
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO
Release Date: October 11, 2024
Fighting, TPP, animated TV series, manga and anime, for 2 people, Dragon Ball, splitscreen, multiplayer, singleplayer, internet
Gamepressure
OpenCritic
Steam
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.
October 9, 2024
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Review: Zenkai Power
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.

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
Top Critic Average: 82 / 100, game is Recomended by 89% of Critics. There are 101 Critic Reviews.
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.
Digital Trends: 3 / 5 by Jesse Lennox
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero delivers thrilling fights, but its disjointed story mode doesn't hold up its end of the bargain.
IGN: 7 / 10 by Jarrett Green
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is a final flash from the past, sometimes to a fault, but the feeling of traveling back to a simpler time when games didn’t have to be balanced or competitive to be fun is still a good one.
The main pros of the game
- Nostalgic Gameplay: Many users appreciate the return to the classic Budokai Tenkaichi gameplay, noting that it feels familiar and engaging.
- Visuals and Animation: The game's graphics and animations are frequently praised, with players describing the visuals as beautiful and immersive, making battles feel like they are part of the anime.
- Character Roster: The game boasts a large roster of characters (181+), including fan favorites and new additions, which keeps gameplay fresh and exciting.
- What-If Scenarios: The inclusion of alternate storylines and "What If" scenarios adds depth and replayability, allowing players to explore different outcomes in the Dragon Ball narrative.
- Combat Mechanics: Players find the combat system enjoyable, with a mix of button-mashing and strategic maneuvers, making it accessible yet challenging to master.
The main cons of the game
- Online Connectivity Issues: A significant number of players report persistent communication errors that prevent them from enjoying online matches, leading to frustration.
- Unbalanced Gameplay: Many reviews highlight issues with character balance, where certain characters (like UI Goku or Jiren) dominate, making matches feel unfair and repetitive.
- AI Difficulty: The AI is criticized for being either too easy or overly difficult, with some players feeling that it relies too heavily on input-reading, making battles frustrating.
- Story Mode Presentation: The story mode is described as lacking depth, with some players feeling that it resembles a slideshow rather than a fully fleshed-out narrative experience.
- Customization Limitations: Users express disappointment in the lack of character customization options, feeling that the game does not allow for enough personalization of characters.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Cross-Play Functionality: Players are requesting cross-play capabilities to allow friends on different platforms to play together.
- More Game Modes: Users express a desire for additional game modes beyond the current offerings, such as more engaging single-player content or varied multiplayer options.
- Improved Training and Tutorials: Many reviews mention the need for better tutorials and training modes to help new players learn the mechanics effectively.
- Enhanced Balance and Bug Fixes: Players are asking for updates to address balance issues and bugs, particularly in the online mode, to improve the overall experience.
Summary
- Overall, while DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO has garnered praise for its nostalgic gameplay and impressive visuals, it faces significant criticism for its online connectivity issues, character balance, and story mode presentation. Many users recommend waiting for patches and improvements before fully committing to the game.
Summary generated on:
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO Description
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.
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

Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO Takes Europe and USA by Storm. Bandai Namco Praises Game's Amazing Sales
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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Jacob Blazewicz
November 8, 2024

Complete Parental Bond Chapter from Vegeta’s Saga in Sparking Zero
Looking for a way to unlock Parental Bond trophy in Sparking Zero? Here’s everything you need to know about Vegeta’s Saga and its alternate branching path.
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October 22, 2024

Afterimage Strike in Sparking Zero, Learn How to Deal with This Effect
Discover how to handle opponents in Afterimage mode with our Sparking Zero guide. Here’s everything you need to know about what to do when your attacks can't land.
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Olga Fiszer
October 21, 2024

Alternate Ending for Android 17 of Piccolo’s Saga in Sparking Zero
Wondering how to unlock the alternate ending in the Android 17 stage of Piccolo’s Saga? This Sparking Zero Episode battle may seem bugged, but we know how to beat it.
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October 21, 2024

Is Sparking Zero Cross Platform? Multiplayer Explained
If you would like to learn whether cross platform feature is implemented in Dragon Ball Sparking Zero, here you will find your answer.
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October 21, 2024

Frieza Revived in Sparking Zero, Unlocking the Alternate Path is Tricky
Frieza’s Saga is by far the most interesting one in Sparking Zero. In the Frieza Revived stage, you can unlock the Sparking Episode, but it won’t be easy. Here are some tips to help you out.
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Olga Fiszer
October 18, 2024

Sparking Zero To Become The Strongest in the Universe Alternate Path
To Become the Strongest in the Universe is on of the stages in Future Trunks’s Saga. This Sparking Zero guide will help you unlock alternate objective in the fight against Vegeta, Piccolo, and Gohan.
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October 18, 2024

Unlock Vegeta's Wicked Heart Path and Resist Babidi in Sparking Zero
To Unlock alternate path in Vegeta's Wicked Heart you have to resist Babidi’s brainwashing. How to do that? Read our guide.
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Damian Gacek
October 16, 2024

How to Unlock All Bonus Battles in Sparking Zero, Get New Characters and other Rewards
Would you like to unlock all characters and Bonus Battles in Dragon Ball Sparking Zero? Read our guide, to do that.
How to
Damian Gacek
October 16, 2024

Vegeta and Trunks Stage in Sparking Zero, Super Trunks Timer Is Strict
Unlock the alternate path in the Vegeta and Trunks stage with our Sparking Zero guide. In this Episode Battle, you’ll need to defeat Super Trunks within a tight time limit.
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October 16, 2024