Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2, known as Dragon Ball Z: Sparking! NEO in Japan, is a fighting game released on the PlayStation 2 and on the Wii. It is the sequel to Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi.
The Wii version was confirmed as being a launch title in the US for November 19, 2006 in an IGN interview with Atari[1] though some stores in the US started selling the Wii version on November 15, 2006. A V-Jump issue listed January 2007 as the release date for the Japanese version of the Wii release with an additional six characters, and an extra stage. The game was released in Europe on March 30, 2007, but was delayed in Australia until April 5, 2007. Both the European and Australian versions have the extra features of the Japanese Wii version. Its sequel is Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3.
Gameplay
There are 129 playable characters in most versions of the game and 135 in the Japanese and PAL Wii versions. All characters featured in the previous game are available in this game as well. Battles can now involve up to ten characters fighting one at a time on the battle-field, with one teammate coming in after the other has been knocked out or when the player wishes to switch to another fighter. This is referring to Free Battle options.
Zangya beats Krillin
Most versions of the game have 16 large arenas (11 of which are taken from the previous Budokai Tenkaichi game). The Japanese and PAL Wii versions have 17 with the inclusion of a new space level, and 9 game modes. The game also features in game transformations, in addition to being able to choose to play in a transformed state from the start. In order to transform, R3 (1 on Wii) and Left/Up/Right must be pressed to select the form wanted. One may also press Down + R3 (Down + 1) to revert to their original state (Only transformations that have shown that they can be undone in the anime can do this). Fusions can be performed in-battle as well, and it is performed the same way as tag teams and transformations except that L2 (Z) has to be pressed. Fusion can only be done in Tag battles and Free battles, and the player must have the suitable character as a Tag partner; for example, base Goku and Vegeta (second form) to form Vegito. If that fused character has a second or third form, R3 + L2 + Up (Z + 1 + Up) or Right can be pressed to transform into that different form. Also, unlike the Budokai games, the fusions do not end after ki drain, or fatigue, or time limit. A customizer has been made to change the characters. The Dueling Mode features a 'Battle Settings' option, where can be adjusted the dueling time, COM difficulty level, and set the In-Game Transformations on or off during gameplay.
Controls
The Wii version of the game features a unique control scheme using the system's remote controller. Using the motion sensing controller, players are able to control their fighters by carrying a remote/nunchuk combo and mimicking moves from the series, an example being the Kamehameha or Galick Gun. Players are able to choose whether they wish to use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, the Wii Classic Controller, or a GameCube controller.[2]
Modes
Dragon Adventure is the main mode of the game. It is similar to the Dragon Universe mode of Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3: the player uses a character around Earth and Namek looking for Dragon Balls, skill capsules and opponents. This mode covers Dragon Ball Z to Dragon Ball GT, and also includes the movie stories The Tree of Might, Lord Slug, Cooler's Revenge, The Return of Cooler, Super Android 13!, Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan, Bojack Unbound, Broly - Second Coming, Fusion Reborn, and Wrath of the Dragon as well as the TV special stories Bardock - The Father of Goku and The History of Trunks. The outcome of the battles in the mode changes the course of the story. New powers, characters, and "what-if" stories are unlocked in this mode.
Another mode, Ultimate Battle Z, uses a system where the player selects a type of battle and progresses up a pillar that is similar to the Mortal Kombat system. Each pillar has a specific theme and condition. By beating a pillar, the player earns a score, items, and more pillars.
Playable characters
| Returning Characters from Budokai Tenkaichi | |||||
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| New Characters in the Budokai Tenkaichi series | |||||
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| Exclusive Characters to the Wii version | |||||
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Voice cast
Battle Stages
- Wasteland
- Rocky Area
- Namek
- Dying Namek
- Planet
- Mountain Road
- Kami's Lookout
- Room of Spirit and Time
- Kame House
- Islands
- Glacier
- Cell Games Arena
- World Tournament Stage
- Supreme Kai's World
- City (Ruins)
- Ruined Earth
Reception & Sales
| Publication | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| PS2 Version | ||
| VG Resource Center | 7.5 of 10[3] | |
| IGN | 8.3 of 10[4] | |
| 1UP | 8 of 10[5] | |
| Yahoo! Games | 3.5 of 5[6] | |
| GameZone | 8.1 of 10[7] | |
| GameSpot | 6.5 of 10[8] | |
| Wii Version | ||
| IGN | 8.3 of 10[9] | |
| Game Trailers | 8 of 10[10] | |
| Review compilations (PS2 Version) | ||
| Game Rankings | 76.3% (based on 40 reviews)[11] | |
| Metacritic | 78% (based on 16 reviews)[12] | |
| Review compilations (Wii Version) | ||
| Game Rankings | 71.9% (based on 32 reviews)[13] | |
| Metacritic | 76% (based on 7 reviews)[14] | |
Critical reaction has been mixed. Numerous reviews praised the game's high fighter count and detailed cel-shaded graphics, as well as the high amount of fan-service to DBZ fans. Some people, however, have taken issue with the game's complex controls. Mark Bozon at IGN said "The sheer speed and complexity of the controls may turn some people off, but the general combat will eventually come down to two buttons, making the game amazingly easy to learn, but nearly impossible to fully master." Many have said that the game is a "DBZ fan's wet dream," with VGRC.net stating "non-DBZ fighting game fans might even want to give it a spin as well." The game received the 'Best Fighting Game of the Year' award from X-Play, which is surprising since most Dragon Ball Z games are rated from mediocre to poor in their ranking system; the only notable exception is Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3, which received a four out of five. This game also received a four out of five from X-Play.
The game became Namco Bandai's top-selling game of 2006, selling 1.18 million copies worldwide in its first six months.[15] In Japan the game sold 423,000 copies on PS2 by the end of 2006[16] and 166,000 copies on Wii by the end of 2007.[17]
Trivia
- Unlike its predecessor, Budokai Tenkaichi 1, this game refers to Bulla by her correct English name.
- While Jeice will say "Don't play stupid with me, wanker!" sometimes before a battle in Budokai Tenkaichi 1, the "wanker" section of the sentence is cut out of this game and Budokai Tenkaichi 3, possibly because the word "wanker" is vulgar slang in the United Kingdom, but the "w" can clearly be heard spoken after he says "Don't play stupid with me!"
- During one scene in the What-If saga Beautiful Treachery, the English narrator says "Suddenly, Goku vanished. Krillin had used the Dragon Balls to teleport him back to Earth", but the text box incorrectly says "Right after, Goku disappeared. Actually, Krillin had asked Shenron for Instant Transmission."
- In the What-If saga Destined Rivals, Hercule fights 18 just like he does in the final round of the tournament in the anime, except in this What-If story, the tournament proceeds as planned.
- This is the first game to include filler characters, such as Pikkon and Garlic Jr. However, both appear in movies, and are placed with the movie characters (though Garlic Jr.'s role in the game is that of the anime).
- Full 3D models of Korin, Fortuneteller Baba, Dende, Babidi, and Old Kai appear in the Adventure mode.
- Though the names of all the characters are spelled using anime character names on the character selection screen, some text boxes use Vegito's manga name "Vegetto".
- On the Wii version, the game case says that you can only play with the Wii Remote and the Nunchuck, or the Classic Controller. In the game, you can play with the Wii Remote and the Nunchuck, the Classic Controller, or the GameCube Controller.
- When in tournaments, Supreme Kai's and Kibitoshin's names in the text box appearing just before and after battle read "Shin", the identity the former enters the 25th World Tournament under.
- For comical relief, the Dragon Ball GT part of Adventure mode ended with Goku (as an adult) deciding to have lunch and Vegeta mentioning his annoying behavior as if nothing happened.
- If Zangya is matched with Android 18, Zangya will say "Your man is kinda cute" to which Android 18 responds by calling Zangya a "skank." This was removed in Budokai Tenkaichi 3, probably because of its vulgarity as well.
- If Super Saiyan 3 Gotenks is tagged out in a tag battle, he will say "Peanut-butter jelly time!" as a reference to the popular internet meme.
- If Zangya beats Krillin or Master Roshi, she says "Don't cha wish your girlfriend was tough like me? Don't cha?" based on the song by the Pussycat Dolls and Busta Rhymes.
- When Goku faces Kid Goku, he says Kid Goku looks like him when he was younger, thinking Kid Goku is a completely different person. Kid Goku replies by telling Goku that he looks a lot like him.
- Early videos of this game showed health bars identical to those of Budokai Tenkaichi 1 and Goku being able to transform into Super Saiyan 4. However, the health bar was changed and Super Saiyan 4 Goku was made a separate character before the game's release.
- In the beta version, the life bars and the KI metters looked like those from BT1, also it used Budokai OST by Kenji Yamamoto, also Slug was voiced by Chris Sabat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcI0nAJjwG0
Gallery
Scans & screenshots
 Budokai Tenkaichi 2 Wii cover  Budokai Tenkaichi 2 PS2 cover  North American PS2 boxart    The back of the US Wii box     Budokai Tenkaichi 2 PS2 Pal Disc  Budokai Tenkaichi 2 PS2 Ntsc Disc  Budokai Tenkaichi 2 Wii Pal Disc  Budokai Tenkaichi 2 Wii Pal Europe Disc  Budokai Tenkaichi 2 Wii Ntsc Japan Disc    Turles and Goku in the opening  Main Menu  Character select  Kid Goku fires Ki Blasts  Piccolo charging the Special Beam Cannon  Krillin faces a Saibaman  Nappa about to fight a weakened Krillin  Krillin knocked down  Nappa and Vegeta in a cutscene  Gohan charges a Masenko  Gohan fires his Masenko at Nappa  Gohan charges his Gekiretsu Madan  Gohan fires his Gekiretsu Madan  Gohan's Bakuretsu Ranma rush  Gohan prepares the Bakuretsu Ranma  Gohan finishes his Bakuretsu Ranma  Gohan's Bakuretsu Ranma barrage hits its target  Goku and Vegeta kicking each other  Goku using Kaio-ken  Kaio-ken Goku  Vegeta (Scouter) uses an Explosive Wave  Goku charging the Spirit Bomb  Goku throwing his Spirit Bomb at Vegeta  Goku vs. Great ape Vegeta  Great Ape Vegeta fires a Chou Makouhou  Great Ape Vegeta and Yajirobe  Yajirobe fighting Great Ape Vegeta  Goku concentrating energy for a Spirit Bomb  Goku's Spirit Bomb  The Spirit Bomb's effect Vegeta using his Final Galick Cannon  Krillin, Dende, Gohan  Porunga  Goku charges an Angry Kamehameha  Frieza vs. Future Trunks  Goku about to fight Turles  Goku knocking away Turles  Turles about to kick Goku  Turles knocking Goku away  Goku vs. Great Ape Turles  Super Saiyan Gohan getting kicked by Turles  Super Saiyan Goku kicking Lord Slug away  Super Saiyan Goku follows Lord Slug  Super Saiyan Goku kicks Lord Slug  Super Saiyan Goku flying towards  Super Saiyan Goku near Lord Slug  Super Saiyan Goku punching Lord Slug  Goku firing a Kamehameha  Vegeta charges a Maximum Flasher .jpg "Ss (2014-01-20 at 09.23.36).jpg (143 KB)") Android 17 uses his Delta Combination on Krillin .jpg "Ss (2014-01-20 at 09.24.01).jpg (184 KB)") Android 17's Delta Combination  Vegeta uses his Spirit Breaking Cannon  The Spirit Breaking Cannon kick to the stomach  The Spirit Breaking Cannon throw after the kick to the stomach  Goku on the Glacier  Vegeta about to knock Android 13 down  Android 13 attacking Vegeta  Super Saiyan Goku fighting Android 13  Super Saiyan Goku about to fire a Kamehameha at Super Android 13  Broly and Piccolo fighting  Gohan uses his Chou Maretsugeki  Super Perfect Cell  Gohan starts off the Father-Son Kamehameha rush  Gohan kicks Cell as part of the Father-Son Kamehameha rush  Gohan's Father-Son Kamehameha  Bojack defeating Piccolo  Zangya blasting Krillin  Vegeta firing a Galick Gun  Gohan fighting Majin Buu  Super Saiyan 2 Goku powers up  Super Saiyan 2 Goku uses Full Power  Vegeta and Goku performing the Fusion Dance  Super Gogeta  Tapion vs. Hirudegarn  Tapion facing Hirudegarn  Tapion attacks  Tapion prepares an attack  Tapion attacks  Tapion attacking Hirudegarn  Tapion fights Hirudegarn  Ultra Super Saiyan Trunks vs. Hirudegarn  Goku vs. Hirudegarn  Goku transforms  Super Saiyan 3 Goku and Hirudegarn about to fight  Super Saiyan 3 Goku about to punch Hirudegarn  Super Saiyan 3 Goku firing a Kamehameha at Hirudegarn  Super Saiyan 3 Goku  Goku's Dragon Fist  The Dragon Fist  Baby Vegeta firing a Galick Gun  Baby Vegeta firing a Galick Gun  Majuub blasting Vegeta  Baby Vegeta and Majuub fighting  Super Saiyan 4 Goku uses his Meteor Crash  Super Saiyan 4 Goku vs. Golden Great Ape Baby Vegeta  Super Saiyan 4 Goku charges a 10x Kamehameha  Super Saiyan 4 Vegeta using the Final Shine Attack  Syn Shenron kicking away Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta  Syn Shenron blasting Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta  Omega Shenron  Omega Shenron punching away Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta Gogeta fires his 100x Big Bang Kamehameha |
Characters
 Goku  Super Saiyan Goku  Super Saiyan 2 Goku  Super Saiyan 3 Goku  Super Saiyan 4 Goku  Great Ape Goku  Vegeta (Saiyan Armor)  Great Ape Vegeta  Super Vegeta  Vegeta (second form)  Super Saiyan Vegeta  Super Saiyan 2 Vegeta  Super Saiyan 2 Majin Vegeta  Super Saiyan 4 Vegeta  Gogeta  Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta  Vegito  Super Saiyan Vegito  Kid Gohan  Teen Gohan  Super Saiyan Teen Gohan  Super Saiyan 2 Teen Gohan  Goten  Super Saiyan Goten  Kid Trunks  Super Saiyan Kid Trunks  Gotenks  Super Saiyan Gotenks  Super Saiyan 3 Gotenks  Future Trunks (with sword)  Super Saiyan Future Trunks (with sword)  Future Trunks  Super Saiyan Future Trunks  Ultra Super Saiyan Future Trunks  Krillin  Yamcha  Tien Shinhan  Chiaotzu  Piccolo  Master Roshi  Grandpa Gohan  Great Ape Bardock  Garlic Jr.  Super Garlic Jr.  Raditz  Great Ape Raditz  Nappa  Great Ape Nappa  Saibaman  Cui  Dodoria  Zarbon  Zarbon in his Monster Form  Frieza  Frieza's second form  Frieza's third form  Frieza's fourth form  Frieza's full power form  Mecha Frieza  Turles  Great Ape Turles  Lord Slug  Lord Slug (Giant Form)  Salza  Cooler  Cooler in his Final Form  Meta-Cooler  Android 19  Android 17  Android 18  Android 16  Android 13  Super Android 13  Broly  Super Saiyan Broly  Imperfect Cell  Semi-Perfect Cell  Perfect Cell  Super Perfect Cell  Cell Jr.  Zangya  Bojack  Bojack  Pikkon  Videl  Supreme Kai  Dabura  Janemba  Super Janemba  Majin Buu  Super Buu  Super Buu Gotenks Absorbed  Super Buu Gohan Absorbed  Kid Buu  Hirudegarn  Tapion  Pan  Uub  Majuub  Baby Vegeta  Super Baby Vegeta  Super Baby Vegeta 2  Golden Great Ape Baby  Super 17  Syn Shenron  Omega Shenron |
References
- ↑ IGN interview with Atari
- ↑ "Dragon Ball Z: Tenkaichi 2 Hands-on" at ign.com
- ↑ VGRC review of DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (PS2). URL retrieved 2 December 2006.
- ↑ IGN review of DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (PS2). URL retrieved 2 December 2006.
- ↑ 1UP review of DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (PS2). URL retrieved 2 December 2006.
- ↑ Yahoo! Games review of DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (PS2). URL retrieved 2 December 2006.
- ↑ GameZone review of DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (PS2). URL retrieved 2 December 2006.
- ↑ Gamespot review of DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (PS2). URL retrieved 6 December 2006.
- ↑ IGN review of DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (Wii). URL retrieved 2 December 2006.
- ↑ Game Trailers review of DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (Wii). URL retrieved 15 November 2006.
- ↑ GameRankings.com page for DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (PS2). URL retrieved 2 December 2006.
- ↑ Metacritic on DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (PS2). URL accessed 2 December 2006.
- ↑ GameRankings.com page for DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (Wii). URL retrieved December 2, 2006.
- ↑ Metacritic on DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (PS2). URL accessed 2 December 2006.
- ↑ Namco Bandai annual profit up 71 percent, gamespot.com
- ↑ Famitsu 2006 video game sales
- ↑ Famitsu 2007 video game sales
External links
- Official Website
- Official Atari Website (Wii Version)
- Official Atari US Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 forum
- Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 at IGN (Wii version)