History VideoGame / DragonBallZBudokai

* AllThereInTheManual: What each stat does in ''Budokai 3'' isn't really straightforward, and the game doesn't even hint at what they do [note]Health, Attack and Guard are straightforward, but others are less so. One may think Ki increases the damage of ki based attacks, but what it does is decrease amount of ki used. Art increases the damage of Death Moves (like Kamehameha), Ultimates and Dragon Rush finishers. Ability increases the effectiveness of yellow capsules, and it will also decrease the downsides a capsule may have, like a capsule that increases damage at the cost of defense, with higher Ability points, it'll increase the damage more, but not decrease defense as much. COM increases the AI level of your character when you fight them in Dragon Arena after using a password.[/note].

* AnimeThemeSong: ''1'' used the original "Cha-La Head-Cha-La" for the Japanese and PAL versions and "Rock the Dragon" for the US version, this being the only game to use said theme. Notably, the games from ''2'' all the way up to ''Infinite World'' and ''Burst Limit'' had brand new themes sung by Hironobu Kageyama himself, although the US releases of ''Budokai 2'' and ''3'' only have instrumentals.

A series of fighting games primarily for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 and UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable based off of the ever popular [[Franchise/DragonBall Shonen fighting manga series]] by Creator/AkiraToriyama, developed by Creator/{{Dimps}}.

The series also includes the ''Shin Budokai'' games for the [=PlayStation=] Portable as well as pseudo HD sequel ''Burst Limit'' for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 and UsefulNotes/XBox360 and ''Infinite World'' for the [=PlayStation=] 2 as they were developed by the same group and use the same engine. The said ''Shin Budokai'' games in Japan was when this series of games actually started to use the term ''Budokai'' as well.

''Budokai 1'' and ''2'' have received ports for the UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube as well and there is also a HD collection featuring ''Budokai 1'' and ''3'' for the [=PlayStation=] 3 and Xbox 360.

* AnimeThemeSong: ''1'' used the original "Cha La HEAD Cha La" for the Japanese version and "Rock the Dragon" for the US version, it being the only game to use said theme. Notably, the games from ''2'' all the way up to ''Infinite World'' and ''Burst Limit'' had brand new themes sung by Hironobu Kageyama himself, although the US releases of ''Budokai 2'' and ''3'' only have instrumentals.

** Two Gokus, three Gohans, and three Buus are playable in ''Budokai 3''.

** WordOfGod confirm that ''Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World'' is ''Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 4'', but they changed the name because it was said that the fourth installment would have a different name.

* TheBadGuyWins: The WhatIf stories in ''1'' have this for Vegeta and Frieza. Averted with Cell, who accidentally absorbs Krillin, barely beats Yamcha and gets fried by Tien (and it was AllJustADream anyways).

* BlindIdiotTranslation: The PAL version of the first game is known for this due to using subtitles differing from the US release. While it tries to be more accurate to the original Japanese writing (for example, Goku's "I Am" speech,) the result is very slipshod. Also invokes {{Narm}} like Vegeta screaming "Chikushoooou!!" being subtitled as "Oh you Aunt Sallies!" when Cell kills Trunks and Piccolo calling Raditz a "meanie." About its only saving grace was that it was more liberal with curse words, with the occasional "Damn" slipping through.

-->'''Vegeta:''' [[MercyKill I gave Nappa a noble warrior's death.]] [[AGoodWayToDie It was what he deserved!]] ''(audible snap, before he transforms in a blast of power)'' ''HE WAS A '''SAIYAN!!!'''''

** ''3'' counted as partly this for the overseas audience, partly MarthDebutedInSmashBros for Gogeta, who debuted in ''Fusion Reborn'' which would not be aired in the US until a year after the game's release, but had long since aired in Japan. The same goes for Omega Shenron and Super Saiyan 4 Vegeta and Gogeta, as 3 was released before GT had ended its run in the US making ''Budokai 3'' a bit of a spoiler. And in this case if you don't count GT, the presence of Goku's "Super Dragon Fist" as an ultimate move counts as one for the 13th movie.

** In ''Budokai 1'', Gohan has three separate character slots for his different ages: Kid Gohan, Teen/Cell Games Gohan, and Adult Gohan as the Great Saiyaman.

* ReReleaseSoundtrack: The ''HD Collection'' (containing the original ''Budokai'' and ''Budokai 3'') replaced all the music due to the composer plagiarizing much of the music in the original releases.

* ShoutOut: At the beginning of the Android Saga in the story mode for ''Budokai 2'', Dr. Gero sends out his elite squad of [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience multi-colored Saibamen]] he calls the [[Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers "Saiba Rangers"]]

* SuperMode: Super Saiyan transformations aside, ''Budokai 3'' onwards would feature some variation of this to temporary boost the stats of your character.

** Vegeta's above mentioned [[AwesomeButImpractical Majin Vegeta transformation]] gives you access to Final Explosion, a homage to Vegeta's HeroicSacrifice. It's either an Instant Win or an Instant Lose for you: If Attack wins, you win with 1 HP. If Defense wins, [[EpicFail the other way around.]]

* UnlockableDifficultyLevels: In ''3'', you can unlock additional difficulties by beating the game on Very Hard. The first one is called Z-difficulty, where enemies gain better AI and stats. Beating Z unlocks Z-2, which adds more of the same. And beating Z-2 unlocks the final difficulty, Z-3, where the opponents all have ''maxed out'' stats and a near PerfectPlayAI. Everyone from [[WarmUpBoss Raditz]] to [[FusionDance Gotenks]] will be a nailbiting fight because ComputersAreFast.

* VillainRespect: In Vegeta's What If story in ''Budokai'', despite hearing [[CowardlyLion Yajirobe]] sneaking up in an effort to slice him [[InTheBack from behind]], he's not angry and says that he likes the samurai's sneaky nature before [[WeCanRuleTogether offering to join with him.]]
* WakeUpCallBoss: Again, Cell in ''Budokai 3''. As mentioned above, none of the bosses before him are too much of a challenge.

** ''Budokai 2'' went beyond even that and had ''what if Fusions'' (Tien and Yamcha becoming Tiencha via FusionDance as well as featuring the hypothetical Gokule/Gotan fusion of Goku and Hercule/Mr. Satan) as well as what if absorption forms for Super Buu (Consisting of Vegeta, Tien and Yamcha at the same time, Frieza and Cell.) and Majin versions of Frieza and Cell.

''Dragon Ball Z: Budokai'' (or [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Budoukai]] via romaji issues, and simply known as just ''Dragon Ball Z'' in Japan) is a more traditional fighting game taking place in a full 3D environment allowing for sidestepping ala Tekken whilst of course including all of the series' special attacks. The games are also notable for allowing mid-battle transformations as well as battles in mid-air.

--->'''Goten''': ''(dancing around)'' Shenron, I want candy!
--->'''Omega Shenron''': ''(Folding arms, not amused.)'' I don't grant wishes for candy!

* MultiSlotCharacter: The various transformations and fusions are treated as power-ups and therefore don't have too many playable units of the iconic characters, unlike previous and future games that would end up splitting the characters into multiple playable variants (eg. Two Gokus, three Gohans, three Boos are playable in ''Budokai 3'').

* ShoutOut:
** Goku's semi-hidden Dragon Fist Ultimate from ''Budokai 3'' onward is the same technique used in the 13th movie ''Wrath of the Dragon'' as well as Anime/DragonBallGT. To add to that when he tries to do a Spirit Bomb first and realises it's fading, he absorbs the bomb into himself for a power boost much like he did in ''Super Android 13''.
** GT Goku's Super Kamehameha Ultimate in ''Infinite World'' is the same one he used against Commander Black in ''Dragon Ball: The Path to Power''.
** At the beginning of the Android Saga in the story mode for ''Budokai 2'', Dr. Gero sends out his elite squad of [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience multi-colored Saibamen]] he calls the [[Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers "Saiba Rangers"]]

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Little do people know, the "do" in Budokai actually has a long vowel due to the kanji it's used for, so the term in the title can also be spelled as "Budōkai" or "Budoukai" in romaji. Same applies to its sister series, ''[[VideoGame/DragonBallZBudokaiTenkaichi Budoukai/Budōkai Tenkaichi]]''.

* FamilyUnfriendlyViolence: The injuries from Goku and Raditz getting hit by Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon, as well as Krillin blasting Vegeta in the chest on Namek, look pretty gnarly in the first ''Budokai'''s cinematics. While they were visceral-looking in their original release, the HD remasters on PS3 and Xbox 360 censor these injuries.

* AllJustADream: The ending of Cell's WhatIf story in ''1''. [[spoiler:It was just a nightmare he was having during the 10 days before the Cell Games.]]
* AnimeThemeSong: ''1'' used the original "Cha La HEAD Cha La" for the Japanese version and "Rock the Dragon" for the US version, it being the only game to use said theme. Notably, the games from ''2'' all the way up to ''Infinite World'' and ''Burst Limit'' had brand new themes sung by Hironobu Kageyama himself, although the US releases only have instrumentals.

* MultiSlotCharacter: The various transformations and fusions as just power-ups and therefore don't have too many playable units of the iconic characters, unlike previous and future games that would end up splitting the characters into multiple playable variants (eg. Two Gokus, three Gohans, three Boos are playable in ''3'').

* NoCampaignForTheWicked: Averted in ''3'' wherein Broly has his own Dragon Universe story where he flies around the world blowing stuff up and killing Goku's friends. You can even get an alternate ending where he kills Goku and goes on to annihilate the whole universe. Also averted in ''1'' with the WhatIf episodes "Raging Frieza" and "The True Ruler" where you play as Frieza, kill Goku, achieve immortality and decide to go blow up Earth. While Cell's What Ifs play it straight, the difference is he still loses pitifully, [[spoiler:and it was AllJustADream anyway.]]
* NoKillLikeOverkill: These games keep the moves seen in the DBZ series, including the ones that severely damage planets. You could easily ''blow up a good chunk of the world'' in an average fight. It never [[SceneryGorn goes well for the arena]] involved.

* RegionalBonus: The Japanese version of ''2'' had extra costumes for some characters (a battle damaged Goku and Piccolo with hhis weighted gear on) and an extra level. The PAL version of the same game got a few of the costumes, as well as the PAL versions of ''2'' and ''3'' having the opening theme tunes with the vocals left intact.
* ReReleaseSoundtrack: The ''HD Collection'' (containing the original ''Budokai'' and ''Budokai 3'') replaced all the music due to the composer plagiarizing much of the music.