Summary
Launching later this year,Dragon Ball: Sparking Zerois set to revive theBudokai Tenkaichiseries with a bold entry for a new generation. Remaining true to the arena fighter genre while featuring a huge roster, this upcoming title has also been confirmed to be deviating from its predecessors with several innovations. Apart from the introduction of many members ofSuper’s cast on top of classic faces,Dragon Ball: Sparking Zerohas been revealed to be incorporating dialogue choices which will be able to cause divergences in the game’s Episode Battle story mode.
WhileSparking Zerowill be following the formula of recapping many key events fromDragon Ball’s lore through a set of iconic fights in Episode Battle, its depiction of these scenes might be of a higher caliber than previous attempts. On top of the cinematic, fully-animated cutscenes that have been shown off, players will also be able to make decisions that can affect situations and go against canon. This is a refreshing option in a franchise which has become characterized by retelling its stories on many occasions, but it also evokes theRPG systems ofDragon Ball Z: Kakarotin a way that hints at a wider influence.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero’s Dialogue Choices Stand Out in Its Genre
Several major features appeared inSparking Zero’s game mode showcasefrom its team at Bandai Namco, with Episode and Custom Battle fulfilling much of what fans would want out of a fighting game experience. In an unexpected turn, however, it was also shown that the player could decide to have Piccolo accompany them or not in the fight between Goku and Raditz. This seemingly allows players to have the option between deciding to follow the canon path or seeing the alternate route instead, which appears geared toward providing a greater challenge or varied perspective. Producer Jun Furutani confirmed that this will extend throughout Episode Battle, offering opportunities to define a narrative outside the anime during multiple important fights.
Meaningful Story Choices Tend to Be Limited At Most in Fighting Games
While arena fighters technically separate themselves, it’s still uncommon for the main story modes of any release in the fighting genre as a whole to have various paths or endings. Leveraging mechanics and the player’s wins with decisions risks stepping into pseudo-RPG territory and throwing off game balance, butSparking Zero’s potential new featuresmay be leaning into this through referencing a popular title from the same IP in recent years.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot May Have Informed Sparking Zero’s Episode Battle Routes
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Can Utilize RPG Mechanics That Worked in Kakarot
The narrative ofDBZ’sKakarotRPGis primarily beholden to the events of the anime, but it still holds the distinction of offering some of the most freedom seen within that framework yet. Through exploration and training, players are able to define the journeys of Goku and others on their own terms as time progresses and affects Substory side quest availability. WhileSparking Zeromay only be confirmed to be iterating on story decisions so far, it could easily incorporate some of these elements into the same mode to similar effect.
It stands to reason that different circumstances in major battles could affect the progression of characters' abilities, so a progression system that sees stats or skills being unlocked over time could feel right at home inSparking Zero. With its sprawling roster featuring a multitude of alternate forms of the same fighters that represent their growth over time, gaining access to these within Episode Battle depending on choices made could truly complement the scale of such a cast. It’s not clear how farRPG elements inDragon Ball: Sparking Zerocould go before compromising the integrity of its arena fighter gameplay, but they could also sell the drama and power of the anime in an unprecedented manner within gaming.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
WHERE TO PLAY
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO takes the legendary gameplay of the Budokai Tenkaichi series and raises it to whole new levels. Become a super warrior and experience the earth-shaking, limit-breaking power of DRAGON BALL battles!Unleash the strength of over 180 fighters from DRAGON BALL Z, DRAGON BALL Super, DRAGON BALL GT, and selected DRAGON BALL movies, all in the base game! Each character comes with their own signature abilities, transformations, and techniques.Make the destructive power of the strongest fighters ever to appear in DRAGON BALL yours!Engage in heart-pounding, high-speed 3D battles that stay true to the anime and video game series, with breathtaking visuals and authentic combat moves like beam clashes, rush attacks, movements too quick for the eyes to see, and planet-razing ultimate attacks.Challenge other players online to test your skills, or sit down with friends offline to hone your skills exclusively in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber! Fight your way to become a champion across various tournament modes and victory conditions.Conquer the action-packed battles from the beloved original story, or discover and unlock new encounters for your favorite Z-Fighters and more. Relive your favorite moments from the series through cutscenes you’re able to experience from the perspectives of eight characters!Recreate your favorite battles from throughout the DRAGON BALL story, or set up your dream story battle with your favorite characters! Share your creations with other fans and experience the battles brought to life by imaginations around the world.
