Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero marks the long-awaited return of the Budokai Tenkaichi series, capturing the essence of classic Dragon Ball with a fresh yet nostalgic twist. As the first mainline entry since the PlayStation 2 era, it dives deep into everything fans love about the franchise, from intense, high-speed battles to an expansive roster of iconic characters.
Each detail, from its retro-styled menus to its intricate battle mechanics, reflects the game’s commitment to delivering an authentic Dragon Ball experience. With innovative game modes, memorable story moments, and thrilling customization, Sparking! Zero sets out to honor the legendary series while meeting the high expectations of today’s gaming landscape.
Nostalgic Design and Presentation
Sparking! Zero brings the PS2 generation’s iconic feel back to life, with menus reminiscent of the Budokai Tenkaichi days and a visual style that captures the spirit of Dragon Ball. Unlike modern fighting games, Sparking! Zero embraces the raw and sometimes imbalanced nature that defined classic anime-inspired brawlers.
From labyrinthine menus to sparse training guidance, the game throws players directly into the action, delivering a less polished but more genuine experience that echoes the look and feel of the anime.
In Sparking! Zero, every fight replicates the Dragon Ball fighting fantasy, offering high-speed battles, teleport kicks, and dramatic transformations like Super Saiyan. With minimal responsiveness issues, battles feel as dynamic as ever, keeping true to the lore of the series. The immersive combat style brings all the familiar energy blasts, aerial combat, and massive landscapes, making every duel a chance to experience the Dragon Ball universe firsthand.
Arena Fighting at Its Best
Arena fighters like Sparking! Zero differ from classic fighters like Tekken or Street Fighter, placing players in vast, open spaces with full 3D movement. Here, fighting isn’t limited to horizontal combat; players have the freedom to explore aerial maneuvers, environmental interactions, and massive ki blasts. Sparking! Zero, much like its predecessor Tenkaichi, emphasizes space and agility, allowing characters to move seamlessly from ground to sky in epic battles.
Sparking! Zero distinguishes itself from other games in the franchise, such as Xenoverse, by offering a faster, more intense experience without stamina restrictions. While Xenoverse captures the narrative flow of Dragon Ball, Sparking! Zero pushes for high-octane action, with expansive maps and environments where players can unleash their powers fully without any cooldown or stamina bar, staying true to the over-the-top battles Dragon Ball fans love.
Visual and Audio Accuracy
Each character in Sparking! Zero, whether a mainstay like Goku or a lesser-known hero, appears with stunning detail and authenticity. The visual accuracy of every model, from Super Saiyan transformations to character-specific auras, immerses players fully into the Dragon Ball world.
Though some cutscene animations are slightly stiff, the game’s overall presentation of Dragon Ball’s iconic environments—from barren wastelands to lush landscapes—is as impressive as ever.
Sparking! Zero’s sound design matches its visual fidelity, featuring the original voice actors for nearly all characters. The sounds of energy blasts, teleportations, and battle cries bring the game to life, echoing the soundscapes from the anime itself.
Classic voice talents recreate famous lines with precision, though even seasoned actors sometimes adjust delivery, like Perfect Cell, whose lines subtly differ from his original tone—a testament to the game’s attention to detail.
Expansive Roster of Fighters
Sparking! Zero boasts one of the largest rosters in Dragon Ball game history, featuring more than 180 characters from various eras and stories. Fans can unlock fighters through story progression or by spending in-game currency, Zeni. Characters range from well-known heroes like Vegeta to lesser-seen fighters from Dragon Ball’s extensive universe, giving players an opportunity to relive battles with a diverse cast.
Each character in the roster is not a mere reskin but has unique special techniques and transformations. With 19 different versions of Goku alone, players can experience his journey from Saiyan saga basics to the powerhouse Super Saiyan God. This variety ensures each character offers a fresh approach, with specific abilities aligned with their lore, letting players explore the full range of Dragon Ball’s legendary transformations.
Distinct Gameplay Mechanics
The control scheme in Sparking! Zero is universal across characters, but certain fighters like Androids and giant characters add nuance by deviating slightly from standard controls. Androids, for example, lack the ability to recharge ki, while large characters like Janemba are immune to grabs. The game adheres to the lore, keeping battles authentically skewed when stronger characters face weaker opponents, a commitment to the Dragon Ball narrative.
While controls are simple, mastering Sparking! Zero’s techniques takes effort, especially for those returning to the series after years. Timed defensive moves like teleporting and combo finishers add complexity. With minimal tutorial guidance, players face a steep learning curve, particularly in executing advanced techniques consistently. This challenge is both frustrating and rewarding, demanding dedicated practice to fully harness each character’s potential.
The Skill Points System
The skill point system in Sparking! Zero adds a strategic layer to combat, charging as players deal damage and gain energy. These points can unlock special abilities, transformations, and even the new revenge counter system, which allows players to counterattack in the middle of an opponent’s combo.
The super perception feature, similar to older games’ perception counter, enables blocking nearly all attacks with precise timing, creating tactical decision-making moments throughout the fight.
Resource management with ki and skill points forces players to make split-second decisions, adding depth to the gameplay. By managing these resources, players can optimize offense and defense, whether using ki for powerful attacks or skill points for last-ditch defenses. This blend of moment-to-moment strategy and rapid action is a core part of Sparking! Zero’s appeal.
Traditional Progression and Menus
Sparking! Zero incorporates a progression system with achievements that award Zeni, the in-game currency, used to purchase characters, costumes, and other content. Unlike games with more pushy microtransactions, Sparking! Zero provides Zeni rewards at a fair rate, letting players unlock content without feeling pressured to spend real money.
Microtransactions are limited to optional purchases like the $35 season pass or music packs, leaving core gameplay unaffected.
While Sparking! Zero’s reward system is fair, its outdated menu design is cumbersome, often requiring players to exit fully to adjust settings or character customizations. This system, unchanged since early Tenkaichi games, feels clunky by modern standards. Despite its nostalgic charm, the dated interface detracts from the gameplay flow, a reminder of the challenges of revisiting retro game styles.
Episode Battles Mode
Sparking! Zero’s single-player mode, Episode Battles, revisits major Dragon Ball arcs from varied character perspectives. Unlike earlier games that demanded players replay every small battle, this mode streamlines the experience, allowing focus on pivotal moments. This approach respects fans’ familiarity with the story while delivering a faithful retelling of iconic Dragon Ball sagas.
A standout feature in Episode Battles is the ability to alter outcomes. Choices made during pivotal moments, such as having Goku assist Piccolo against Cell, create “what-if” scenarios, reshaping Dragon Ball history. Sparking! Zero brings new life to familiar stories by letting players experience alternative paths, a refreshing addition for fans who know the original plots by heart.
Custom Battle Creation
Custom battles in Sparking! Zero allow players to design their own Dragon Ball scenarios. With modifiers that restrict character abilities and set special conditions, players can create tailored challenges that test skill and strategy. These battles resemble puzzles more than fights, with some developer-created scenarios showcasing the potential of this feature, though the tool could be expanded to enable more complex narratives.
While custom battles offer players creative freedom, the tool lacks depth for crafting detailed story arcs. Basic dialogue options provide limited narrative setup, making it challenging to recreate full Dragon Ball sagas. Despite its constraints, this feature opens possibilities for fans to explore personalized Dragon Ball battles and showdowns in creative, albeit simple, ways.
Online and Local Multiplayer
Sparking! Zero’s online multiplayer is an improvement from past entries, with minimal lag and stable connections. While network play remains straightforward, the game offers enough stability to keep competitive players engaged. Local multiplayer is available but limited to a single stage, the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, providing a basic but enjoyable option for head-to-head matches.
The standout online mode, DP Battles, challenges players to form up-to-five-member teams within a 15-point limit, with each character’s strength impacting their point cost. This structure introduces a layer of strategy, where players balance their teams between heavy-hitters and cheaper, more flexible fighters. The mode caters to players who enjoy both Dragon Ball lore and tactical team building, blending the best of both worlds.
Betting and Esports Integration
Dragon Ball fans can now take their esports experience to the next level by placing bets on tournaments featuring Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero using top betting apps. With options for competitive odds and event-specific promotions, these apps allow fans to engage more deeply with intense battles, favorite characters, and thrilling matches in a whole new way during live esports events.
Final Thoughts
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero captures the nostalgia of classic Dragon Ball games while incorporating enough modern updates to keep things fresh. With a massive roster, unique gameplay mechanics, and both competitive and casual modes, the game is a heartfelt tribute to the franchise.
For fans who want to dive into the Dragon Ball universe, relive epic battles, and create their own scenarios, Sparking! Zero offers a robust and authentic experience that stands out in today’s fighting game landscape.
