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It’s better than the anime, let’s leave it at that…
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero truly excels in its presentation and staging, a quality unmatched in nearly 40 years of Dragon Ball video games. None have managed to capture the explosive force of Akira Toriyama’s manga and especially the animated series as effectively. Whether it is the choice of perspective, freedom of action within a limited open environment, or the dynamic representation of each attack with ultra-dynamic angles and pyrotechnic effects, it is an absolute spectacle. While previous games like Budokai Tenkaichi 3, released 17 years ago, were exciting on PS2 with their 4:3 screens and non-HD resolutions, Sparking Zero, with its 4K display and 60 frames per second, has leaped into a new dimension of visual representation.
We are witnessing a remarkable spectacle characterized by energy bursts, smoke screens, and an aura around characters that varies based on the chosen fighter. The near-total destructibility of the environments enhances immersion; some elements crumble when charged into, others explode with an energy wave, and still others crack under enemy ejections, whether it’s floors or certain walls – this level of interactivity is unprecedented in a Dragon Ball game.
MOREOVER, IT’S NOT BAD TECHNICALLY…
However, it is not just the visual success of Dragon Ball Sparking Zero that stands out; its gameplay does as well, building upon the foundations of Budokai Tenkaichi 3. This time, developers have expanded the possibilities in terms of gameplay. It is known that the series has been criticized for not being a genuine fighting game but rather a simulation of Dragon Ball. While this criticism held true to some extent, it was also what fans desired most. That’s why Dragon Ball FighterZ by Arc System Works exists today to cater to the true purists of quarter-circle and 1v1 fighting.
Among the rapid sequences that can be linked into a dragon rush, sudden teleports to position behind the opponent while charging, counters, blocks, recoveries allowing you not to hit the ground and immediately charge again towards your opponent, perception evasions offering incredible moments like those seen in anime when timed correctly, mastering these techniques will prove challenging, particularly during combat where numerous factors must be managed simultaneously, such as recharging Ki, which is essential for activating other battle system features. This power gauge provides access to abilities and enables supersonic dashes. However, if your opponent restricts your breathing by staying close and hitting you with relentless rush attacks, the game presents challenges. Fortunately, each stage is expansive, allowing for evasion, retreat, and even hiding. Developers have implemented a system enabling characters to exit an opponent’s radar through Search Z mode. Essentially, if you manage to distance yourself from your foe and hide, you can literally lose sight of them; the screen turns gray, locking is disabled, and your character scans the surroundings for the enemy. Some warriors possess skills like Solar Bite that assist in evading detection. In summary, Dragon Ball Sparking Zero has evolved from a simple Dragon Ball simulation into an intricate, deep combat game. I recommend venturing into the Training World with Piccolo to understand all concepts and nuances. There is a rewarding learning curve for those wishing to delve deeper, and I believe that differences in combat system mastery will be evident among players who invest more time.
GENEROSITY
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero, upon its release, features an impressive roster of 182 characters, the largest among any fighting game. There are indeed ten versions each of Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan, with unique attacks, sometimes distinct animations, and importantly, different appearances. It is satisfying to see these protagonists across various arcs and situations. In fact, even if we had only one version of each character, there would still be room for criticism. However, as it stands, the game is perfect, especially considering upcoming DLCs set to enhance the roster further. We already know that 20 more characters from Dragon Ball Super, Dragon Ball GT, and films will be added in the coming months. Jun Furutani developed this game with fans in mind, and it clearly shows. Simply browsing through the game modes reveals how extensive Dragon Ball Sparking Zero is, offering features such as Story Mode, Custom Battle, offline and online multiplayer, local multiplayer, training, challenges, additional missions, World Championship Tournament, special tournaments like Yamcha’s which randomly selects a character, encyclopedias, Whis’ snapshot albums, numerous unlockables—you will definitely get your money’s worth.
During my testing of the game, I managed to unlock all 182 characters, with most unlocked by completing various Story modes. The remaining characters can be found in the Shop and are unlocked by spending Zeni, the game’s currency. There are no microtransactions; everything is easily unlocked with minimal investment. Don’t forget to check out the costumes section for unique items like Jackie Choun, the alter ego of Tortue Géniale from Budokai Tenkaichi 3, now available as a costume in Sparking Zero, and Baddack’s original attire complete with his scout. Additionally, there are supplementary music tracks, voice lines, gestures, and cards to obtain. In short, there is ample content to keep players engaged for weeks or even months.
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero surpasses previous Dragon Ball video games in terms of presentation and staging, offering a visually stunning experience with high-definition graphics, dynamic attack representations, near-total environment destructibility, and unique character auras. The gameplay builds on the foundations of Budokai Tenkaichi 3 but introduces deeper combat mechanics, including fast rushes, teleports, counters, blocks, recoveries, evasions, and a Ki power gauge for abilities and supersonic dashes. Despite initial criticism for not being considered a traditional fighting game, Sparking Zero now offers intricate combat and caters to purists with Dragon Ball FighterZ. The game features an extensive roster of 182 characters (with 10 variations each), unlockable through Story Mode or the in-game Shop using Zeni currency, without resorting to microtransactions. Additional modes such as offline and online multiplayer, local multiplayer, training, challenges, World Championship Tournament, special tournaments, encyclopedias, and unlockables provide ample content for extended engagement. Unique costumes, music tracks, voice lines, gestures, and cards further enhance replayability. In summary, Dragon Ball Sparking Zero stands out for its impressive visuals, deep combat mechanics, and abundant content.
Regarding the Episode Battle modes, including the renowned Story Mode, there are a total of 8 episodes. Characters featured include Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, Mirai Trunks, Freezer, Black Goku, and Jiren, with Goku’s mode being the longest, spanning his “career” from Raditz in the DBZ arc to his final battle against Jiren in the DB Super arc. Other characters have less screen time than Goku, resulting in shorter segments for them. It was quite exciting to develop these modes, particularly for Dragon Ball Super, an under-addressed arc despite our long enjoyment of DBZ over 40 years.
However, I will not downplay my satisfaction; Jun Furutani always made it clear that the Story modes were never intended to be the core of the game. They are not as intricate as those in Kakarot, for example, because Sparking Zero is fundamentally a fighting game. Nonetheless, if you are unfamiliar with the Super arc, you will receive a comprehensive summary through real cinematics and numerous slides. This should not diminish the generous spirit of this game, which was created with immense love and respect for the original works, particularly given that it includes official music tracks as bonus content, available at an additional cost. Additionally, during certain battles in Story modes, these tracks are triggered.
