But the experience has never really been portable - at least not in the way fans of the DBZ games on PS2 would want. But that's about to change thanks to Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai, the first DBZ-based fighter for the PSP. And it looks as though developers have designed Shin Budokai to mirror its console brethren in terms of style and mechanics. So basically, it comes off as a pocket version of the Budokai games on the PS2. Of course, that's not to say there's nothing new.
As with any PSP title, Shin Budokai packs a few exclusive additions, including the near-ubiquitous wireless functionality. For starters, though, fans will be interested to know that the story in this case comes from the upcoming movie, Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn. A huge chunk of the narrative in Shin Budokai comes from Dragon Road, a mode that mixes a series of bouts with a tale of sparring, world domination and, of course, Dragon Ballz. Like in previous games, the story comes through cutscenes, with static cutouts of characters spitting dialogue via speech bubbles.
The mode splits between a number of chapters, each of which includes a string of fights and a piece of the overall story. You can't select whatever character you want, since the story centers on specific fighters in the DBZ universe. But you will get a chance to play as Gohan, Teen Gohan, Goku, Gotenks, Android #18, Piccolo and others. As any fan would expect, each character has his (or her) own move list and fighting style. Each has about 30 or so techniques to choose from, including short range and long range attacks. The infamous Kamehameha is included, of course.
The second mode, Arcade, is your basic chain of fights. You can choose from an impressive roster of fighters, include those mentioned above, and then square off against CPU opponents. And that's basically it. Nothing fancy, sure, but it doesn't need to be. The third mode, Z Trial, follows the same basic setup as Arcade mode, only it throws in a few restrictions or rule tweaks. For instance, Survival throws you into a bunch of fights like normal; the only difference being you only get one health bar. The objective, in case you couldn't guess, is simply to survive as long as possible. And in Time Attack, you need to complete a "course", which is just a specific chain of fights, under a strict time limit.
Then there's Training, where you select a fighter and practice the 30-plus moves available. No real surprises there. What is somewhat surprising, though, is Profile Card mode, which lets you create personalized DBZ trading cards. You can access this mode right from the main menu, but a bulk of the cool stuff you actually need to purchase in a shop. You can buy stamps, backgrounds, icons, character art and more to help make the perfect trading card. Just about everything is open when it comes to customization; you can resize stamps, recolor backgrounds, etc. Also, cards will hold battle data, so they're good pieces of brag paraphernalia. Once you're done, you can share them wirelessly or siphon other people's creations and store them in a gallery.
As previously mentioned, the first handheld iteration of the Budokai series plays very much like the console versions. The face buttons execute your ordinary punches and kicks, and the thumbstick handles a majority of the movement. The shoulder buttons regulate your energy (ki) meter, which powers energy shots, such as the Kamehameha and Spirit Bomb. Fortunately, the camera stays pretty close to the action, even when a powerful attack launches you (or your opponent) into the air. In essence, fans will probably like what's going on here. It most definitely feels like a DBZ game.
Visually, the game looks good. Characters have a nice amount of detail and they all animate smoothly. The effects accompanying certain special moves also look cool, as do the environments used for battle arenas. As far as aural presentation, it sounds very much like a DBZ title. That may seem like a lazy description, but it's a pretty accurate one. All the vocals, tunes and battle effects sounds almost exactly like what fans hear in the show or in the videogames.
Currently, Shin Budokai looks to offer what DBZ fans want - mainly, a portable game based on their favorite anime that mirrors its console counterparts in terms of scope, design and quality.
Stay tuned for a final verdict.