Platform: Nintendo Wii, also PS2.Verdict: My hands are on fire!
Rating: 3½/5
With a grand and slightly incomprehensible title, the latest game in the Dragon Ball Z franchise aptly suggests much complexity yet beyond initial Wii based control changes and a comprehensive charting of the Dragon Ball sagas, there lies a very simple fighting game.
Seemingly attempting to be the definitive Dragon Ball Z experience, Budokai Tenkaichi 2 thankfully eschews any attempts at padding the game out with ill advised RPG adventures and remains true to the series’ hook - huge explosive battles between super charged martial artists, aliens and androids.
Alongside straight up tournament modes and Vs matches, DBZBT2 (to abbreviate) charts the entire saga of the Dragon Ball Z manga and anime series in a stunning 3D cartoon style, allowing you to participate in every key fight along the way with your fighter showing wear and tear as he battles on.
Of course, being on Nintendo’s quirky Wii console, things aren’t quite that straight forward. Those familiar with previous PS2 outings will be in for a shock as the Wii’s motion sensing controls become centre stage to really mix things up.
With the Nunchuk attachment in place, controls are at first glance familiar - movement is on the analogue stick and attack, charge and blast functions all have reasonable button placements. Motion however controls flight around the massive arenas, dodge moves and special attacks.
Shaking the Nunchuk to fly or dodge takes quite a while to get the hang of but patience bears many Zen points and the special attacks fit right into the new scheme as you mimic fireball blasts by throwing your hands out towards the TV.
It can be confusing and fiddly at first, requiring a lengthy tutorial but ultimately becomes satisfying, fun to master and the relatively simple combat never asks too much of you.
As engaging as the motion controls are, they’ll never be a match for the speed of button presses and to those completely alienated by the rampant hand flailing, respite lies in the appreciated (but dull) support for the Classic or Game Cube controllers.
Thankfully, on a list of things to do before i’m 35, ‘Throwing fireballs with my own hands’ has now been ticked off.
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