0 Comments 
Ever since it first hit the airwaves, players have been begging for a Dragon Ball Z game that played like the anime. Sure, there were a few Dragon Ball Z titles on Super Nintendo, but those were classic 2D fighters.
No, what players wanted was a full 3D, cell-shaded brawler where players could duke it out with their favorite Z-Fighters. That’s where the Dragon Ball Z Budokai series comes into play.
The series debuted in 2002 and has been going strong since. The last title, Shin Budokai on the PSP, was released in 2007. All are very similar in how they play, so stacking them up is difficult.
That’s why we’ve defaulted to the Metacritic rating for each. Without further adieu, here’s how they stack up.
Ranking the Dragon Ball Z Budokai Games
8. Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai – Another Road
Released in 2007 with a Metacritic score of 65, Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai – Another Road hit the PSP and was the last of the series. It added to the wireless multiplayer battles with over 50 new fighting skills that players could use to establish dominance over their opponents.
7. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2
Released in 2003 with a Metacritic score of 66, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2 took players into the Majin Buu saga. The story was presented with the brand new single-player Dragon World mode. It added a host of new characters and cel-shading, which many saw as an improvement over the original.
6. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai
Released in 2002 with a Metacritic score of 67, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai was the game that kicked it all off. It set the stage for what was to come. While it might not be perfect, it was just what the North American audience was waiting for.
More N4G Unlocked: Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 4 – Release Date, Pre-order, Trailer, and More
5. Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai
Released in 2006 with a Metacritic score of 70, Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai took Dragon Ball Z on the go with PSP. It featured 18 fighters and wireless battles between players.
4. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi
Released in 2005 with a Metacritic score of 72, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi took everything that had made the Budokai series great and dialed it up to 11. Players were finally able to seamlessly blend melee combat with aerial maneuvers and energy attacks for some raucous fighting.
3. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2
Released in 2006 with a Metacritic score of 73, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 brought the entire Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball GT storylines together in one place. It featured over 100 characters and 15 fully destructible environments.
More N4G Unlocked: Fortnite Best Landing Zones for Chapter 4 Season 2
2. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3
Released in 2007 with a Metacritic score of 73, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 was the final entry of the side series on consoles. It featured over 150 playable characters and 20 different stages. If the series was to end on a high note, this was it.
1. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3
Released in 2004 with a Metacritic score of 77, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 was the final entry in the Budokai series before splitting off into Budokai Tenkaichi. While it might not have had the same breadth in terms of characters and stories available, this one still lands on the top of the heap thanks to its accessibility and fun factor.
For more gaming goodies, check out Can You Play Resident Evil 4 Remake On Steam Deck? on N4G Unlocked.