DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO

Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO (now THAT is how you name an anime game) resurrects one of the most beloved fighting franchises in anime history. This earth-shattering revival delivers the same outlandish action Dragon Ball fans are used to, elevated by its flashy visuals and addictive multiplayer components.

This modern revival brings the franchise's signature 3D arena combat to new heights, featuring an impressive roster of over 180 fighters from across Dragon Ball Z, Super, GT, and various movies. If you have a favorite Dragon Ball character, he's probably part of Sparking! ZERO's roster.

The game immediately impresses with its commitment to recreating the spectacle of Dragon Ball combat. Every punch feels like it could shatter mountains, and each energy blast illuminates the sky with dazzling special effects. If you missed the days of playing Dragon Ball Budokai Tenkaichi with your friends, Sparking! ZERO is here to remind you why Dragon Ball never goes out of style!

Return of the King

The Budokai Tenkaichi series has long been considered the gold standard for Dragon Ball games, and Sparking! ZERO proudly carries that torch forward. After games like Dragon Ball: Raging Blast and Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi failed to deliver, this feels like a breath of fresh air the franchise desperately needed.

The attention to detail in character movesets is particularly impressive. Each fighter feels unique, with combat styles that perfectly match their anime counterparts. And when I say that, I mean it – characters like Hercule have no business standing against Gogeta, which is what we've come to expect from the series. If you want a "fair" fighting game, go back to Tekken 8.

Super Roster

With over 180 characters available in the base game, Sparking! ZERO puts even the extensive rosters of previous Budokai Tenkaichi games to shame. What's more impressive than the quantity is how each character has been crafted with their own unique abilities, transformations, and special techniques.

That being said, I still have a gripe with what the game considers "unique" characters. Expect to see multiple versions of Goku and Vegeta as "different" characters, as each transformation and alternate outfit counts towards that 180 headcount.

Additionally, there are the DLC characters. There are so many DLC characters here. Sparking! ZERO took a page out of Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 and decided to lock a good chunk of its roster behind a paywall. As long as you don't mind missing out on some obscure characters from the anime, you'll be golden with what comes in the base game.

More Than Just Versus

The game's content extends far beyond simple versus matches. The story mode offers multiple perspectives on classic Dragon Ball narratives, allowing players to experience key moments from eight different viewpoints. Tired of the same old Dragon Ball Z storyline? Sparking! ZERO allows you to see a healthy dose of "What If" scenarios that keep the plot interesting, even for long-time fans.

Then, there's the online multiplayer. The online infrastructure has been built with competitive play in mind, featuring various tournament modes and ranking systems. Local multiplayer hasn't been neglected either, providing the perfect platform for friendly rivalries to play out in living rooms just as they did in the Budokai Tenkaichi era.

Pros

• Massive roster
• Refined combat system
• Extensive single-player content and robust online features

Cons

• Lots of repeat characters to pad out the roster
• Excessive DLC
• The story might be all too familiar for long-time fans

DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO is a game that I loved so much, I bought it twice! Hear me out, when it was released, I was tight on funds and had to get the basic version, but fast forward a while later, and I had some extra cash, and I was able to get the collector's edition with the awesome statue! I am a massive fan of this franchise, and I honestly think that we have been spoiled as the last few Dragon Ball games have been fantastic, and this one here is another great entry into the series!

Reliving The Past

How many times have we played through the story of Dragon Ball Z in video games? Well, DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO, once again, lets us relive some of our favorite parts from the franchise's history in the Episode Battles mode, which is the main single-player mode. What is neat about this is that we have multiple playable characters in, Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Picalo, Future Trunks, Jiren, Frieza, and Goku Black. Each character will let you experience iconic parts of their history from the original Dragon Ball Z, as well as the more recent Dragon Ball Super. This is fun stuff, and I liked how it let you make some narrative choices to change the outcomes, keeping things fresh for those who know these stories inside and out.

This Is Number 4!

Despite the title of this game being DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO. This is actually the fourth game in the awesome Dragon Ball Tenkaichi series, which started back on the PlayStation 2. That means that this is a 3D fighting game where you can either play as one character or make your own dream team of Dragon Ball characters. The fighting action is as over the top as ever with all kinds of flashy moves, but they added more depth to the series by introducing several new systems. The revenge counter, for example, is a real game-changer for me as it made me think much more strategically, rather than just trying to go all out on the offensive. You have well over 100 characters to choose from, and while some of them do play the same, I think that this is the most epic roster we have ever had in a Dragon Ball game!

Delivering The Wow Factor

I remember when DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO was announced, and I found it strange that there was no last-gen version of the game going to be available. However, once you play the game, you will soon realize that this is the most impressive-looking Dragon Ball game to date. Granted, these games have looked good for generations, but I would have to say that this is the best-looking Dragon Ball Z game to date. The insane amount of stuff that is going down on the screen when one of the huge moves is happening is awesome. Plus, the game also sounds great, with a ton of voice acting that sounds like it was lifted directly from the show. Even the less than great Dragon Ball Z games tend to look and sound good, but this one here really is something amazing.

How Much Is Too Much?

One thing I will say about DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO, and to be fair, this is not totally about this game, but the franchise in general, and that is, there is just so much Dragon Ball these days! I get that it sounds crazy to complain about there being so much stuff of a franchise you like, but in addition to this, we have had Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 and Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, two fantastic games which were still getting supported once Sparking Zero came out! Hell, there are many of us who are still actively playing Dragon Ball Fighterz, too! I think for those who are still very heavily invested in Kakarot and Xenoverse 2, it may be a hard sell to get them to jump to a new Dragon Ball game.

Pros:

• The roster in this game is freaking crazy
• I liked having several different stories to play through
• This is the best looking Dragon Ball game to date
• The core fighting gameplay is deeper than it has ever been

Cons:

• For non Dragon Ball fans, this is probably way too much to get into
• Even for me, this can be overwhelming

DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO is a 3D fighting game based on the Dragon Ball universe, where punching a planet isn't such a cool gimmick. Choose your favorite character among heroes and villains, using their full potential on a three-dimensional field beyond the usual arena. A battle in space that started on earth or simply destroying prostranstvo in the course of a battle are quite common for this game. Enjoy the story mode that repeats the events of the Dragon Ball anime and manga and make your fighter the best.

Pros of the game:

• Familiar characters and their real-life abilities from the Dragon Ball universe
• The destructible environment will reflect the full scale of the battle