Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO – Everything You Need to Know

As someone who’s spent countless hours mastering the art of fighting games and binge-watching Dragon Ball Z episodes, let me tell you, I’m genuinely excited about this new addition to the franchise – Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO. The blend of traditional Dragon Ball gameplay with modern twists is a recipe for an exhilarating experience that I can’t wait to get my hands on.


Bandai Namco is eagerly anticipating the release of a new “Dragon Ball” game, titled “Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO“. This upcoming title is drawing significant interest due to its return to the popular arena fighter format. As the release date approaches, let’s delve into some important aspects you should be aware of.

BUDOKAI TENKAICHI SUCCESSOR

From 2005 to 2007, Bandai Namco and Spike Chunsoft released three arena fighter Dragon Ball titles within the Budokai Tenkaichi series. However, for more than a decade and a half, fans’ pleas for a fourth instalment went unanswered. Now, with Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO, Bandai Namco is bringing the series back to life, as it has been confirmed that this upcoming fighter will indeed be the fourth instalment in the Budokai Tenkaichi series.

DYNAMIC AND DESTRUCTIBLE ENVIRONMENTS

One way to rephrase this in natural and easy-to-read language is: The Budokai Tenkaichi series has always been praised for its accurate recreation of the exaggerated fights in Dragon Ball, and it looks like Sparking! ZERO will continue that trend. As you battle, you’ll notice that the environment around you reacts to the fight, with the surroundings changing and deteriorating dynamically based on your actions and those of your opponent throughout the duel.

EPISODE BATTLE MODE

The primary single-player mode of “Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO” is referred to as Episode Battle. This mode features eight playable characters such as Goku, Vegeta, Frieza, Gohan, Piccolo, Future Trunks, Jiren, and Goku Black. The action takes place across battles from “Dragon Ball Z” and “Dragon Ball Super”. Unlike traditional games where the story is fixed, this one offers cutscenes tailored to each character. What sets it apart is that players will occasionally have opportunities to make decisions that influence the storyline. These choices can lead to events that don’t follow the original material, offering a unique and engaging experience.

CUSTOM BATTLE MODE

In addition to the Episode Battle, users can engage in the Custom Battle mode, where they can create unique battles from scratch. As the name implies, this mode offers customization options such as selecting characters, adjusting camera angles, designing pre- and post-battle scenes, altering title screens, choosing background music, and even modifying character expressions. Additionally, Custom Battle features Bonus Battles, where players are challenged to secure victories under specific conditions.

ROSTER

The quality of a fighter’s team could be decisive, and it seems that “Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO” won’t fall short in this aspect. Bandai Namco has announced that the game will boast an impressive roster of 182 characters, outnumbering any single Budokai Tenkaichi game we’ve seen thus far.

NEW CHARACTERS

At the start, the game, Sparking! ZERO, will have 182 characters. While a good portion of these are returning from previous Budokai Tenkaichi series, around one-third of them are brand new additions to the franchise. In total, about 30 fresh faces will debut in this installment, such as Frieza Force Soldier, Android 13, Slug, Turles, Bojack, and more.

CHARACTER STATS

Each character in the game “Sparking! ZERO” will have their combat efficiency evaluated based on five distinct attributes. These include Health Points (HP), which is straightforward; Attack, measuring the power behind smashes and physical attacks; Combo, influencing the damage of consecutive attacks; Special Attack, focusing on Blasts and Ultimate Blasts; and Ki, determining the strength of a character’s Ki blasts and the rate at which they recover their Ki.

MOVEMENT DETAILS

Navigating through the 3D arenas in “Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO’s” will require skill, and players will have multiple options for movement. The Step or Short Dash functions as your main method of locomotion, performing simple movements as indicated by their names. However, the Dragon Dash allows you to dash rapidly in a chosen direction, while the Z-Burst Dash lets you quickly outmaneuver opponents and get behind them. Additionally, using Ki enables you to move upward or downward relative to your foes.

OFFENSIVE ACTIONS

In line with expectations, Sparking! ZERO promises an intense gaming experience. But let’s delve into what you can expect in terms of your basic moveset for offense. You’ll have access to Rush Chain combos that deal more damage the longer they are sustained. Additionally, there are Smash attacks, which require accumulation before use and dish out varying levels of damage based on how much energy is stored. For aerial combat, you can employ Lift Strike to send enemies soaring, while Grand Slash will direct your attack downwards. Furthermore, various combo sequences and follow-up strikes are also available.

DEFENSIVE ACTIONS

At times, you’ll find yourself playing defensively, and “Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO” will offer various defensive strategies for you. Apart from shielding against incoming assaults, players can also dodge attacks in multiple ways, and there are several techniques for counterattacks as well.

LOCAL MULTIPLAYER

In essence, Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO showcases its fighting prowess by offering a substantial multiplayer mode. Although the main emphasis is on online combat, it doesn’t overlook local multiplayer either. You can engage in local splitscreen battles within the Hyperbolic Time Chamber when playing with friends. Additionally, you can organize offline tournaments against artificial opponents, even though they will be generated for you.

ONLINE MULTIPLAYER

In this version, the multiplayer aspect of the game will have more detailed development. To begin with, there will be tournaments accessible, where players can participate in various tournament types or even create their own. They can then compete against other online players. Additionally, a Ranked Mode will also be provided, as usual. The game will include leaderboards and players will have the option to customize matchmaking settings.

STANDARD AND CLASSIC CONTROLS

Just like numerous fighters in current times, Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO will provide various control options. The Classic Controls will allow you to play with controls similar to those found in the Dragon Ball: Budokai Tenkaichi games (with minor adjustments), while the Standard Controls have been updated and modernized, making it the standard way to play the game.

CUSTOMIZATION DETAILS

Besides enhancing the stats of characters using capsule customizations as previously mentioned, Sparking! ZERO will offer various options for cosmetic customization too. Just as anticipated, a variety of outfits will be available for each character, and players can further personalize them by choosing different accessories.

PC REQUIREMENTS

If you’re eager to experience Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO on your PC, you’ll be pleased to know that the system requirements aren’t overly demanding. For the minimum settings, you’ll need processors like the i5-9600K or Ryzen 5 2600, accompanied by graphics cards such as the GeForce GTX 980, Radeon RX 590, or Intel Arc A750, and a minimum of 8 GB RAM. If you aim for recommended settings, you’ll require more powerful processors like the i7-9700K or Ryzen 5 3600, along with stronger graphics cards such as the GeForce RTX 2060 or Radeon RX Vega 64, and a heftier 16 GB of RAM. Regardless of your chosen settings, you’ll need approximately 29 GB of available storage space on your PC.

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2024-09-30 14:11