Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO
Release Date: October 11, 2024
Fighting, TPP, animated TV series, manga and anime, for 2 players, Dragon Ball, splitscreen, multiplayer, singleplayer, internet
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is a new installment in a series of 3D fighting games featuring Dragon Ball characters. The Namco Bandai game follows in its predecessors' footsteps, letting players duel while controlling characters known from the manga and anime.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is a 3D fighting game. It is part of the Dragon Ball: Budokachi Tenkaichi series. The game uses a license of the extremely popular manga and anime by Akira Toriyama. It is another fighting game from the Dragon Ball series created by Spike Chunsoft studio, which, apart from the aforementioned series (long known in Japan under the name Dragon Ball Z: Sparking!), also developed Raging Blast and Jump Force.
Gameplay
As is tradition, Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is an arena brawler, in which the action is observed not from the side, but from behind the warrior's back (TPP view). The fights take place in full three dimensions on huge arenas, which give a great opportunity to show off for the superhumanly powerful martial artists. Beam collisions, dash attacks, and eye-catching moves – these and other techniques straight from the manga and anime (and previous installments in the Budokai Tenkaichi series) are utilized to their full potential during duels.
Characters
We can choose from Dragon Ball heroes known from the manga, as well as episodes of animated series and films. Goku, Yamcha, Vegeta, Frieza, Piccolo, Krillin, Broly, Majin Buu, and Jiren are just some of the characters available as playable warriors. Each fighter stands out with a unique set of attacks (including special ones) and enhancing transformations. ZERO has the largest collection of warriors in the history of the entire series – the cast includes even lesser-known characters like Bergamo.
Game modes, cross-play
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO includes network competition mode and the ability to play alone with bots. Unfortunately, cross-play functionality is not provided in multiplayer mode.
Engine, graphics
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is based on Unreal Engine 5 technology. The whole thing follows the trend long established by the DB adaptations. Graphics are three-dimensional , maintained in a style referring to comics and animated series, primarily the latest film adaptations supervised by Naohiro Shintani, animation director at Toei.
At the same time, the creators took the destruction system of the environment to a new level. Arenas are constantly changing in response to players' actions, especially powerful special attacks.
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Dragon Ball has been around for years as have games that have tried to recreate the excitement the series is known for. Sparking Zero is the latest arena fighter that gets it right.
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Videos and Screens
[3:13] Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO - Hero of Justice Pack DLC Trailer
[0:29] Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO - Split Screen Update Announcement
Gamepressure Review
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO
Dragon Ball has been around for years as have games that have tried to recreate the excitement the series is known for. Sparking Zero is the latest arena fighter that gets it right.
OpenCritic Rating
Game is Recomended by 89% of Critics. There are 106 Critic Reviews.
Eurogamer: 4 / 5 by Lewis Parker
Sparking! Zero is everything Dragon Ball fans will have wanted, but it's also just a blast for those unbothered by its extensive fan-service.
TheSixthAxis: 8 / 10 by Jason Coles
As a modern successor and sequel to the classic PS2 era Budokai Tenkaichi trilogy, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is a great time for Dragon Ball fans. You'll have to ease yourself into the controls, but once it clicks it's a lot of fun to explore the full roster and smash anime characters together.
WellPlayed: 8 / 10 by Mark Isaacson
As Dragon Ball games go, Sparking! Zero stands as one of the better translations of what it feels like to be a super powered hero, Goku or otherwise. It's not for everyone, but with a great set of modes and roster of characters, fans should find plenty to enjoy.
The main pros of the game
- Graphics and Presentation: Many users praised the game's beautiful graphics and animations, noting that it looks great and feels polished.
- Gameplay Mechanics: The combat system is generally considered very good, with a fun and engaging fighting style that offers depth and variety.
- Character Roster: The game features a large roster of characters, which is appreciated by fans of the franchise.
- Story Mode: Some players enjoyed the "what-if" scenarios and the ability to alter timelines, adding a unique twist to the familiar Dragon Ball story arcs.
The main cons of the game
- Online Connectivity Issues: A significant number of users reported persistent communication errors that make online play unplayable. This has led to frustration and dissatisfaction, especially with ranked matches.
- Lack of Content: Players expressed disappointment with the limited single-player content and the short story mode. Once the story is completed, there isn't much to do other than online battles.
- Imbalance and Cheese Tactics: Many reviews highlighted issues with character balance in online play, where certain characters dominate due to overpowered moves, leading to repetitive and frustrating matches.
- Customization Limitations: Users noted that character customization options are lacking, with many characters having minimal or no alternate outfits.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Crossplay: Several users mentioned the absence of crossplay, which limits the player base and makes it harder to find matches.
- More Outfits and Stages: Players expressed a desire for additional costumes and more stages to enhance the variety and customization in battles.
- Improved Online Features: Suggestions for better matchmaking systems, penalties for rage quitting, and a more robust ranked mode were common, as the current system is seen as flawed.
- Expanded Single-Player Content: Many reviews called for more single-player modes or activities to keep players engaged after completing the story.
Summary
- Overall, while DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO has its strengths in graphics and gameplay, the significant online issues and lack of content have led to a mixed reception from users.
Summary generated on:
GAMERS Score
Average score from 56 votes. 64 players anticipated the game.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO Summary
Early Access:October 8, 2024
Game Series: Dragon Ball
Platforms:
PC / Windows
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X/S
Developer: Spike Chunsoft
Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Age restrictions: 12+
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Intel Core i5-9600K / AMD Ryzen 5 2600, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 4 GB GeForce GTX 980 / 8 GB Radeon RX 590, 29 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit
Recommended: Intel Core i7-9700K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600, 16 GB RAM, graphic card 6 GB GeForce RTX 2060 / 8 GB Radeon RX Vega 64, 29 GB HDD, Windows 10/11 64-bit
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Want to try out Beast Gohan and the other new characters in Sparking Zero DLC 1 Hero of Justice? There is a way to check it earlier with the Season Pass.
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Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO sold very well, especially in Europe and America, and gave Bandai Namco a successful first half of its fiscal year.
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