After spending a few hours testing the new Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO from Bandai Namco, we believe that Goku and friends’ new adventure deserves a thorough analysis to highlight its strengths and potential weaknesses. However, there’s no need to beat around the bush: if you’re a fan of the Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi saga, this title will meet all your lingering expectations since 2007, the year the last instalment of the series was released. Many of you have probably already pre-ordered it. If you’re still undecided while waiting for a more in-depth review, you can check out our initial impressions to uncover some juicy details about a game that, based solely on the trailers, is difficult to decipher. Since there are many aspects to analyse, we assume you have already developed some familiarity with the world of Dragon Ball and the Tenkaichi fighting saga, so we can dive right into the substance.
Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO is precisely what we expected!
The latest creation from the developers at Spike Chunsoft stands out primarily for three elements: the “episode battles”, the classic battles, and custom battles. The episode battles can be considered a sort of “story mode”; however, these are presented in easily digestible snippets, that is, in medium-sized cycles. Instead of following the narrative linearly, the developers of Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO have chosen to propose “packages” of adventures dedicated to some of the saga’s most iconic protagonists and antagonists. During our testing, we had the chance to explore the paths of Goku, Black Goku, and Freezer, curiously noting that in some cases it is possible to make decisions that diverge from the canon of the anime or manga. However, it is still unclear what concrete consequences these variations have within the plot.
The more straightforward battles represent the versus fights. In this mode, you can challenge the computer, other players, watch clashes between two CPUs, or participate in classic tournaments. From the Tenkaichi to the Cell Game, to the unusual and unexpected “Yamcha Game”. Importantly: you can play offline with split-screen! The local variant we tested was limited to just the Room of Spirit and Time stage, which has the fewest interactive and destructible elements; however, it is not excluded that Bandai Namco may expand the available opportunities later.
Finally, the custom battles serve as an interesting variant of the episode battles. In this mode, players can let their imagination run wild by creating themed clashes based on their desires: you select the fighters, the setting, modifiers, as well as the characters’ lines, cinematic scenes, and even the title of the episode. With a database of over 5,000 lines of dialogue and a large archive of videos, fights can be custom-tailored, adding specific variables and options to create a fully personalized adventure. With a bit of creativity, for instance, you can generate a storyline where Zarbon and Perfect Cell duel to determine who has the best physique. You can then share this astounding creative effort with the entire web, sharing it online with other players.
A different kind of battle
Upon grabbing the controller, we were immediately struck. Not so much because Raditz, the first opponent we faced, annihilated us without breaking a sweat, but because we sensed an unusual impression that took a while to process. Superficially, Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO instantly recalls its most iconic predecessors: it’s a dynamic arena fighting game, dominated by energy wave battles and quick dashes. However, within it, you can sense something different, almost foreign to the traditional formula.
The game seems to subtly integrate some elements from other titles created by the developers at Spike Chunsoft. Games like Dragon Ball Raging Blast and perhaps even J-Stars Victory Vs. In any case, Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO appears to be more technical and balanced compared to its sixth generation predecessors. The classic arcade distinction, where weaker characters struggle against the giants of the saga, is preserved, but the gap between these two extremes seems more contained and moderate, allowing for matches that are more contested and unpredictable.
Even the mechanics show greater refinement. It is certainly possible to approach the game in a more straightforward manner, pressing the main buttons to achieve some spectacular results, but just a few minutes in the training section reveals that the title offers a wide range of variables and commands that, if learned and mastered, can significantly influence your play style. You can select in the settings a control scheme closer to the classic model or even activate a simplified mode, making the experience accessible to a broader audience.
The fan service in Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO
One of the main elements that has made the Tenkaichi saga extremely popular is definitely the broad roster of selectable fighters. Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO renews Bandai Namco’s commitment to bringing many characters from the saga into the battlefield, regardless of their prominence. As expected, many of these characters appear again in different variants and transformations, though it’s notable that players can often select a fighter in their base form and then power up mid-match in real-time. As for the selection range, we can say that it is very extensive, but it focuses on Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Super, and the OAVs, relegating Dragon Ball GT and the old Dragon Ball to decidedly more marginal roles.
As is typically the case in Dragon Ball games, Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO also includes its own in-game currency, zeni, which can be invested to unlock new characters, costumes, decorative accessories, modifiers, or elements to customize your player tag. At the same time, meeting specific requirements allows you to earn stamps and gifts granted by Zeno and Whis, elements we were only able to experience superficially, but which clearly grant access to the Dragon Balls. Yes, because it is possible to summon the titular dragon of the series. In fact, you can summon three dragons: Shenron, Polunga, and Super Shenron. As of now, however, we don’t have a precise idea of what invoking these mythical entities entails.
Overall, Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO conveys the feeling of wanting to be a more mature and serious title compared to its predecessors, while not giving up on the elements of lightness and passion that made the Tenkaichi series famous. It’s clear that Spike Chunsoft looks back with affection and a touch of nostalgia at the previous chapters of the saga; however, instead of merely replicating the past, they chose to rework the classic formula, adapting it to the growth and evolution of the studio, which has changed and developed over the seventeen years since the last title.
There’s not much to say: if you’re looking for divine Saiyans, breathtaking battles, and showers of energy spheres, we can bet that Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO will win you over. And not just that; you will thoroughly enjoy it. However, beyond the excitement driven by fandom, the title turns out to be more complex than one might expect, a complexity that can be viewed as a major added value, but which could also pose an obstacle for those seeking a more immediate and light-hearted experience. We’re eager to try the final version of the game to thoroughly explore its limits and potentials, and see just how much this atypical Dragon Ball can surprise us.