Peak of the Budokai series with generous content covering the entire DBZ and GT saga. The character fusion system and sharp, deep combat are exemplary. The Budokai franchise benchmark, still appreciated today for its quality and completeness.
Your verdict
Category
Fighting2 players12+
Description
The peak of the Budokai trilogy, released in 2004 by Dimps. The roster swells past forty fighters, the new Dragon Rush system and multi-stage transformations push combat depth further than ever, and the Dragon Universe mode lets you replay the manga through Goku or his rivals.
Dragon Ball Z - Budokai 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.
Technical info
💾1,1 GB📅16/11/2004
Published by Atari
Dragon Ball Z - Budokai 3 (PS2) price, value & rarity
Is Dragon Ball Z - Budokai 3 still worth playing in 2026?
The peak of Dimps' Budokai trilogy, the third entry refines the 3D combat with a teleport counter system, chained transformations and a sprawling cast covering all of Dragon Ball Z and beyond. The fluidity of the clashes, the anime faithful staging and the depth finally consistent make it the best of its branch. A certain technicality calls for learning. An excellent fighting game to recommend for Dragon Ball fans and lovers of spectacular, complete arcade versus.
