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As an avid anime enthusiast, I was introduced to Dragon Ball at a very young age. I was astounded at the mere thought of someone like Goku taking on indomitable bad guys like Raditz, Frieza and Cell, and that undying love for Dragon Ball Z brought me to the PlayStation 2 title Dragon Ball Z: Budukai Tenkaichi. The game pulled me in seconds; however, the whole experience put me through an endless loop of getting beaten up by the game's canonically accurate big bads.
Unfortunately, after the PlayStation 2 era, Bandai Namco decided not to go forward with the Budukai Tenkaichi titles, leaving behind a legacy of one of the best arena-based fighting titles. Now fast-forward to 2024, almost 17 years after the release of Dragon Ball: Sparking! Meteor, or Budukai Tenkaichi 3, Spike Chunsoft and Bandai have released a direct sequel titled Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero. It goes without saying that the whole idea of a new Budukai Tenkaichi game left me ecstatic.
Luckily, I got the opportunity to play Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero and it goes without saying that the experience has been beyond words. Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is a labour of love, as Spike Chunsoft has managed to capture the essence of Budukai Tenkaichi in a next-gen setting. In an era where fighting games have shifted their focus on better graphics and other gimmicks, Spike Chunsoft has managed to deliver the classic old-school arena-based combat we all know and love in a modernised 3D setting.
Traditionally, dealing with arena-based combat titles with versatile movement mechanics is a major challenge, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero manages to surpass all expectations in that regard. I was caught off guard at how fast the combat took off in the game, as my foes were closing distance at lightning speed. As soon as the battle begins, you'll either hit your opponent or get thrown off to the other corner of the map and honestly speaking, it is the true spirit of Budukai Tenkaichi.
You're never the better fighter in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, as the likes of Vegeta, Goku Blue, Trunks and other Saiyans will keep you on your toes throughout the duration of the battle. The moveset of all characters in the game is unpredictable, making combat a major challenge for returning and new players. I was getting constantly hammered by each opponent, but what could I have said to myself except, "Get Good?"
In an era of hyper-realistic and over-the-top visuals, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero features old-school cutscenes, which for the most part felt refreshing to watch; however, at times the animation felt a little sluggish. But the sluggish cutscenes are understandable considering that's how it's always been for Budukai Tenkaichi titles. Moreover, the cutscenes pay tribute to the old-school TV episodes we have grown up watching on our CRT television sets.
One undeniable thing about Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is the game's immaculate sound design and passionate voice acting from the original voice actors of all characters. From Goku to Beerus, the voice actors have poured their hearts out by delivering many iconic voice quips. Moreover, the sound design of the abilities and combat made me feel the impact of the outworldly warriors of the Strongest Under the Heavens Martial Arts Tournament. From charging up their Ki to the explosion after-effects of Kamehameha, it took me back to the golden days of Dragon Ball Z.
Moving on to the massive 180-character roster, Spike Chunsoft really took their time to go above and beyond. Almost all canon characters make their appearance in the game, including major names like Cell, Frieza, Raditz, Broly and even Great Ape Vegeta. However, each character functions at their own pace, with Goku moving and fighting super fast to Broly being a complete brute with slow but hard-hitting attacks. The character moveset design also showcases the real power level of each character. Notable characters with great movesets are Goku, Goku Black and Vegeta. These three characters really are miles above other characters in the roster with signature voice actors and the movesets we have all watched growing up.
Now while the massive roster of canon characters brings in the win, it all falls behind a technical issue. In a battle, I noticed a few characters had some degree of unresponsiveness when it came to attacking or defending. To make it more clear, while fighting Great Ape Vegeta with Goku, I noticed that the counter and revenge controls were not responding properly. While it might be a client-side issue, the problem also persisted for Goku Black and Gohan.
Speaking of controls, the default controls and timings are a little hard to master if you are new to the game. However, Spike Chunsoft has made it easy for new players to grasp by including combat assist features where the game will block, even counter attacks when you end in a tight spot.
The controls are the same for almost all characters in the game, with attacks and long-range attacks following the same formula. Once I got the hang of the controls, I managed to find my footing against most opponents except for a few stronger ones who remained at a higher power level than the character I was using.
Although the game features a dedicated training mode, setting it up every time felt like a chore, as I had to manually go back to the menu to select or set up a combat scenario. In a modern era where games push for the highest level of player comfort, simple choices like allowing to modify scenarios on the go would have been great.
Unfortunately, one thing I will honestly state is that the game's power level balancing needs more work. While as a Dragon Ball fan, I enjoyed fighting characters like Vegeta and Trunks, it all came crashing down when I faced a character who was stronger than me in every aspect.
Trust me when I say this: characters with a higher power level will tear you up and make you understand how hard Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero's advanced combat is compared to other fighting games out there. However, once you end up analysing the attack pattern and how you should approach a certain character, you'll end up defeating them.
The episode battles in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero allows you to play through eight different stories from Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super. Players who have watched both shows and all other canon content will instantly understand and know how the story will flow, including the main four arcs. However, in a twist of events, in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, you will be to make decisions in important parts of each arc, giving life to the what-if scenarios we have always dreamt about.
Like every other Budukai Tenkaichi title, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero also puts too much attention on Dragon Ball Z, while Dragon Ball Super and Dragon Ball GT fail to make a proper appearance. Aside from the episode battles, the game also features a dedicated custom battle mode featuring the saga of Gohan's Saiyanman. Moreover, there was a multiplayer mode in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, but I didn't get a chance to play it. But one thing I can see is the multiplayer mode becoming an instant hit once players manage to master the controls and create their own playsets.
Conclusion
In the past 17 years, when Bandai Namco has released countless Dragon Ball games, none of them managed to take the place of the classic Budukai Tenkaichi series. But thankfully, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero manages to make its mark in the hearts of countless Dragon Ball fans like me. I loved every minute of the game except for a few big bads making me regret my life decisions; however; I will let that pass as no other fighting game out there will manage to capture the grandeur and scale of Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero.
It is evident that Spike Chunsoft poured their hearts out while making Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, which feels like a true love letter to countless Budukai Tenkaichi fans out there. This is the ultimate form of arena-based combat title with an excellent narrative-based plot from canon media.
The game has endless potential and with time it will evolve into the best Dragon Ball title of all time. So, if you are looking to get a dose of that sweet Dragon Ball action we all used to love watching as younglings, I recommend picking the game up. With a massive roster, innovative fast-paced combat and episode battles, you will easily end up putting in more than 100 hours before you scratch the surface.
The Good
Fast-paced combat- Massive character roster
- Excellent voice acting
- Classic Art style
- Extensive moveset
The Bad
Power level scaling- Hard for beginners
