(Written February 2007) Dragon Ball Z: Budokai is a game that only a Dragon Ball fan could truely love. And compared to some of the games before it, such as Final Bout and Ultimate Battle 22, it is seen as a good step in the right direction for Dragon Ball Z fighters. The fighting itself is pretty straightforward. Punches, kicks, blocks, and ki blast waves (Kikoha) are performed with the buttons, while by chaining buttons together. For example, by punching four times and then pressing the energy button, Goku will unleash a Kamehameha. The unfortunate thing is that most of the characters have similar combos, so that same combination will release some kind of beam for almost any character. Although this makes for less character individuality, you can personalize your character by using capsules that you either obtain in story mode, or buy after winning the World Tournament. There are three types of capsules: Special, Physical, and Support. Special capsules include beam attacks, transformations, and massive super moves. Physical attacks are usually simpler special moves which are pretty much the same for every character. Support capsules are ones which do everything else. They can affect attack or guard, or they can give special abilities or battle conditions. Using a good support capsule can be what really makes your character a powerful one. The story mode is fun, and the cutscenes are well done, though they're mostly the same as what fans have already seen in the show, and the story only emcompasses from the Saiyan arc up to the Cell Games. However there are also several what-if stories you can unlock, which are both fun, and entertaining to see. The World Tournament mode is also enjoyable if you just want straight fights, and it's the quickest way to obtain new capsules. By winning the tournament, you can get money which you can use to buy capsules from Mr Popo. Though, if you want to really rake in the dough, you should unlock more characters in story mode so you can play the tournament on higher levels. What's dissappointing about this mode is that it's only one player, which takes the multiplayer value of the game down a notch. Overall, this game is one that only a real Dragon Ball fan could truely love, but it is one that most people should be able to enjoy. However, with superior Dragon Ball Z games out now, most people who want a DBZ fighter for their GameCube would be better off skipping this game and picking up Budokai 2.