For several weeks now, I have been keeping this under wraps: I managed to play Dragon Ball Sparking Zero. This occurred in Paris well before the Summer Games Fest and the current E3 period. We were given an early access preview for a few hours to engage in some fights and get acquainted with the gameplay. Additionally, we received a comprehensive presentation outlining all the content and what to expect from this episode, which has been anticipated since 2007 during the PS2 era—yes, that’s right, 17 years ago—and I still vividly recall testing Budokai Tenkaichi 3 back then. To top it off, I was able to record my gameplay experience as well. So, what you are about to see is me playing and discovering the game, and let me tell you, it was an absolute blast.
WHAT IF?
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero will enable players to explore alternative story scenarios in “What if” mode. In this alternate version, Krilin and Kame Senin, or Tortue Géniale, immobilize Raditz with a Lightning Surprise Attack, allowing Piccolo to launch his beam and defeat Raditz. As a result, Goku does not die, which has implications for subsequent events. Bandai Namco has been somewhat vague about the extent of this change’s impact on the overall story; however, altering the narrative course will certainly rewrite known events. While similar “What if Saga” sections existed in Budokai Tenkaichi, Dragon Ball Sparking Zero offers a more developed version with 8 characters to choose from for its Episode Battle mode, including Goku and Vegeta. Bandai Namco highlighted that Son Goku has the longest story mode among the 8 fighters, given his central role as the hero.
The second mode introduced is Custom Battle, which, although a single-player experience, enables users to create, play, and share their own battles. Initially, developers aimed to design their own fights with predefined rules and objectives before making them available to players. These battles feature specific scenarios and even cinematics in these unique matches. As one can observe, all elements are customizable: cuts, character selection, poses, expressions, and the addition or removal of effects, as well as music choice. It is akin to crafting a personalized mix, leading to this result. Naturally, users have the option to share their scenarios with others and explore creations made by other players as well. This approach is quite ingenious on the part of the developers, facilitating the proliferation of original ideas without additional costs.
THE FEELINGS OF YESTERYEAR
Before diving into the details of the battle system, I would like to announce some good news: split screen functionality has been confirmed for Sparking Zero. It features a vertically split screen designed for an optimal offline experience, allowing players to enjoy relaxed and peaceful moments on a couch with a friend during visits, reminiscent of the PS2 era. Regarding gameplay, as observed in various official videos, Spike Chunsoft opted to reuse the same formula from 17 years ago. Similar to how 2K Games approached TopSpin 2K25, their goal was not to disrupt fans too much with significant changes to the game systems but rather to recapture nostalgic feelings, incorporating some new features and adjustments where necessary. Interestingly, despite the considerable time that has passed between Budokai Tenkaichi 3 and this iteration of Sparking Zero, players have reported a quick return of their muscle memory.
Sparking Zero indeed includes a system connected to the Ki bar, which can be self-recharged by focusing one’s energy or increases automatically upon receiving or dealing blows. The game revolves around managing this Ki bar, which grants access to each character’s powers and movements. Certain animations consume Ki, such as rapid flight, simple energy bursts, and spectacular, devastating attacks. When the Ki bar is completely empty, a brief stun ensues. However, if you manage to fully charge your Ki, you enter Sparking mode, unlocking new powers, including special furies. In this Sparking state, the Ki gauge is enveloped in a purple electrical aura. Under each character’s icon, a number appears, representing the skill count, managed by another curved gauge that increases automatically at its own pace. This skill count allows characters to transform, fuse, or access specific attacks. Real-time transformations are possible during battles, but with 164 fighters available at launch, there are many duplicates. For instance, in the demo I played, there were 11 Son Gokus and 13 Vegetas, each version offering imposed transformation states. When switching to a character, you see their transformation possibilities. Some Goku versions only grant access to one transformation, while others offer three different ones. To add interest to each transformation, combat techniques vary between versions. There isn’t an ultimate Goku version that starts in normal mode and ends in Ultra Instinct with all possible metamorphosis stages and a full move set. Instead, everything is fragmented for all characters, except some.
THE KING OF BRAWLERS
The standout new feature in Dragon Ball Sparking Zero is the ability to create your own team of fighters. In the demo version, players could choose a team of three characters, whereas the final release allows for up to five character slots. This enables dynamic switching during matches to optimize strategies according to opponents. For example, if Broly appears and you have Hercules or Mr. Satan on your roster, it might be more strategic to switch to another character to maintain an advantage. Among the 164 characters available, there are notable disparities in strength levels, a continuity from earlier Budokai Tenkaichi games. Despite this imbalance, the inclusion of weaker characters adheres to the game’s lore and provides players with variety and enjoyment, particularly for those who prefer their favorite characters during online battles.
It was indeed a great pleasure to rediscover the familiar sensations, updated for modern times, especially since the game is even more spectacular. The gameplay is dynamic, with an abundance of movements and possibilities, and with its configuration and proposal, it automatically becomes the most faithful Dragon Ball game to the anime. The freedom of movement, charging like a missile towards your opponent who is then ejected to the other end of the map, teleportations, mind-boggling attacks with elaborate staging, exploding landscapes, and multiplied visual effects – it’s truly impressive. The game runs at an ultra-stable 60 frames per second, providing an incredible sense of fluidity. In terms of resolution, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series versions will offer 4K.
In terms of graphics, the game is generally pleasant, with decent but not exceptional design. For instance, I much prefer the art style presented in Dragon Ball FighterZ, which I find more refined and faithful. Overall, Sparking Zero isn’t a next-gen visual powerhouse upon closer inspection. Examining textures or the modeling of certain environment elements reveals we’re dealing with a PS4 generation game. Even character animations could have benefited from more fluidity, but I imagine developers prioritized action fluidity over ultra-realistic rendering. This is a choice and doesn’t change that Sparking Zero should establish itself as the ultimate, more mainstream Dragon Ball game compared to FighterZ. And I trust I don’t need to convince you further after this hands-on preview. Remember, it’s set for release on October 11th next year, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series.
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero is widely regarded as one of the most anticipated games of 2024. Given that Bandai Namco had previously abandoned the license for a significant period of 17 years, skepticism was understandable. However, with the series having been adored by fans and considered among the best anime adaptations at its peak, there were ample reasons to be cautious about its revival. This long-standing concern is set to dissipate in the coming months with the release of Sparking Zero. The original formula has been revisited, incorporating some adjustments but maintaining the core elements that made it beloved. While some may view these changes as a lack of innovation, we see them as a prudent approach. Unless something unexpected occurs, it appears difficult for Sparking Zero to falter in its comeback. Mark your calendars for October 11th to learn more about the game’s release.
