao as a separate character because of his size and different looking energy attacks), not a constipated 120 whatnot forms/characters whatever. The world flying system in Dragon Universe just makes the counterpart in NEO seem so generic, and the RPG and dueling elements, it's all just good fun!

Budokai 3 Greatest Hits = Conan the SSJ's favorite DBZ Ps2 game.

SS2 Vegeto · Post by **SS2 Vegeto** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:11 pm

My top five.

1. Dragonball Z Earth's Special Forces (PC, Half Life mod)

2. Dragonball Z Hyperdimension (SNES)

3. Super Dragonball Z (Playstation 2)

4. Dragonball Z Legendary Super Warriors (Gameboy Colour)

5. Dragonball Z Budokai 3 (Playstation 2)

I've yet to play Tenkaichi 2, though it certainly looks promising in comparison to the first. Might I inquire what's different in Budokai 3 GH, in contrast to the original?

Anonymous Friend · Post by **Anonymous Friend** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:21 pm

There's a link in Conan's post up there.

Click on it and enjoy.

The eyes aren't rolling at you but rather directing you upward.

I've played every PS1/2 Dragonball game except Budokai 1 and enjoyed them all while I was playing them.

gohanku · Post by **gohanku** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 12:05 am

Me, not so much PS2 DBZ games.
1)DBZ BT2
2)DBZ BT
3)DBZ B3 (Still trying to change for the greatest hits)
4)DBZ Buu's Fury (for the GBA, I don't have anymore PS2 DBZ game)
5)DBZ Supersonic Warrios (Same as number 4)

Mr.Piccolo · Post by **Mr.Piccolo** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 8:08 am

Hmm... I don't think I gave the Greatest Hits version of Budokai 3 a chance... so I'll go with Budokai Tenkaichi, for now. Actually no, my favorite was Budokai 2. Piccolo with the cloak. ;p
-Rick

denitonis · Post by **denitonis** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:34 am

Well for the PS2 my list would be:

1. DBZ: Budokai Tenkaichi 2
2. Super DBZ
3. DBZ: Budokai 3 (Collector's Edition)
4. DBZ: Budokai
5. DBZ: Budokai 2
6. DBZ: Budokai Tenkaichi

While I thought the original Tenkaichi was a lot of fun it seems completely obsolete with the current Tenkaichi 2, since it doesn't seem to have anything unique to it while the Budokai series always has something distinctive to its separate releases.
The other reason my list turns out like this is probably because I don't have any opponents which makes the Budokai series more of a drag while Super DBZ is easier to pick up for some reason.

For the original PS games I would list them as
1. DBZ Legends (which I am not able to play anymore since my PSX died)
2. DBZ Ultimate Battle 22
3. the GT game but I actually really hated it, just never sold it.

For the SNES:
1. DBZ Butouden 2
2. DBZ Butouden (it just had such an impact on me when I got to play this it is nostagically the best game ever, spent ages figuring out how to bounce deflect, block beams)
3. DBZ Hyper Dimension
4. DBZ Butouden 3

But well this is all in the past now...

shannarafan · Post by **shannarafan** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 1:02 pm

I reeeally like Budokai, but I've only played it and B2. It may suck compared to the others, but that's okay.

Super DBZ will probably become my favorite when I get it though.

Taku128 · Post by **Taku128** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 2:45 pm

Budokai 3 is my favorite. It may not have as many characters as NEO, but all of the characters control diffrently and they all have for the most part unique special attacks unless they're attacks shared in the series by multiple characters, like the kamehameha, and the fighting requires stratagy and capsule customization, unlike NEO where you just beerf up your attack health defense and special attacks and then spam your super move, which even the COM does. I wouldn't hate Sparking as much as I do if it weren't for the name, Budokai Tenkaichi. As godofchaos once told me, Atari actually managed the development of the Budokai games and it was their project, which leads me to believe as long as Sparking games are coming out and selling well, Atari will keep slapping on the Budokai label and not start a new true Budokai game.

Chuquita · Post by **Chuquita** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 5:35 pm

Budoukai 3 is my favorite (all those awesome what-ifs! And the storyline itself... X3 ), but I love the controls on Chou Dbz.

fps_anth · Post by **fps_anth** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 6:09 pm

1. Budokai 3 GH
2. Sparking! NEO
3. Sparking!
4. Budokai 2
5. Budokai

Yes, I haven't played Super DBZ. Finally the price is going now, I was never finacially ready to buy the game ever since it came out. Hopefully, Christmas will be nice to me.

gohanku · Post by **gohanku** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 11:20 pm

Damn, I should bought Super DBZ but umm my brain didn't argee for a weird reason so I will try to get it too.

Kendamu · Post by **Kendamu** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:25 am

Right now I'm saying:

1) Super DBZ
2) Budokai 3: Greatest Hits

Sparking got too old too quickly for me as I could use the same strategy for nearly every character. Older Budokai games, while great, would be missing Dragon World and the teleporting that I like so much. I never played Sagas. Super DBZ to me is my favorite because I have to play it differently every time I play as someone else and if I redo the Skill Tree on a character differnetly than I had it before then I have to change my strategy again. That means a new type of challenge everytime I play.

Detective X · Post by **Detective X** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 11:42 am

1.) Budokai 3 Greatest Hits
2.) Budokai Tenkaichi 2
3.) Supersonic Warriors 2
4.) Super Dragonball Z
5.) Budokai 2

Budokai 3 will never be beaten unless a Budokai 4 comes out. Despite all of its errors and parts that make me cringe, Budokai Tenkaichi 2 provided such a HUGE improvement over the first game that it manages to be my second favorite Dragonball Z game of all time. Supersonic Warriors 1 was a great game, and 2 just added more of the same to play around with. Super Dragonball Z goes on here sort of as a "I don't have anything else to place." I don't particularly like the game, but I don't dislike it either. Budokai 2 earns an honorary spot at #5 for being the beginnings of the godliness of Budokai 3.

Akira · Post by **Akira** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 10:38 pm

My favorites:

1. Super Dragonball Z (PS2)
2. Dragonball Z: Budokai 3 Special Edition (PS2)
3. Dragonball: Advanced Adventure (GBA)
4. Dragonball Z: Legacy of Goku II (GBA)
5. Dragonball Z: Legendary Super Warriors (GBC)
6. Dragonball Z: Supersonic Warriors 2 (NDS)
7. Dragonball Z: Legends (PS1)

Yeah, I think overall, those are my favorites. I have DBZ: Shin Budokai for PSP. (Grabbed it at Target for $19.99 awhile back), but I don't own a PSP yet, so I will draw conclusions on any possible list placement once I've gotten a chance to try the game out.

Maphisto86 · Post by **Maphisto86** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:58 am

1) Super Dragonball Z
2) Dragonball Z Sparking Neo!/Budokai Tenkaichi 2
3) Dragonball Z Budokai 3 (GH)
4) Dragonball Z Budokai

Duo · Post by **Duo** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 6:40 am

Definately Super Dragonball Z. It had the most character diversity (and fewest characters, ironically), ditched story mode completely, and kept the entire thing very loyal to the manga. The fighting system was a Z'd out Street Fighter setup which worked very well, and Daimao was somehow my fricken best character ever and I can't be beaten with him.

I only wish there had been, perhaps, ONE more single player mode. No idea what...

theoriginalbilis · Post by **theoriginalbilis** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 7:19 am

Ah hell, after reading all these lists... I just had to add my 2 cents:

1) Super DragonBall Z
2) Budokai 3
3) Sparking! NEO/Budokai Tenkaichi 2
4) Budokai 2
5) Dragon Ball Final Bout

Super DragonBall Z is the best DBZ fighting game to play with friends. It's so much like the Capcom 2D fighters we would burn off hours and hours on. At least that's my experience. Budokai 3 is #2 because that's the most time I ever spent playing/replaying a DBZ game (at least 100+ hours). Sparking! NEO because of all the characters and it's a decent fighter for friends, provided they just don't hit the same button all the time. Budokai 2 was great because of the story board mode, which I found refreshing. And it's really close to Budokai 3 in terms of development. And even though the controls and English voices sucked ass, Final Bout is on this list because it's the first DB game I ever played.

Man, I really need to find a way to play those SNES games...

TAS · Post by **TAS** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 8:13 pm

Wow, nobody here has even mentioned my favorite DBZ game, or maybe just nobody likes it or has played it.

1) SHIN BUDOKAI
2) Buokdai 3 (GH)

I really loved SB (and its one of the only two PSP games I own) and even though it lacked a number of things from B3 I still thought a lot of its changes made up for it, and now it sucks playing B3 because of the advancements SB made to the B3 gameplay, like think how hard it is to go back to B1 after playing B2/B3.

For those who don't know what advancements SB made or who have never seen the game, all standard Ki Blasts, Death Moves, and Ultimates became chragable (well not all the Ultimates) meaning you could do weak and strong versions of them all. Everything was also in real-time now, like the Death Moves (Kamehameha, etc) no longer have delays on them, and characters can be knocked out of doing Ultimates, and Ultimates can also be dodged, and stuff like the Warp Kamehameha and Super Spirit Bomb can be done in real-time. For instance with the Warp Kamehameha you (as Goku) are just basicly charging up a Super Kamehameha (similar to Gohan's) but if the opponent attacks you while you're doing it you/Goku will warp behind them and fire it off right into their back. As for the Super Spirit Bomb you preform the Spirit Bomb charged completely to the max then after its thrown and connects with the opponent you "up circle" (or down circle, I forget which) and Goku will go SS (or SS2, or SS3, depending on which transformation you picked, more about that later) and preform the Super Spirit Bomb. There's also the new Aura Burst move which everyone has, which allows them move incredibly quickly around the screen. Some characters also have new moves too, for instance Krillin can preform the Solar Flare.

It of course also has its problems like not having all the B3 chars, no alternate outfits, no Dragon Universe, some chars are missing moves, you're only allowed one transformation per battle, etc, etc, for instance with the one transformation thing if you're Goku you can choose between SS, SS2, and SS3 at the start of the match and thats the only lvl you can change into, however at least you can transform (unlike in BT1) however I believe the cons result from either disc space issues or to reduce loading times, but overall the game is a fun portable game to have, if you have the urge to play something DBZ related.

future_trunks · Post by **future_trunks** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 10:38 pm

My favorites include:

1. Super DBZ*
2. Sparking Neo*
3. Sparking
4. Budokai 3
5. Budokai 2

Best Song Award: Budokai 2's opening
Greatest what if's: The Sparking series, because they had entire threads revolved around what ifs.

* I don't have these games yet but from what I've seen they will be great.

Sho'nuff · Post by **Sho'nuff** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 4:50 pm

TAS wrote:Wow, nobody here has even mentioned my favorite DBZ game, or maybe just nobody likes it or has played it.

1) SHIN BUDOKAI

I wish they would port that over to the PS2, I don'nt have a PSP and really want to play it.

I think Tenkaichi 2 vastly improved over the first one, but my favorite is hands down Budokai 3 GH. I'm getting pretty decnt at the cancel combos in the game, that's adding a lot of replay value to it for me.