Japanese version of Budokai 3 under the Dragon Ball Z 3 title. Content covering DBZ and GT, the character fusion system and deep combat are at their peak. The ultimate Japanese Budokai reference, unchallenged for its completeness.
Your verdict
Category
Fighting2 players12+
Description
The Japanese and Korean edition of Budokai 3, released in early 2005 by Dimps. The peak of the trilogy: a roster of more than forty fighters, multi-stage transformations, the Dragon Rush system and a Dragon Universe mode that lets you replay the manga as Goku or his rivals in a semi-free format.
Dragon Ball Z 3 review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
4/5
Story
★★★★★
"Captivating"
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Reuniting the heroes of Dragon Ball Z and unleashing supercharged clashes, punctuated by transformations and devastating attacks faithful to the anime: the fan service is total. The handling stays accessible, but the combat system rewards mastery. Spectacular, faithful and packed with characters, a gleeful versus that delights fans young and old.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Recreating the series' clashes by chaining transformations, teleports and energy explosions delivers a jubilant faithfulness that drives you to replay every duel. Unlocking fighters and techniques over the course of the Dragon Universe mode keeps the collecting going. The system grows repetitive over time, but this nervy, generous spectacle keeps an immediate pull for the fan.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
A teeming roster and the Dragon Universe mode, which relives the sagas across a map, stretch the content well beyond mere fights. Unlocking characters, capsules and multiple endings pushes you to come back relentlessly. That generosity, faithful to the anime, earns the title a stubborn reputation as an essential Dragon Ball fighter.
Known under the title Dragon Ball Z 3, this edition corresponds to Budokai 3, the unanimously recognized peak of the trilogy thanks to its Dragon Universe mode and its huge roster of transformations. The Korean version comes from a limited PS2 market, making it an uncommon pressing for regional collectors. Its desirability combines the prestige of the best entry in the Budokai branch with the scarcity inherent to Korean editions.
Is Dragon Ball Z 3 still worth playing in 2026?
Known in Japan as Dragon Ball Z 3, this Dimps Budokai 3 marks the peak of the sub-series with a combat system enriched by Dragon Rush, teleports and dodges, and a Dragon Universe mode that roams the saga freely. The faithfulness to the manga, the breadth of the roster and the staging of the transformations make it the high point of the Budokai trilogy. The pace stays limited against pure fighters. An excellent licensed game for Dragon Ball fans and lovers of spectacular brawling.
