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The excitement levels are at an all-time high forDragon Ball: Sparking Zero, which is set to bring back the nostalgic vibes of theBudokai Tenkaichiseries with modern graphics and gameplay. There was something ethereal about the old PlayStation 2 days when games felt more like passion projects full of soul than the mass-produced titles of today.
Developers used to put so much personality into their products, even with limited technology, and every aspect of some games, likeBudokai Tenkaichi 3, was dripping with life.
Just a quick comparison between the menu screens of old PlayStation 2 era titles and more recent games provides a clear difference.
Dragon Ball Games Back in the Day Used to Have Amazing Menus
ADragon Ball: Budokai Tenkaichifan took to the series’ subreddit and brought up a question that other players in the community would probably agree with, wondering why modern games, especially “after the ps2 era,” feel lifeless.
Why did games after the ps2 era stop having “life” in them?byu/Own-Buy4792intenkaichi4
For comparison, the Reddit user shared screenshots of the main menu screens that variousDragon Ballgames have had, ranging from the olderBudokai Tenkaichi 3to the modernXenoverseandRaging Blast 2. One thing that stands out between the PS2 menus and the ones from recent times is that the former were “fun” to navigate because of how much effort was put into them.
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The greatest aspect of theBudokai Tenkaichi 3menu screens was that each one had a different character welcoming the player and having a conversation about a topic. For example, the main menu used to have Gohan and Videl driving a car with kid Trunks and Goten flying above them on the Nimbus, whereas if the player went into Versus mode, they encountered Vegeta and Nappa talking about each sub-mode.
Compared to that level of detail, looking at theRaging Blast 2menu screen feels depressing due to an obvious lack of color or interactivity.
Sparking Zero Can Win the Hearts of the Community With Fun Menus
The upcoming spiritualBudokai Tenkaichi 4has a lot riding on its shoulders, but it can actually do simple things to make the community happy, like the inclusion of the wonderful menus that remind players of the good old times.
“One of the hardest shots in Dragon Ball”: Sparking Zero Gameplay Trailer Indicates Bandai Namco Listened to Players Over Much-Needed Feature
Nostalgia is a powerful weapon, and Bandai Namco Entertainment should use it wisely and give the fans what they want to elevate their overall experience with the upcomingSparking Zero.
If old video games likeBudokai Tenkaichi 3could include interactive menus for their player base to enjoy even if they had to wait for the actual battles to begin, there really is no excuse to not bring them back in newer titles.
According to you, whichDragon Ballvideo game had the best menus? Let us know in the comments!
Osama Farooq
Senior Gaming Content Editor / Critic
Articles Published :356
Ever since Osama was gifted the glorious PS2 more than two decades back, video games have formed a major part of his life, ranging from spending hours playing through every single Dragon Ball game he could find to witnessing the gaming industry evolve into something extraordinary in modern times. Building his collection of PlayStation consoles throughout the years all the way up until PS5, he prefers single-player experiences like The Last of Us and Persona, while also letting off steam on a daily basis with casual EA Sports FC matches. But the current rise in online multiplayer shooters will never really appeal to his old-school self.
