Dragon Ball® Z: Budokai™ 2, for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, takes the best-selling fighting game of 2002 and 2003 (through October)(a), Dragon Ball® Z: Budokai™, and transforms it into a heart-pounding new way to immerse fans in a quest to recover the seven Dragon Balls and the battles between good and evil that define the DBZ world.

Dragon Ball® Z: Budokai™ 2 features many new and updated features, including the addition of the mighty villain Buu™, an all-new single player mode, and the ability of certain characters to perform Fusions and Absorptions to create even stronger fighters. The game’s combat system has been improved, and the graphics in Dragon Ball® Z: Budokai™ 2 get a complete overhaul with the addition of cel-shaded character models that are much closer to DBZ creator Akira Toriyama’s original style and immerse players more deeply into the DBZ universe than ever before.

“Atari has sold over 3.5 million units of Dragon Ball® Z games worldwide, which speaks to the enormous passion fans have for this compelling epic,” said Nancy MacIntyre, vice president of marketing for Atari. “We’re confident that Dragon Ball® Z: Budokai™ 2 will surprise and thrill fans with its new features and animation style.”

Dragon Ball® Z: Budokai™ 2 brings players a whole new way to experience the most explosive DBZ confrontations of all time. The game features over 30 of the toughest Dragon Ball Z® fighters ever created, including the mighty villain Buu™, who can be played in three forms. Characters battle in one of eight destructive arenas, and certain characters have the ability to perform Fusions, the merging of two characters to become even more powerful. Some Fusions are exclusive to the video game and cannot be seen on the TV show. Also, players will be able to earn valuable capsules based their original Dragon Ball Z®: Budokai™ saved game data.

Dragon Ball® Z: Budokai™ 2 also features an entirely new single player experience. Dragon World is an all-new single player mode that lets players join forces with a team of Z Fighters that they control on a quest to find all seven Dragon Balls. Dragon World offers more variety in selectable characters and match-ups, including some that never occurred in the animated series, and it allows players to earn more capsules through combat. This, in turn, grants players the ability to customize their characters faster with more powerful capsules. It also gives players the opportunity to create their own DBZ adventures.

In addition to Dragon World, there are a variety of multi-player modes, including Versus Mode, Tournament and Training modes, giving a massive range of Dragon Ball Z® playing experiences that players will be able to enjoy time and again.

Developed by Dimps, Dragon Ball Z®: Budokai™ 2 is currently available at retail stores for a suggested retail price of $49.99. For additional information on Dragon Ball Z®, visit www.dragonballz.com.