Honestly, most Dragon Ball games are just a retelling of the Raditz-to-Buu loop we've seen a thousand times. You fly, you punch, Goku turns blonde, and the credits roll. But Dragon Ball Z Shin Budokai 2 Another Road did something genuinely gutsy back in 2007 on the PSP. It didn't just rehash the Z-fighters’ greatest hits; it took the "what if" scenarios that fans argue about on forums and turned them into a full-blown campaign.
It’s a sequel that feels like a fever dream in the best way possible.
The game is fundamentally built on the bones of its predecessor, Shin Budokai, which itself was a handheld evolution of the Budokai series on consoles. But where the first game was a bit lean, Another Road adds layers of complexity that still hold up if you’re emulating it or dusting off an old handheld today. It focuses on Future Trunks. Specifically, it asks what would happen if Babidi and Dabura showed up in Trunks' ruined future timeline to resurrect Majin Buu.
No Goku to save the day. No Vegeta to sacrifice himself. Just Trunks trying to hold a broken world together.
The Future Trunks Dilemma
The "Another Road" in the title refers to this branched timeline. It’s actually a pretty dark story for a PSP fighter. You aren't just fighting for sport; you’re managing a map where cities are constantly under threat. The game uses a semi-open mission select screen where you fly around a 2D map, choosing which fires to put out first. If a city’s health drops to zero, it’s game over. This adds a layer of stress that's usually missing from fighting games. You have to be fast.
The combat mechanics are snappier than you might remember. It uses the "Aura Burst" system, which lets you dash toward opponents at high speeds, cancelling animations and extending combos. It’s twitchy. It’s fast. If you miss a teleport (the "Z-Counter"), you’re going to eat a Final Flash that takes out 30% of your health bar.
People often confuse this with the Budokai Tenkaichi series because they came out around the same time. Don't. This isn't a 3D "behind the back" camera. It's a 2.5D plane. It feels more like a traditional fighter where spacing and frame data—even if it's simplified—actually matter. You can't just mash buttons and expect to beat the higher-level AI. They will punish you. Hard.
🔗 Read more: Blox Fruit Current Stock: What Most People Get Wrong
Why the Roster in Dragon Ball Z Shin Budokai 2 Another Road Still Holds Up
Look at the character list. It’s not the biggest, featuring around 24 characters, but almost every slot feels distinct. You have Future Gohan—complete with his unique move set—who remains a fan favorite for his sheer grit. Then there’s Bardock and Cooler. Adding movie villains into a story about a divergent timeline made the whole experience feel like a massive crossover event before "multiverses" were a tired trope in every Marvel movie.
The "Booster Card" system is where the real depth hides. Instead of just leveling up, you collect cards to customize your stats.
Some cards boost your Ki recovery. Others make your ultimates hit like a truck but drain your stamina. You have to arrange these on a grid, and if you're smart, you link them together for resonance bonuses. It’s a mini-game in itself. I’ve spent hours just tweaking a build for Janemba to make him an untouchable teleporting nightmare. It’s a level of customization that Dragon Ball FighterZ lacks, even if that game is technically a "better" competitive fighter.
The Difficulty Spike
Let’s be real: the AI in Dragon Ball Z Shin Budokai 2 Another Road is a bit of a jerk.
Once you get into the later chapters of the story mode, the computer starts reading your inputs. You’ll try to fire a Kamehameha, and they’ll vanish behind you instantly. It forces you to learn the "Max Power" mode mechanics. In this state, your Ki doesn't drain, and you can spam specials, but once it ends, you’re left vulnerable. Balancing that risk is the difference between clearing a stage with a Z-rank and seeing the "Continue?" screen for the tenth time.
Visuals and Performance: 2007 vs Now
On the original PSP hardware, the game was a technical marvel. It ran at a locked 60 frames per second, which was crucial for a game this fast. The cel-shaded graphics popped on that small screen.
💡 You might also like: Why the Yakuza 0 Miracle in Maharaja Quest is the Peak of Sega Storytelling
If you’re playing on an emulator today, you can crank the resolution up to 4K, and honestly? It looks like a modern indie game. The textures are simple, sure, but the art direction is so strong that it doesn't matter. The character models are chunky and vibrant. The special attack animations—like Super Buu’s "Vice Shout" or Vegito’s "Spirit Sword"—still have that impact that makes your screen shake.
The sound design is another story. The English voice acting is exactly what you expect from the Funimation era—over the top and iconic. However, the music is where things get divisive. It’s a mix of rock and synth that some people love and others find repetitive. It’s not the Yamamoto or Sumitomo scores from the anime, but it fits the high-octane pace of the PSP matches.
Fixing the "Another Road" Misconceptions
There’s a common myth that this game is just a reskin of the first Shin Budokai. That’s objectively wrong. While the engine is the same, the mechanics were overhauled. The addition of the "Aura Burst" charge and the entire "Mastery" system for moves changed the meta entirely.
Also, many players think the game is short. If you just rush the main path, sure, you’ll be done in four hours. But if you try to unlock every path in the story—especially the ones where you fail to protect certain cities—you’re looking at a 20-hour experience. There are hidden boss fights and specific conditions (like finishing a fight with an Ultimate) that unlock completely different narrative branches.
Technical Tips for Modern Players
If you're jumping back into this game, there are a few things you should know to save yourself some frustration.
- Dodge, don't just block. The guard break mechanic is brutal in this game. If you hold the block button too long, a simple heavy attack will leave you stunned for three seconds.
- Abuse the Dash. You can dash through most minor Ki blasts. It builds your gauge and closes the gap.
- The Card Grid matters. Don't just throw cards anywhere. Look for the lines that connect the slots; these provide massive multipliers to your base stats.
- Save your Ki for Aura Burst. While Ultimates look cool, using your Ki to stay in Aura Burst mode allows you to stay mobile. A mobile target is a living target.
The Legacy of the Shin Budokai Series
We haven't seen a game quite like this since the PSP era ended. The Xenoverse games went for scale and MMO elements. FighterZ went for hardcore 2D competition. Kakarot went for RPG immersion. But Dragon Ball Z Shin Budokai 2 Another Road occupied a perfect middle ground. It was a "pick up and play" fighter that had enough meat on its bones to satisfy people who wanted to master frame-perfect vanishes.
📖 Related: Minecraft Cool and Easy Houses: Why Most Players Build the Wrong Way
It remains the gold standard for what a portable Dragon Ball game should be. It didn't compromise on speed or depth just because it was on a handheld. It actually used the platform's limitations to create a tighter, more focused experience.
How to Get the Most Out of Another Road Today
To truly appreciate what this game offers, you need to step away from the standard "Goku" playstyle. The game shines when you use characters with weird utility. Try playing as Piccolo and focusing on his homing Ki blasts to control the space. Or use Dabura and his stone spit to freeze enemies in place.
The real value of Another Road isn't just winning; it’s seeing how the story shifts when you make a mistake. Unlike most DBZ games where losing just means a retry, here, losing a specific battle can lead to a "bad" ending where the world stays in ruins. It’s one of the few times the stakes actually feel real in a Dragon Ball title.
To master the game now, focus on these specific actions:
- Hunt for the "Z" Rank on all missions to unlock the highest-tier character cards.
- Practice the timing of the "Circle + Back" teleport. It is the most important defensive move in your arsenal.
- Explore the "What If" branches by intentionally letting certain cities take damage to see the alternate dialogue.
- Check the shop frequently; the card rotation is semi-random and you can miss out on powerful buffs if you aren't diligent.
By shifting your focus from just "beating the game" to "mastering the timeline," you'll find that Another Road offers a much deeper experience than its aging graphics might suggest. It’s a time capsule of an era where developers weren't afraid to get weird with the Dragon Ball license.