DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO

Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO (now THAT is how you name an anime game) resurrects one of the most beloved fighting franchises in anime history. This earth-shattering revival delivers the same outlandish action Dragon Ball fans are used to, elevated by its flashy visuals and addictive multiplayer components.

This modern revival brings the franchise's signature 3D arena combat to new heights, featuring an impressive roster of over 180 fighters from across Dragon Ball Z, Super, GT, and various movies. If you have a favorite Dragon Ball character, he's probably part of Sparking! ZERO's roster.

The game immediately impresses with its commitment to recreating the spectacle of Dragon Ball combat. Every punch feels like it could shatter mountains, and each energy blast illuminates the sky with dazzling special effects. If you missed the days of playing Dragon Ball Budokai Tenkaichi with your friends, Sparking! ZERO is here to remind you why Dragon Ball never goes out of style!

Return of the King

The Budokai Tenkaichi series has long been considered the gold standard for Dragon Ball games, and Sparking! ZERO proudly carries that torch forward. After games like Dragon Ball: Raging Blast and Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi failed to deliver, this feels like a breath of fresh air the franchise desperately needed.

The attention to detail in character movesets is particularly impressive. Each fighter feels unique, with combat styles that perfectly match their anime counterparts. And when I say that, I mean it – characters like Hercule have no business standing against Gogeta, which is what we've come to expect from the series. If you want a "fair" fighting game, go back to Tekken 8.

Super Roster

With over 180 characters available in the base game, Sparking! ZERO puts even the extensive rosters of previous Budokai Tenkaichi games to shame. What's more impressive than the quantity is how each character has been crafted with their own unique abilities, transformations, and special techniques.

That being said, I still have a gripe with what the game considers "unique" characters. Expect to see multiple versions of Goku and Vegeta as "different" characters, as each transformation and alternate outfit counts towards that 180 headcount.

Additionally, there are the DLC characters. There are so many DLC characters here. Sparking! ZERO took a page out of Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 and decided to lock a good chunk of its roster behind a paywall. As long as you don't mind missing out on some obscure characters from the anime, you'll be golden with what comes in the base game.

More Than Just Versus

The game's content extends far beyond simple versus matches. The story mode offers multiple perspectives on classic Dragon Ball narratives, allowing players to experience key moments from eight different viewpoints. Tired of the same old Dragon Ball Z storyline? Sparking! ZERO allows you to see a healthy dose of "What If" scenarios that keep the plot interesting, even for long-time fans.

Then, there's the online multiplayer. The online infrastructure has been built with competitive play in mind, featuring various tournament modes and ranking systems. Local multiplayer hasn't been neglected either, providing the perfect platform for friendly rivalries to play out in living rooms just as they did in the Budokai Tenkaichi era.

Pros

• Massive roster
• Refined combat system
• Extensive single-player content and robust online features

Cons

• Lots of repeat characters to pad out the roster
• Excessive DLC
• The story might be all too familiar for long-time fans

DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO is a 3D fighting game based on the Dragon Ball universe, where punching a planet isn't such a cool gimmick. Choose your favorite character among heroes and villains, using their full potential on a three-dimensional field beyond the usual arena. A battle in space that started on earth or simply destroying prostranstvo in the course of a battle are quite common for this game. Enjoy the story mode that repeats the events of the Dragon Ball anime and manga and make your fighter the best.

Pros of the game:

• Familiar characters and their real-life abilities from the Dragon Ball universe
• The destructible environment will reflect the full scale of the battle