Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaich

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi (known in Japan as Dragon Ball Z: Sparking!) is a 3D arena fighting game released for the PlayStation 2 on October 6, 2005 in Japan, with a North American release following on October 18, 2005, and later in Europe in 2006. Developed by Spike and published by Atari (Bandai in Japan), it marked the beginning of the Budokai Tenkaichi trilogy.

Unlike the earlier Budokai series, which used more traditional 2D fighting mechanics, Budokai Tenkaichi introduced large-scale 3D battles set in fully destructible environments. Players can fly, dash at high speeds, and fire iconic ki attacks like the Kamehameha or Final Flash while freely moving around the battlefield.

The roster was a major highlight, featuring over 60 characters (with multiple transformations), covering sagas from the Saiyan Saga through the Majin Buu Saga, as well as several movie characters. Battles were designed to feel closer to the anime, with cinematic camera angles and high-speed combat resembling the show’s signature style.

While some fans found the controls more complex compared to the Budokai games, Budokai Tenkaichi earned praise for capturing the Dragon Ball Z atmosphere better than any game before it, setting the stage for its highly acclaimed sequels, Budokai Tenkaichi 2 and Budokai Tenkaichi 3.