As a longtime fan of Dragon Ball, I must admit that when I heard about Sparking! ZERO, my heart skipped a beat. Having grown up with the manga and anime, I’ve always dreamt of a fighting game that truly encapsulated the speed, power, and flair of the series – and it seems like Spike Chunsoft Co. and Bandai Namco have managed to do just that.
Revitalizing the arena brawler genre popular during the PS2 era, Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO showcases stunning visuals and exhilarating gameplay on modern hardware. The game’s unique perspective from over the character’s shoulder allows players to deliver swift punches, kicks, combos, and laser beams at breakneck speed. The vibrant graphics, reminiscent of the anime series, lead up to spectacular energy beam ultimate moves; the Budokai Tenkaichi trilogy is an addictive fighting game series that has captivated gamers for hours as they master their skills. Since the release of Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO, over 100,000 concurrent players on Steam have already spent countless hours exploring this long-awaited sequel.
“Dragon Ball manga is one of the most impactful in history, with its accompanying anime series, Dragon Ball Z, playing a crucial role in introducing Japanese animation to many in the West alongside Pokémon. Today, thanks to services like Netflix, anime has become mainstream and continues to gain popularity. Since the release of Dragon Ball FighterZ in 2018, there hasn’t been a fighting game adaptation, but we have seen other Dragon Ball games such as Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission (a tactical card battler), Dragon Ball: The Breakers (an asymmetrical multiplayer game), and the well-received action RPG Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot.
In the game Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO, many playable characters are being carried over from the Z-era series and movies, along with some from later series like Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball Super. Remarkably, there are fewer characters from the original Dragon Ball series, but they might appear in future DLC. Despite the absence of original Dragon Ball characters, the game boasts an enormous roster with 182 characters to pick from. However, each character possesses multiple transformations, so while Goku alone has 18 distinct versions, the actual number of unique characters is significantly lower yet still quite impressive.
In our previous mention, it’s clear that Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO stands out visually. Bandai Namco has truly pulled out all the stops to deliver a fighting game with graphics that rival the best anime-style video games ever made. The stunning visual effects complement the high-energy action, particularly in the showcased ultimate move animations. For instance, you can see the contrast between Piccolo’s Special Beam Cannon and Vegeta’s Final Shine Attack in Sparking! Zero, compared to those in the Budokai Tenkaichi series. The difference is stark. This isn’t meant to diminish the technical prowess of the Budokai Tenkaichi series, but rather to emphasize the vibrancy of Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO. Characters are a major draw for this game, and Spike Chunsoft Co. made an astute choice in creating unique, eye-catching animations for each character. This means that switching between characters will be more enjoyable because you’ll get to appreciate the distinct moves of each character and their visual flair.
To emphasize our dedication to highlighting Sparking! ZERO’s warriors prominently, notice the skillful camera movements when navigating through the character selection screen. It’s a small detail, but it adds a touch of polish to an otherwise practical process of setting up a battle. The way the camera subtly adjusts to match the character’s size and then zeroes in on them as they perform their brief introduction animation, it’s a thoughtful feature that makes this phase more engaging.
Mastering the characters in this game requires a significant learning curve. Each character possesses unique abilities, transformations, and techniques that you must grasp. The game offers numerous offensive and defensive maneuvers to practice, many of which have multiple variations to learn. For example, Sparking! ZERO includes no fewer than three counters to master.
Essentially, we’re conveying that Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is a unique fighting game much like its predecessors, Budokai Tenkaichi, and there isn’t anything quite similar to it. In this regard, it seems as if the 3D arena brawler genre was specifically designed for Dragon Ball series. The movement and energy beam attacks in this game are swift and fluid, which aligns perfectly with the characteristics of Dragon Ball characters. While Dragon Ball FighterZ was an excellent 2.5D title, moving these characters into 3D arenas highlights their destructive abilities much better. In comparison, the arenas in Sparking! ZERO feel more open compared to those in Dragon Ball FighterZ.
Companies such as Spike Chunsoft Co. and Bandai Namco have specifically designed Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO for multiplayer battles. The single-player campaign isn’t very engaging as it primarily uses slideshow cutscenes to tell its story, which may create inconsistencies in each character’s narrative journey if you’re not already familiar with the different sagas and key moments of Dragon Ball. However, there are several online modes to choose from: Battle Mode offers ranked matches where you can adjust various parameters to find a suitable opponent through fair character cost restrictions. Additionally, World Tournament Mode enables you to create or join a global championship, similar to Battle Mode in offering numerous customization options for stages, victory conditions, and available characters.
Despite catering to both popular and lesser-known characters from various Dragon Ball media and a complex narrative, Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO appears to be more like an affectionate tribute to the iconic manga and anime series, and Akira Toriyama’s lifework, than a game intended for non-Dragon Ball fans or casual fighting game enthusiasts. Numerous user reviews on Steam proclaim it as “the best Dragon Ball game ever”, and we can understand why. The 3D arena battler perfectly showcases Dragon Ball’s characters, with Spike and Bandai Namco dedicating significant effort to ensure each character stands out in the vast arenas they fight in. This demonstrates that the thoughtful representation of the source material is as crucial as the gameplay itself.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.
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2024-10-17 09:11