[#11] Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2

Genre: Fighting
Publisher: Atari / Namco Bandai Group
Developer: Spike
Number of Players: 1-2
ESRB: T for Teen

The Story

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi is back, this time in its second installment. DBZ fans will undoubtedly recall the first title in the series, which promised to take everything good from the Budokai titles and build upon it. Focusing on the entirety of the Dragon Ball Z story, rather than on particular sagas, Budokai Tenkaichi created arguably the most expansive DBZ game ever when it was released more than a year ago in October of 2005. But wait a second, if Budokai Tenkaichi covered just about everything, why is there a sequel? Emily Anadu, Product Manager of Atari, Inc explains: "With each new DBZ title, we focus on expanding upon and enriching the gameplay experience that DBZ fans have come to know and love..." To put it even shorter: there's always room for improvement.

Budokai Tenkaichi 2 brings back everything good about its predecessor, which means players will be able to play through pretty much the full DBZ story - from Goku's first encounter with another Saiyan to the final moments of the Kid Buu saga, though this time stretching even further into the GT series. Or, if you want, you can take the less dramatic route and just bang a few skulls in with a friend... err... bang your friend's skull in for a few.

The Facts

There's no way Atari can pass this game off as an upgrade without some facts, and there are certainly plenty of those. DBZ fans will enjoy a roster of over 120 playable characters (this includes transformations), 16 huge, destructible 3D environments, nine single and multi-player game modes and the ability to trigger transformations taken straight from the DBZ movies and anime TV series. And that isn't even mentioning the most impressive change of all: the control mechanics.

Budokai Tenkaichi 2 will be one of the first games next to Rayman Raving Rabbids to really get creative with the Wii controls. For example: players will be able to perform rehearsed actions with the remote and nunchaku to initiate combos and special moves - Goku's Kamehameha is about as simple as bringing both hands together, pushing forward and pulling back. A Spirit Bomb? How about bringing both your hands together above your head and tossing them down? Sound familiar? That's the point. But there is a little bit of worry. For starters, it may not exactly be the most relaxing experience to play a fast-paced DBZ game with the Wii motion sensing technology. And quite honestly, you might look like an idiot. But hey, games are supposed to be fun right? And let's not forget that the GameCube controller will be fully functional for Wii version of Budokai Tenkaichi 2. So even if you're not a fan of the controls, players have a safety net to fall back on for those great tag-team and head-to-head battles.

Use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to recreate character super-moves;

Over 100 DBZ warriors, including many that have never been seen before in a video game;

In-game transformations players can trigger in real-time;

Team up with up to two other Z-Warriors to complete exciting missions ripped right from the TV show;

Post customizable character codes to the Internet;

Nine different game modes, including single and multiplayer battles;

Mini-games and tag-team fighting.

Most Likely to Poke an Eye Out

Everyone needs to thank Lord Frieza for this debacle. I'm guessing it will only take a few weeks before parents everywhere outlaw the use of finger beams, at which point gamers across the nation will claim it's the new solar flare. Ah, blinding nerdy goodness. Hold on to Most Likely to Poke an Eye Out with great care Tenkaichi 2, you've earned it.