Dragon Ball Sparking Zero

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Review

Releasing back in 2007 for the PS2, the last entry in the Budokai Tenkaichi series set the bar for Dragon Ball games. With 162 characters and a deeper combo system, it was the dream Dragon Ball fantasy gamers all huddled around the couch to enjoy. In 2024, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero feels like a real tribute to that game while at the same time, modernizing many mechanics for current hardware.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero spans the various sagas from the series and includes 182 characters from these stories. Many of these are different versions of the same character but they all have some unique skills and traits to some degree. Goku, for example, includes his visual teen character but his GT base and Super Saiyan variants are also playable.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Review

The same goes for other popular characters. Frieza comes with all five forms alongside Cell and his three forms. Some characters are also locked at the start of the game and can be bought with Zeni or unlocked through progressing the various story mode episodes.

Speaking of which, the story mode in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is split up across the main key characters in the series too. Some Sagas are longer than others with Goku being the longest. Some character sagas are noticeably shorter. Vegeta, for example, I was a bit disappointed at how shallow it was compared to Goku. Regardless, there’s a lot here to consume.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Review

Story chapters also come with various pathways to unlock as you play through them. Story decisions take you on a different path resulting in a different opponent and cutscene. Finishing certain opponents off with certain skills also triggers these alternative paths. My only gripe here is that the game isn’t very clear on what you need to do in order to unlock that path. So you can spend a lot of time experimenting with different outcomes or just search the web for the solution.

You’ll have to be a hardcore fan of the series to know exactly what happened at that exact story spot in the lore to naturally trigger these story changes. So the game could have been a bit more open with the objectives.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Review

I did enjoy the story mode in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero. While I hoped that all cutscenes were voiced, they weren’t. There’s a lot of reading instead. The story mode also jumps around a lot so if you’re not fully versed in the characters and happenings, it can get overwhelming. There are also issues with clunky animations during cutscenes but we’re not nit-picking here.

As a package, the story mode was enjoyable to play through. Many of the arcs I remember from back in the day watching SABC after school. They were nostalgic, to say the least. Although, some later chapters I wasn’t aware of so they provided an interesting catch-up on the story I missed.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Review

This is all made better thanks to Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero’s incredible combat. Not only does the game pull off some marvelous visuals but the fast-paced combo system feeds into the Dragon Ball fantasy. Similar to Budokai Tenkachi 3, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero relies on dodging, recovering attacks, parrying attacks and of course, Dragon Dash. Counters also play a big role in the game so it is all about how fast you can attack, how well-timed your counters are and who can dodge, parry and counter more precisely than others.

Then there’s the pursuit which is a staple in the series. The game is constantly locked onto your opponent so you can Dragon Dash towards them, flash about with combo attacks and counters, knock them into the distance and pursue them for another beat down. It is all rather exciting.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Review

Ki management is also a big mechanic. Certain teleport movements, dashes and boosted attacks consume Ki. Some counterattacks also see you gamble your Ki up and hope your opponent gambles less so you win the face-off. Sure, charging Ki is simple but you’re always watching the bar and making sure you have enough to pull off one move.

The Sparking feature is where things get even more exciting. This lets you charge your Ki past the limit and essentially unlock an overdrive. You can deplete this mode by performing a signature skill or whittle it down slowly by taking advantage of the extended combos and faster movements it offers.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Review

Of course, the signature skill (ultimate skill) is the best approach. It not only looks fantastic but deals the most damage. The only catch is getting your opponent ready for this attack so they don’t dodge it. And they will dodge it, trust me. This means combo attacking, and then knocking them into the air rendering them stunned for a few seconds.

Keep in mind that while this is happening, they are also trying to pull off the same thing. So again, there’s a constant rush of flurries as opponents shoot blasts at you, dash around, punch, teleport, counter, block and so much more.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Review

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero might look simple from the outside, and essentially there are only a few buttons and moves in comparison to other fighting games, but the real challenge comes from the struggle between you and your opponent. Once you get into the flow, it feels unlike anything else to play. Granted, I replayed the tutorial mode a few times over to refresh myself. I think here more than ever, this mode is vital for players. You can’t spam attacks in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero and expect to win.

I managed to get through the story mode episodes on the base difficulty. Even though it asked if I wanted to lower the challenge over and over again, I was determined to get through it. I did. It felt great and after I brushed through the mode, I understood the game’s timing mechanics and counters. I do think the AI is still broken. It should not know what you’re doing before you do it, for example.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Review

There’s also a lot of space to invest in your favourite team in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero. Equippable items increase certain stats and perks and the more you play with a set fighter, the more proficient you get, granting even more stats.

Competitive players will enjoy the Ranked Mode here and there’s a whole Tournament Mode both playable offline and online where you can work your way through your dream challengers with your dream fighting team.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Review

Customization outside of stats is a bit lacklustre. Apart from a few clothes presets and some halos, there isn’t much to see here. So you can’t go into online matches expressing who you are. I hoped for more here. In fact, I think we were promised more.

Then we have the game’s visuals. Using Unreal Engine 5, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero looks incredibly cool. The HDR implementation is especially impressive. When enabled, most of the game is darker than expected. However, all the specular highlights are then used for skills, fire, super attacks, laser beams and all the pew-pews. It is great to see.

Seeing a Spirit Bomb swell up in the Destroyed West City and the ball grew in brightness and size was magnificent. My eyes hurt a little but hey, it was joyful to see. Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero’s presentation makes this game timeless. I can see players returning to this game for years to come. Again, this plays into the nostalgia.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero isn’t perfect but it is without a doubt the best Dragon Ball game we have had. There’s no denying the amount of fan love put into this fighter. Even if you come for the story mode, it is jam-packed with content alone. This is a true tribute to an incredible anime and comes with all the best aspects of watching it.

This Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero review is based on a PS5 code sent to us by Bandai Namco. The game is now available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. You can grab a physical copy starting at R1599

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Review

Summary

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero captures all the magic fans enjoy from watching the series and at the same time, delivers the biggest and flashiest Dragon Ball game to date.

Overall
8.5/10
8.5/10
Marco is the owner and founder of GLITCHED. South Africa’s largest gaming and pop culture website. GLITCHED quickly established itself with tech and gaming enthusiasts with on-point opinions, quick coverage of breaking events and unbiased reviews across its website, social platforms, and YouTube channel.

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