Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 is a fighting game developed by Spike for PlayStation 2 and Wii. The game uses a behind-the-back camera perspective that places players in a wide, three-dimensional arena and emphasizes aerial mobility alongside ground combat. Battles can involve up to ten characters at once, with teammates entering the fight sequentially after the previous fighter is knocked out or switched. Players may swap to another team member at any point during a battle in Free Battle mode, giving tactical flexibility to multi-character encounters.

In-battle transformations are available via R3 combined with a directional input, and players can also select transformed states from the start of a fight. Fusions are performed using L2 with a compatible tag partner present, requiring specific character pairings; for example, base Goku and Vegeta combine to form Vegito. Fused characters can further transform using a combined input, and unlike the Budokai series, fusion forms do not expire due to Ki drain or a timer. The Dueling Mode's Battle Settings option allows players to adjust fight duration, CPU difficulty, and in-game transformation availability before each match.

The Wii version introduces motion controls via the Remote and Nunchuk, letting players mimic attacks from the series physically. Players can replicate the Kamehameha stance or the Galick Gun motion to trigger those techniques. Classic Controller and GameCube controller options are also supported. The Dragon Adventure story mode extends the scope of the game substantially, covering Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT alongside ten film narratives and two TV specials. The Japanese and PAL Wii versions contain an extra space stage and nine game modes, two more than the standard release.

Dragon Adventure serves as the main single-player mode, functioning similarly to the Dragon Universe mode of Budokai 3. The player navigates a character across Earth and Namek hunting for Dragon Balls, skill capsules, and opponents, and the outcome of battles shifts the direction of the story. Coverage spans the full Dragon Ball Z television series and Dragon Ball GT, plus the films 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. The TV specials Bardock: The Father of Goku and The History of Trunks are also included as navigable story content.

Ultimate Battle Z presents a pillar-based progression system drawn from a structure similar to Mortal Kombat's tower format. Each pillar carries a specific theme and condition, and completing a pillar earns the player a score, items, and access to further pillars. Dragon Tournament functions like the World Tournament mode found in the Budokai series, with three standard difficulty tiers and a Cell Games variant hosted by Perfect Cell. Ring-out is possible because characters can fly, though contact with the ground outside the arena still triggers a ring-out call. Prize for winning a World Tournament is a Z-item rather than currency.

The customizer system allows players to modify characters by applying Z-items that alter their combat attributes. The game features 129 playable characters in standard versions and 135 in the Japanese and PAL Wii releases, with all characters from the first Budokai Tenkaichi carried forward. Most versions include 16 large arenas, while the expanded versions provide 17 including a new space stage.

Budokai Tenkaichi 2 built substantially on the foundation of its predecessor and was well received for expanding the roster, adding Wii motion controls, and broadening story coverage to encompass films and TV specials alongside the main series. The motion control implementation on Wii was seen as a natural fit for a franchise built on dramatic physical techniques, and the ability to perform the Kamehameha gesture with a physical hand motion drew positive attention from critics and fans.

The game strengthened the Budokai Tenkaichi line as a distinct brand from the original Budokai series, reinforcing the behind-the-back camera style and large character roster as the defining traits of the sub-series. Its sequel, Budokai Tenkaichi 3, would push the roster to 162 characters, but Tenkaichi 2 established the breadth of franchise coverage, from original Dragon Ball through GT and the film catalog, that the third game would carry to its apex.