Dragonball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 2

Posted June 2, 2012 by Speed - 0 comments

This is a game for people that can’t get enough of that good ol’ Dragonball Z spirit. Tenkaichi 2 was already released on other consoles but this time you’ll get a whole new control experience, new characters and new environments to fight in.

The controls are totally rearranged for the Wii, and it works too. Different movements lead to different moves on your screen. Outsiders may think you look like a fool, waving the Wii mote like crazy, but what do you care if it’s fun to do? Performing a Kamehameha while actually doing it is great. But it has to be said, the controls could appear extremely difficult in the beginning. Luckily, difficult learning leads to more satisfaction in the end.

All the movements are done by the Wii-mote and the nunchuk, which means you have to study all the different moves. Normally, it’s quite easy to learn fighting moves in a game, but this time, you have to learn to game again. No need to protest, because the controls are really good. If you really don’t like them, there’s always the possibility to play the game with a Gamecube controller. I don’t recommend it because although it’s more difficult with the Wii-mote, it’s also fun to do if you’re used to it.

People who already played Tenkaichi 1 won’t be seeing a great difference, except for the controls. It’s an excellent case of bigger, more, better. You’re offered a great story with more than 60 hours of fighting pleasure, which is really big for this type of game. But do you really want to play the Saiyan sage again and again for 5 games in a row? It doesn’t matter how good these games are, it’s time for a real action adventure game in the world of Dragonball Z.

The graphics were outstanding on other consoles, and the Wii is no exception. The great manga cartoons fit perfect into the 3D worlds, offering a great Dragonball Z taste. These 3D worlds are yours to be destroyed, leaving only a black pool of rubbish behind. The characters are also vulnerable to your attacks. They will get cuts, dirty clothing and bruises. It’s not as graphically violent as the original Japanese manga but it’s certainly the most stunning looking Dragonball Z game to date.

The atmosphere of Dragonball Z lives in this game, so get ready for fast paced action, crazy explosions, and intelligent conversations. Those conversations aren’t really intelligent of course, but they bring me back to a time when I was obsessed by Dragonball Z and I actually thought they were deep. You can also choose for the Japanese voices, which enriches the experience even more.

Besides the actual story from the series, the game contains stories from the movies and other sequences not really known to the audience. Of course, it’s possible to play tournaments, fight in ranking systems etc. but you’ve already seen this in other Dragbonball Z games and not much has changed since then. Nothing new to be seen, and the question is how long they can continue offering the same updated game.

But let’s consider new gameplay isn’t important. It’s fair to say then, that Tenkaichi 2 is by far the best Dragonball Z game to date. This version for the Wii isn’t essentially better than other versions, but it offers something new with the controls in a genre that has almost nothing new to offer.

Nobody, including me, thought a hectic game like this could actually work for the Wii, but it does. Sometimes, it’s difficult to descend from the air, but that’s the only real problem I discovered. Too bad it’s the only new thing hitting the series. Never played a Dragonball Z game before? Then this is definitely a game to check out. This game is the best game ever for Dragonball Z fans.

Genji: Days of the Blade Jade Empire