If you were looking for a game that packs a punch and keeps with the legacy of its source material, consider this Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero review to be the end of your search. Dragon Ball’s new fighting game is a heavy hitter unlike many others currently on the market and it recreates the flair for drama that you might have seen and loved over the years with the manga and anime.
The game mechanics and controls have been criticized for being a tad bit simplistic for more advanced players, but on the other hand, some have found the controls to be janky and hard to grasp. Both can be true. While the game does have some complex mechanics and fight combos for users to master, it doesn’t overcomplicate the battles which could make it unpleasant to play. For those who find it hard, some timing with the battle training should ease some of the difficulty of the game.
So is Sparking! Zero worth buying? Let’s dig in to find out.
Image: Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
Here’s A Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Review While You Charge Up Your Ki
If you’re reading this Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero review, there are only a few likely reasons why you’re here—either you love Dragon Ball as a franchise and want to know what the latest piece of media on it has to offer, or you love fighting games and want one that has good mechanics. The third reason could just be that you stumbled on this review and decided to give it a read. Whatever your reason for arriving, we’re certain that the Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero gameplay can be a good reason to stay.
The fourth game in the Budokai Tenkaichi series, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero was developed by Spike Chunsoft and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment in October 2024 as a way to keep the series, and the general fighting spirit, alive. With over 180 fighters to choose from, the game provides a nostalgia-drenched experience for returning fans who have cherished the many eras of the Dragon Ball franchise.
From different versions of characters to their well-tested companions, there are an unbelievable number of options to choose from. The different versions of the characters don’t just come with different cosmetic changes to fool you with the illusion of choice—each of them has different moves and abilities linked to their eras.
Area fighters are already addictive once you get started playing, but this new 3D Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero game is particularly adept at holding your attention.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Gameplay and Combat
Graphics and character list aside, the main heart of our Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero review has to focus on the combat systems and mechanics in this game. For those who log in for the first time, it can feel a little overwhelming to see the different attacks and moves while sitting through the different levels of the tutorial. Learning how to attack and defend is easy enough, but there is some complexity in mastering the moves necessary to win a battle.
The bombardment of color is one thing, the flurry of moves from an opponent in this fast-paced game is another, but players also need to be conscious of components like the ki charges, blasts, and skills. It sounds simple enough in writing, but mastering it and unleashing combos is a whole different ball game. You could technically get away with button mashing every once in a while considering there are only two buttons to it, but you won’t find yourself on the winning end when faced with expert opponents.
The training options are not the best designed and can be quite cumbersome to access and understand, particularly if your area battle skills are a little rusty. Despite that, we’d recommend you try them out anyway and get comfortable with all the different bars, skills, and combos to get started on your strategy.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Online Mode Is Where the Fun Is At
The single-player mode provides a more predictable route to combat, but Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero’s online mode is where the game truly shines. Expect to encounter some lag and performance issues right off the bat, but also trust that the game does a much better job of handling the load compared to many others. You can join a casual player match, a more intensive ranked match that offers competitive matchmaking, or even join a world tournament hosted by another player.
If you want to play with your friends, you can create a room to make it happen. You can also make or join custom battles created by others to see what kind of experiences have tickled their fancy. This allows for more than just setting up teamed battles; it gives you a chance to flex your creativity with custom intros and outros and narrative setups with the dialogues available to you. It’s a fun way to unwind after the battles get to be too much.
Episode Battles Elevate the Game Further
While this isn’t as relevant to the experience as Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero’s central gameplay and battle areas, you also get to explore a few characters and their key arcs in depth with the store mode. The many scenarios don’t just recreate the story but offer up what-if battles that flirt with alternate endings if different decisions were made.
If you’re a casual fan of the franchise then this element may not be as gripping to you, but for more committed fans, it brings up more questions than answers about the possibilities, which is wonderful to see. If you keep your eye out for the Sparking Episodes, you’ll be in line to see some truly unexpected twists and turns.
Is Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Worth Buying?
The main question you might have at the end of the Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero review is whether the game is worth the investment, and the answer is yes! Dragon Ball’s new fighting game encapsulates what people have loved about the franchise for so many years while also providing some new elements that ensure you don’t log in and find the same repetitive content from the past staring back at you.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero’s gameplay is fun and fast-moving and there is a lot to experiment with before you ever risk getting bored. The online mode is likely where you’ll spend your time the most, but don’t forget to explore what else the game has to offer with its “what-if” questions and other dramatic uncertainties.
The game starts at $69.99 across platforms like Steam and Xbox, but there is also a Deluxe Edition available for $99.99 and an Ultimate Edition available for $109.99, each with more add-ons. We don’t really see the need to invest in the expensive alternatives while the base game does so much already, but you can always choose to invest in your childhood companion more heavily.