One of the last gameplay elements is hair growth…hum… I mean…. transformation… Most characters have different forms they can use. For example, Goku can use Kaioken, SSJ, SSJ2 and SSJ3, and Gohan can go SSJ, SSJ2 and Elder Kai Unlock. Basically when the saiyans transform they just get some extra hair on their head, so obviously they’re stronger… Anyways, there is one minor problem with the transform system: you can only have one transform during the battle. So if, in arcade mode, you chose SSJ3 Goku, you can never use any of his other transformations. I would have liked cycling between all his transformations, so in battle going through each of his forms progressively. So, in battle, transforms are actually quite useful. They are done by pressing O and down. They give you extra power and defense, and different super and special attacks. Also, if done very close to the enemy, it stuns them, giving a perfect chance to hit with a hard to connect super attack like Gotenks’ “Super Ghost Kamikaze Attack”.

Conclusion
As far as DBZ Budokai games go, this is the one I enjoyed the most. I haven’t played Budokai 3, so I can’t compare, but Shin Budokai is miles better than Budokai 1 and 2. It still suffers a bit from being too simplistic, but still features much more depth than DBZ B1 and B2. Graphically it looks quite good, and the battles are very DBZ-ish, so it’s all good. Overall a very fun fighting game, especially for a handheld.

Pros
Better than Budokai 1 and 2
Nice graphics
Fun gameplay

Cons
Characters don’t have very varied movesets
No variety in the ways to unlock characters