| DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | Gameplay & Story | DLC & Pre-Order | Review |
| Release Date | |
|---|---|
| October 11, 2024 More Details |
|
| Genre | |
| Action, Adventure, Fighting, RPG | |
| Platforms | Price (MSRP) |
   |
$69.99 |
| Developer | Publisher |
| Spike Chunsoft | Bandai Namco Entertainment |
| Number of Players | Age Rating |
| 1-2 | T |
| Time to Finish | Cross Platform Play |
| 25 | No |
| Official Website | Official Website for DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO |
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO Latest News
⚫︎ Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO has been rated for the Nintendo Switch 2 by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Media Regulation. Although an official announcement has not been made, the rating suggests that a port for Nintendo’s upcoming console may be revealed soon.
⚫︎ Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is receiving its second DLC pack this week, featuring content from the upcoming anime Dragon Ball Daima. The pack includes eight new playable characters, some of which are alternate forms of the same fighter. Early access players can download the content now, with general availability set for April 24. No new stages are included in the update.
⚫︎ Bandai Namco and developer Spike Chunsoft have announced that the second downloadable content pack for Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO will launch in April. The update will introduce new playable characters from Dragon Ball DAIMA, including Vegeta (Mini), Goku (Mini), and Glorio.
⚫︎ A new update for Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is now live delivering balance changes for Piccolo and Broly, along with various gameplay tweaks. The update is part of developer Spike Chunsoft’s ongoing efforts to refine the experience and recapture the strong player engagement seen at launch.
⚫︎ In a major moment for Dragon Ball fans, the latest episode of Dragon Ball Daima has officially made Super Saiyan 4 Goku canon, 28 years after the transformation first appeared in the non-canonical Dragon Ball GT. The fan-favorite form, originally designed by Akira Toriyama but long relegated to spin-offs and alternate media, now joins the official lore alongside a new milestone: Vegeta’s first-ever canon Super Saiyan 3 transformation.
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO Overview
DRAGON BALL Sparking! ZERO is the latest iteration and direct successor of the Budokai Tenkaichi series. The game is developed by Spike Chunsoft and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, as they have since its initial release back in 2008. The game is an arena battler that features characters from the widely popular anime and manga series Dragon Ball Z, including the latest installments, Dragon Ball Super and Dragon Ball Daima. Additionally, the game will also include characters from the series' movies, with the latest one, Dragon Ball Super: Super HERO, being scheduled as future content.
The game was first announced in March 2023, after the end of the Dragon Ball FighterZ World Tour finals. Following this announcement, the game periodically showcased more trailers for its roster. This ended up being a total of 182 playable characters on launch.
| Steam |
Playstation |
Xbox |
|||
| Price | $69.99 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO Gameplay
DRAGON BALL Sparking! ZERO is a 3D arena battler that lets players engage in fast-paced, high-action fighting gameplay that lets you choose from a total of 182 playable characters from the historic Dragon Ball franchise. The game features an episodic Story Mode centered around a character that summarizes key events in each saga. Additionally, the Story Mode also featured several What If? scenarios that range from a change of outcome or a completely different scenario than what fans expect entirely.
The game also has Custom Battles where players can create their own scenarios and episodes. It also features both online and offline versus modes, where you can play against real players or AI opponents to hone your skills and become the strongest fighter out there. Lastly, the game also includes several unlockable items, including music, title cards, and other cosmetics to show off your progress and your personal flair.
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO Reviews
The Transformation Fans Have Been Waiting For More Than a Decade
Game8 gave DRAGON BALL Sparking! ZERO a 92/100, where the reviewer highlighted the use of the game's nostalgia, massive roster, limitless amount of content, and surprisingly deep gameplay as the main draws. Additionally, the reviewer also noted that DRAGON BALL Sparking! ZERO was the best version of what an arena battler should be and an amazing representation of the franchise, saying, " With a massive amount of playable characters, stunning visuals, and several scenarios to explore and complete, this is the best Dragon Ball game we’ve had in ages, and nothing comes close." Out of 74 Critic Reviews, DRAGON BALL Sparking! ZERO received a Generally Favorable Metascore of 81 and a User Score of 8.6 on Metacritic.
Despite the game's favorable score among fans and other critics, IGN gave the game a 7/10. They highlighted that the game was generally fun and a great reminder of the past, sometimes to a fault. The reviewer cited its archaic menus and remedial training tools weren't anything to be impressed about. One of the big issues that the reviewer faced was the game's difficulty, stating that it "more than once [crossed] the line between challenging and frustrating."
Gamespot also gave the game a decent score of 6/10, stating that the game's good points are the game's fast combat, variety of story episodes, and its stunning visuals. The negatives, however, outweighed the game's good points, as the reviewer pointed out its limited modes, lack of character identity, harsh difficulty spikes, and its Custom Battles don't offer enough creative freedom.
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO Announcement Trailer
Announcement Trailer
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO Trivia
⚫︎ DRAGON BALL Sparking! ZERO is the first game to feature the series' latest installments, Dragon Ball Super and Dragon Ball Daima.
⚫︎ This is the final game in the franchise to be involved with creator, Akira Toriyama, before his untimely death on March 1, 2024.
⚫︎ DRAGON BALL Sparking! ZERO is the first game in the Budokai Tenkaichi series to be included in Steam, as well as the first Dragon Ball game to be exclusive to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
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