As Dragon Ball Z, yet another Anime import from Japan, continues to grow in popularity, players are seeing the release of more and more video game incarnations every year. 2002 saw the release of Budokai for PlayStation 2, and almost a year later, the GameCube version of the same game is finally ready.

Perhaps the most popular Dragon Ball Z game yet, Budokai pits players as one of 23 familiar Dragon Ball Z characters in what is simply a traditional 3D beat-em-up. Each fighter will compete ... more >>

As Dragon Ball Z, yet another Anime import from Japan, continues to grow in popularity, players are seeing the release of more and more video game incarnations every year. 2002 saw the release of Budokai for PlayStation 2, and almost a year later, the GameCube version of the same game is finally ready.

Perhaps the most popular Dragon Ball Z game yet, Budokai pits players as one of 23 familiar Dragon Ball Z characters in what is simply a traditional 3D beat-em-up. Each fighter will compete for supremacy in the DBZ world with some 60 combo moves, but many of the stronger fighters are locked away deep inside the game and must be earned.

This can be done through some of the game’s play options. Story, Duel, Practice and Tournament modes are all available options to the player, making DBZ as diverse as any other beat-em-up. And through Tournament mode, players even have the ability to earn money in order to purchase capsules and customise characters.

The GameCube version is indeed better looking than it’s year-old PS2 counterpart, and although Nintendo’s latest controller doesn’t really suit the beat-em-up playing style, it doesn’t hinder the player’s ability to have a good time with Budokai. The game also retains the cartoon style of the TV equivalent, and despite a noticeable lack of cel-shaded visuals, looks simple, yet convincing.

With Budokai 2 set to hit the PlayStation 2 platform, GameCube owners will no doubt be waiting for a similar release on Nintendo’s console. This is more than adequate for now. << less