Dragon Ball AF never officially existed, but that never stopped fans from imagining it. The DBZ Shin Budokai AF mod takes Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai 2 (Another Road) on PSP and rebuilds it around the AF concept, with new characters, new forms, and a new story mode. This is the Beta 2 release, and it is the one AF fans keep coming back to.
If you grew up reading AF rumors on old forums and staring at fan art of Super Saiyan 5 Goku, this mod is basically that daydream turned into a playable game. It runs on the PPSSPP emulator on Android, and it is free.
What Is the DBZ Shin Budokai AF Mod?
The DBZ Shin Budokai AF mod is a fan-made modification of Shin Budokai 2, the second PSP fighting game in the Budokai series. The modder took the original game and reworked it around Dragon Ball AF, the famous fan-made continuation of the Dragon Ball story that was never official but captured everyone’s imagination in the 2000s.
This Beta 2 version is a follow-up to the first AF mod release, with more characters, more polish, and fewer bugs. The core idea stayed the same: what if Shin Budokai 2 had an AF story mode with all the fan-favorite AF forms?
Shin Budokai 2 is a great base for this kind of mod. Its combat system is fast and technical, with aura bursts, cancels, and a roster that was already solid. The AF mod keeps that gameplay and layers the AF fantasy on top.
New Characters and Transformations
The roster is the main attraction of the DBZ Shin Budokai AF mod. Alongside the familiar Z fighters, you get AF-inspired characters and forms that never appeared in any official game. Super Saiyan 5 concepts, new villain forms, and powered-up versions of the main cast all make appearances.
Transformations got special attention. Characters who can transform have new forms with new auras, and the visual effects were redone to make each transformation feel dramatic. The aura effects in particular are a highlight. They are brighter, more detailed, and closer to the anime look than the original game’s effects.
Every transformable character also got new attacks to match their new forms. Ultimates hit harder visually, with bigger effects and more screen shake. If you are the kind of player who picks characters based on how cool their ultimate looks, you will be happy here.
New Story Mode Based on Dragon Ball AF
Most mods just reskin the roster and call it a day. The DBZ Shin Budokai AF mod goes further with a new story mode built around the AF concept. It follows an original fan-made storyline in the style of AF lore, with battles structured like the original game’s story mode.
Is it Shakespeare? No. But it gives the new characters a reason to fight, and it is genuinely fun to play through. The story mode is also the best way to unlock and try the new forms, since it walks you through the roster naturally.
Shin Budokai 2’s original “Another Road” story was already a what-if scenario, so an AF what-if fits the game like a glove. The mod feels less like a hack and more like an alternate version of the game that could have existed.
Improved Textures and Visuals
One of the biggest upgrades in Beta 2 is the texture work. Character models have improved textures across the board, and the difference is obvious the moment you start a fight. Faces are cleaner, outfits have more detail, and the overall look is sharper than the original PSP release.
The auras deserve another mention because they are that good. Each transformation tier has its own aura style, and they look great in motion. Combined with the new attack effects, battles in the DBZ Shin Budokai AF mod have a visual energy that the base game never quite reached.
How to Download the DBZ Shin Budokai AF Mod
- Scroll down and tap the Download button below.
- Wait for the countdown timer to finish and your download link will appear.
- Download the CSO/ISO file to your phone.
- If the file is compressed, extract it with ZArchiver or any RAR app.
- Place the extracted file in an easy-to-find folder.
The mod comes as a CSO or ISO file that loads directly in PPSSPP. No patching or base game needed. The file you download is the complete modded game.
How to Install on PPSSPP
- Install PPSSPP from the Play Store.
- Open PPSSPP and navigate to the folder with the mod file.
- Before playing, go to Settings and find the Mipmapping option. Turn it off. This fixes texture glitches in many Shin Budokai 2 mods.
- Set the PPSSPP system language to America Latina.
- Launch the game and enjoy.
These two settings, Mipmapping off and language set to America Latina, solve the vast majority of issues with this mod. Do them first before trying anything else.
Troubleshooting: Game Does Not Start?
If the DBZ Shin Budokai AF mod refuses to boot, work through this list:
- Turn off Fast Memory (unstable). Settings, then System. This is the number one crash fix for PSP mods.
- Turn off Mipmapping. Graphics settings. Fixes black textures and visual corruption.
- Disable Multithreaded. Same System menu. Helps with freezing.
- Check the file. If the CSO is corrupted from an interrupted download, re-download it. A bad file will never boot no matter the settings.
- Try PPSSPP Gold settings. Some players report better stability with the Gold version’s defaults, though the free version works fine for most.
Still stuck? The Dragon Ball FighterZ Shin Budokai mod on this site uses the same base game and the same fixes apply there too.
How It Compares to Other Shin Budokai 2 Mods
Shin Budokai 2 is one of the most modded PSP games in the DBZ scene. There are FighterZ-themed mods, Super-themed mods, and more. The DBZ Shin Budokai AF mod stands out because of its theme. If you specifically want the AF fantasy, with its fan-made forms and story, nothing else scratches that itch.
For a different flavor, the DBZ Shin Budokai FighterZ mod reworks the same base game with a FighterZ aesthetic. Both are worth having if you are a Shin Budokai 2 fan.
FAQ
Is the DBZ Shin Budokai AF mod free?
Yes. It is a free fan-made mod. You need the free PPSSPP emulator to play it.
What is Dragon Ball AF?
Dragon Ball AF is a famous fan-made concept, never an official series. It imagines a continuation of Dragon Ball GT with new forms like Super Saiyan 5. This mod is built around that fan lore.
Do I need the original Shin Budokai 2?
No. The download is a complete modded CSO/ISO. Just load it in PPSSPP.
Why are the textures glitchy?
Turn off Mipmapping in PPSSPP’s graphics settings. That fixes it in nearly every case.
Does it work on PC?
Yes. PPSSPP runs on Windows too, and the same file works on both.
Is Beta 2 the latest version?
Beta 2 is the latest release of this AF mod that the community recognizes. It fixed bugs from the first beta and added more content.
Final Words
The DBZ Shin Budokai AF mod is a time capsule from the era when AF rumors ruled the internet, turned into something you can actually play. The new characters, the AF story mode, and the upgraded visuals make it one of the more distinctive Shin Budokai 2 mods out there. If the AF concept ever excited you, this Beta 2 release is the version to try.
