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Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi (video game)

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Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi US box art
Developer(s)Spike
Publisher(s)Bandai (JP)
Atari (US)
Platform(s)PlayStation 2
ReleaseOctober 6, 2005 (JP)
October 18, 2005 (US)
Genre(s)Fighting
Mode(s)Single player, multiplayer

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi (originally published as DragonBall Z: Sparking! in Japan) was released for the PlayStation 2 in Japan on October 6, 2005, and in North America on October 18, 2005. The game was developed by Spike and published by Atari and Bandai in the US and Japan respectively. The game features 90 playable characters from the various TV series and movies. In addition, this game has fully destructable environments.

Name

The Sparking! in the Japanese title references both the first and last word in the first opening theme to the Dragon Ball Z TV series, "CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA" (performed by Hironobu Kageyama).

The Budokai Tenkaichi title of the North American version is an (incorrectly) rearranged version of 天下一武道会 tenka'ichi budôkai (roughly "number one gathering of fighters under the heavens"). In the series, the Tenka'ichi Budôkai is a gathering of fighters in a competition for glory, fame, and prize money.

The game is not considered a part of the Budokai series of games, despite its misleading title. In addition to a completely different game engine, the game was developed by an entirely different company (Spike as opposed to Dimps). Speculation on the English re-title is that Atari chose to market the game as part of the Budokai series in order to capitalize on a pre-existing market of fans already familiar with said game series.

Gameplay

The game is quite different from the oft-compared Budokai series; it uses a "behind-the-back" camera perspective. Many fans say that the game feels like a combination of the Budokai series and the game engine from Idainaru Doragonbôru Densetsu on the original PlayStation.

Also different from the Budokai series (and more of a throw-back to games from the Super Famicom era), there are no "in-game transformations" (with the possible exception of Goku's Kaio Ken). Instead, each form is treated as its own character (as noted above), with varying stats, movesets and fighting styles.

Playable Characters

Despite not being a part of the series, the vast majority of characters from the Budokai series once again make an appearance. Additional villains such as Zarbon and Dodoria from the first Budokai game (but not present in the two sequels) appear in the game's roster (though not present from the Budokai series are Kaiôshin, Uub, and Yi Xing Long). Some of the characters making their first-ever playable appearances are Janenba, the Ôzaru, Bebi-Vegeta, and Super 17.

In the game, a base character can have multiple "forms" to choose from on the character select screen (for example, Perfect Cell is a different "form" from 1st-form Cell, but they are both selected from the base Cell character). In total, there are 56 different "characters," with 90 different "forms" in total [1]. The game features the largest roster of playable character in the franchise's history:

Son Goku Son Goku (Super Saiyan) Son Goku (Super Saiyan 2) Son Goku (Super Saiyan 3)
Son Goku (Super Saiyan 4) Vegeta Vegeta (Super Saiyan Grade 2) Vegeta (Majin)
Vegeta (Super Saiyan 4) Piccolo Kuririn Yamcha
Tenshinhan Chiaotzu Son Gohan (Freeza-era) Son Gohan (Cell-era)
Son Gohan (Cell-era, Super Saiyan) Son Gohan (Cell-era, Super Saiyan 2) Son Gohan (Buu-era) Son Gohan (Buu-era, Super Saiyan)
Son Gohan (Buu-era, Super Saiyan 2) Son Gohan (Buu-era, "Ultimate") Great Saiyaman Future Trunks
Future Trunks (Super Saiyan) Future Trunks (long-haired) Future Trunks (long-haired, Super Saiyan) Future Trunks (long-haired, Super Saiyan Grade 3)
Chibi Trunks Chibi Trunks (Super Saiyan) Son Goten Son Goten (Super Saiyan)
Gotenks Gotenks (Super Saiyan) Gotenks (Super Saiyan 3) Vegetto
Vegetto (Super Saiyan) Gogeta (Super Saiyan) Gogeta (Super Saiyan 4) Raditz
Nappa Vegeta ("evil" with a scouter) Ôzaru Vegeta Saibaiman
Zarbon Zarbon (transformed) Dodoria Captain Ginyu
Recoome Butta Jheece Gurd
Freeza (1st-form) Freeza (2nd-form) Freeza (3rd-form) Freeza (final-form)
Freeza (final-form full power) Mecha-Freeza Jinzôningen #16 Jinzôningen #17
Jinzôningen #18 Jinzôningen #19 Jinzôningen #20 / Dr. Gero Cell (1st-form)
Cell (2nd-form) Cell (Perfect) Cell (Super Perfect) Cell Jr.
Dabra Majin Buu (Good) Majin Buu (Pure Evil) Majin Buu (Super)
Majin Buu (Super + Gotenks) Majin Buu (Super + Gohan) Majin Buu (Kid) Mr. Satan
Videl Bardock Coola (transformed) Broli (Legendary Super Saiyan)
Bojack (transformed) Janenba (transformed) Bebi-Vegeta Super 17
Ôzaru Son Goku (child) Kame-Sen'nin Tao Pai Pai

Game Modes

Evolution Z

Unlike in the Budokai series, characters no longer need to equip their skills; instead, Evolution Z allows customization of a character's stats (Attack, Defense, etc.) using Potara Earrings (called Z-items). Support Z-items are also available. Z-items can also be fused using a Fusion Z Z-item to create higher level Z items (e.g. Attack +3 fused with Attack +3 will create an Attack +6 Z-item), and special Fusion Z-items can be fused to unlock new characters and character forms. Z-items are given out after each Z Battle Gate battle. Most characters have 7 slots for Z-items, but the stronger characters can have as little as 3 slots. There are Z-items that will increase a players Z-item slots, but the number of slots cannot exceed 7 (which is also the highest level for any given stat).

Z Battle Gate

The story mode of the game, Z Battle Gate, progresses similar to the story modes in previous games. Players can select battles from different sagas and proceed through the story of Dragon Ball Z. The battles are bookended with cutscenes that set the stage for the battle, and players are given an objective to accomplish (such as finishing the battle with a certain special move, or within a certain amount of time). The story mode branches out, allowing for a few battles that were not originally in the story. Dragon Balls can be found inside the destructible environment. After clearing some gates, an extra fight may or may not be unlocked.

Ultimate Battle

This new mode pits whichever fighter the player chooses against 100 characters. There are winning points and ranks in this mode. Depending on how the battle went, players get postive or negative winning points. However, if the player ends up with no winning points, the game is over and the player must start back at Rank 100 (the game starts off at Rank 100. Occasionaly, a different fighter (always secret characters) will "break in" (interrupt the fight before it begins). Players get more winning points for defeating them, but lose more than usual if they do not defeat them. Also, if the player wins five straight normal fights, someone five ranks ahead will offer a challenge. Completetion of this challenge moves the player five ranks up. the "Master's Skills" skill for obtaining rank 1.

World Tournament

Similar to the same mode in the Budokai series, the player can enter a world tournament and try to win their way to the top. There are three levels of the basic tournament and a Cell Games mode (which is hosted by Cell). Since characters can fly, characters can leave the perimeter of the arena, but will be called for ringout if they touch the ground. There are no restrictions to the Cell Games mode, but the last match of the Cell Games mode is always against Perfect Cell. Since there is no money awarded in this game, the prize for winning a World Tournament is a Z-item. The World Tournament mode can be played with several entrants, but if there is more than one human player, then no prize will be awarded.

Localization Differences

"DBZ: Sparking!" cover
"DBZ: Sparking!" cover

Further confusing fans in North America, Atari's domestic release of the game does not feature the same music found in the original Japanese version. While Sparking! features actual music from the Dragon Ball Z TV series (and two other pieces from the Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball GT TV series where appropriate) as composed by Shunsuke Kikuchi, the American release of the game features recycled music from the Budokai series (composed in Japan by Kenji Yamamoto).

While no official explanation was ever given for the musical differences, as FUNimation Productions did not use the original Japanese score in their "reversioning" of the TV series for an English dub (though they did indeed use it for their English dub of the original Dragon Ball TV series), many fans speculation that contractual issues came into play.

Despite not featuring the original Japanese music, the American release of the game allows for selectable English (FUNimation Productions cast) and Japanese voices, while retaining the English-language written dialogue (as adapted from Steven J. Simmons' translation from the original Japanese version's script).

Also, in addition to the obvious language translation, the game's cover art and logos are different in each country.



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