Game mechanics • Ki - The Ki system is completely revamped from the past two Budokai games. Each character now has a base Ki level, and Ki will increase or decrease until it is at this base level. If Ki is higher than base Ki, then attack power is slightly boosted, if the Ki drops below base, defense is lowered. Transformations no longer drain Ki. Instead, most transformations increase the base Ki level, raising attack power, and exaggerating increases and decreases in stats when they are above or below base Ki. • Transformation - A transformation will increase the base Ki level, and is only reverted if a character is hit with less than one ki gauge, or if they allow hyper mode to run out. Additionally, some transformations are irreversible. • Beam Struggle - If two beam attacks collide a beam struggle is activated. Both opponents then attempt to push the beams against one another until one of the sides wins. If two beam attacks collide at close-range, the beams will instantly cancel out and cause damage to both characters. • Fatigue - A new fatigue meter is added to the HUD. This meter fills up every time a character performs defensive maneuvers, or a dragon rush is initiated. Fatigue is lowered when characters run out of energy, or by using certain items. During an ultimate move, high fatigue makes it more difficult to power up or defend against the attack. A character becomes exhausted when hit with less than one Ki bar, and has high fatigue. • Dodging - By pressing the guard button just before being attacked, the character will dodge the attack completely, at the cost of a little Ki. • Teleport Counters - Before any attack connects, a character can teleport behind the opponent, and counter-attack at the cost of some Ki. • Pursue - By pressing circle after knocking a character away, the player can begin a Pursue attack. This delivers up to three extra hits to the opponent, but can be countered by a teleport. • Items - Item capsules can be equipped and used in battle. Items can only be used once, and have various effects ranging from increasing health, to granting temporary Ki blast immunity. If a character is interrupted while trying to use an item, the item is lost. • Taunt - A taunt causes the opponent to lose a full bar of Ki. • Hyper Mode - When a character enters Hyper Mode, they turn red, and their Ki begins decreasing. During hyper mode, a character is unfazed by regular melee attacks and Ki blasts, at the cost of not being able to block. Hyper mode is the only way to initiate a Dragon Rush or Ultimate Move. Once Ki runs out, the character becomes vulnerable for a few moments, losing any non-permanent transformations, and a little fatigue. • Dragon Rush - If a character knocks their opponent away while in Hyper Mode, they can start a Dragon Rush. Dragon Rush is a three part game of chance, where both characters must choose one of the corresponding face buttons from the screen. If the defender picks the same button as the attacker, the Dragon Rush is ended, and the defender avoids all or some of the damage from the Dragon Rush. If the attacker wins all three turns, they perform either a predetermined finishing attack, or in some cases an ultimate move. • Ultimate Attacks - When in Hyper Mode, characters can launch ultimate attacks. A mini-game is then played out where each side taps on a face button three times to fill up a gauge as high as they can. The side whose bar is the highest then wins the struggle. Depending on who wins, the attack may end up causing more or less damage, or in some cases getting sent back at the attacker. • Fusion - Fusion isn't much changed since Budokai 2. It can only be used by a few of the characters, and provides a new form and move-set for the character, along with a status boost. Dance fusions require a button input mini-game and last until the timer bar runs out. In Budokai 3, as soon as the bar runs out the fusion ends. Transformations cause this bar to run out more quickly. Also, if the dance fusion is done incorrectly, the resulting character has severely limited status. • Potara - A potara fusion requires both characters to tap a button, similarly to dragon rush. If the defender wins, the fusion is canceled out, and can't be done again for the rest of the match. A successful potara fusion doesn't have a time limit and lasts the entire match. • Free Flight - New to the game is the ability to ascend or descend at any time during a match. This is done by double tapping the d-pad, and flying in the desired direction.
Skills Continuing from the first and second Budokai games, is the capsule system. Every character in the game can be customized with capsules that have various effects on their status in a battle. Each character has seven slots into which capsules can be added. Each capsule takes up a predetermined amount of these slots. Certain capsules can be used to gain extra slots, and create more space. With the exception of basic melee attacks, throws, Ki blasts, and dragon rushes, capsules are required in order to use any move or transformation in the game. Otherwise, capsules provide various status effects during a battle such as increasing attack power after a certain amount of health is lost. New to Budokai 3 is the ability to use certain capsules during a battle. For example, a senzu bean capsule will restore a character's health when used during a match. If the player is interrupted before the item takes effect, then it is lost.
Story mode Story mode is revamped for
Budokai 3 and consists of a world called
Dragon Universe. Here, the player must choose one of eleven unlockable characters, then travel around one of two maps, Planet Earth or Planet Namek. On the maps, players can collect a variety of different items such as capsules, Zennie, or
Dragon Balls. Players can also choose to partake in battles to either level up, or progress the story forward. The story takes place at key points of the anime spanning events from the
Saiyan Saga leading up to the
Kid Buu Saga. Certain portions of the story touch on several of the Dragon Ball Z films, and a few of the events from
Dragon Ball GT. Depending on what character the player selects all or some of the overall story will be revealed. Dragon Universe is where a lot of the content in Budokai 3 is unlocked, and requires several play-throughs of each character in order to unlock everything.
World tournament World Tournament mode allows players to compete against the computer in the World Tournament for prizes or cash. Three different levels are available each with varying degrees of difficulty and number of opponents. Higher levels provide better prizes. The cell games are also available for the first time, and take place in the cell ring. In the Cell Games, there are no ring-outs, and fusions are allowed. It is possible for up to eight human players to participate, however if more than one is present, no prizes are won at the tournament.
Dueling Dueling mode allows a player to fight the computer at a preset skill level, or two human players to fight each other using any custom skills. A player may also watch a fight between two computer fighters.
Edit skills Edit Skills mode is where the player can edit a character's skills, buy skills from the skill shop, or learn how to use skills with the instructions. A player may edit skills on either memory card.
Dragon Arena Playable characters ''Budokai 3's
character roster includes characters from the following: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT'' and
Dragon Ball Z Movies. •
Goku •
Kid Goku •
Kid Gohan •
Teen Gohan •
Gohan •
Great Saiyaman •
Piccolo •
Krillin •
Yamcha •
Tien •
Vegeta •
Kid Trunks •
Goten •
Trunks •
Hercule •
Videl •
Raditz •
Nappa •
Saibamen •
Captain Ginyu •
Recoome •
Frieza •
Android #16 •
Android #17 •
Android #18 •
Dr. Gero •
Cell •
Cell Jr. •
Dabura •
Majin Buu •
Super Buu •
Kid Buu •
Supreme Kai •
Kibito Kai •
Gotenks •
Vegito •
Gogeta •
Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta •
Bardock •
Cooler •
Broly •
Omega Shenron •
Kid Uub ==Japanese version==