DRAGON BALL: Sparking ZERO Review – The Road To Mastering Ki Charge
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero is an impressive game that not only captures the nostalgic essence of the series but also offers a rich gameplay experience with abundant content that will delight franchise fans. Although I am not typically a fan of Dragon Ball-style arena fighters or other licensed anime games, Bandai Namco has created a game so enjoyable that I found myself having a great time regardless. While there is a certain amount of jank in the gameplay, the surprising depth of the mechanics makes for a peak Dragon Ball experience, where the various elements come together to offer dynamic and explosive battles.
The game is built on the foundation of the Dragon Ball Tenkaichi series, but with a fresh visual style that pays homage to its predecessors. I had never played any of the previous games in the series, so I approached this new entry expecting a typical arena brawler. However, I was pleasantly surprised by its complexity, which became evident from the very first tutorial. The game features several intricate mechanics that take time to master, but once you understand how everything fits together, the combat opens up to provide highly dynamic action and intense battles.
One of the first things you will notice about Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero is its impressive presentation. From the opening sequence to the main menu, the game offers a sleek and visually appealing design, with dynamic menus and a wide variety of content. The main story mode, labeled as Sparking Episodes, follows the narrative of the anime and is divided into segments based on iconic fights. While it may not be the most comprehensive story mode in the genre, it serves its purpose well. You may have heard about the infamous Ape fight, which many players have found challenging, and this battle is part of the story mode. Unlike some games where the difficulty is minimal, Sparking! Zero offers plenty of challenges that require you to master the combat system.
This became clear to me when I began the Sparking Episodes mode with Goku and quickly realized I needed to return to the complete tutorial to fully grasp the combat mechanics. Once I did, the game became far more rewarding as I learned to handle its various systems.
The combat system in Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero initially feels simple. You can execute a basic combo with a button, charge your Ki, fire energy blasts, or dodge attacks. There is also a counterattack feature to turn the tide against your opponent. However, as you delve deeper into the mechanics, the complexity increases. You cannot expect to win every fight by simply mashing buttons. Success requires active participation in both offense and defense. That being said, some battles can feel unbalanced. I found that in certain Sparking Episodes, I could win by charging my Ki to the maximum and repeatedly using an ultimate Special Move, making it easy to exploit the system. Despite this, the gameplay remains enjoyable.
The combat is highly dynamic, offering multiple ways to counterattack depending on your opponent’s move. Different animations play out, often accompanied by quick-time events (QTEs), which add a sense of excitement and intensity. You have the freedom to dash toward enemies, dodge their attacks, or float in the air without restrictions, creating an open-ended combat experience. This freedom makes battles feel fluid and engaging.
The character roster is vast, featuring a wide range of fighters from across the entire Dragon Ball universe, including characters from both the anime series and the films. This breadth of choice is clearly designed with long-time fans in mind, but even casual players who are not deeply invested in the series can still find enjoyment. While the combat may seem challenging to master at first, it becomes rewarding once you get the hang of its intricacies.
One of the issues with the gameplay is that it can become quite chaotic at times. The camera often struggles to keep up with the action, making it difficult to follow what is happening. Despite this, I enjoyed how the environment plays a role in the destruction during battles. Although most of the battle stages lack variety and feel somewhat basic, they offer a large, open playground—from the air to the sea—where characters can battle freely. However, this chaos becomes a significant problem, not just in single-player mode, but also in online multiplayer. If you are new to the game, be prepared to get knocked out by more experienced players who have already mastered the combat. That said, you can avoid this by learning the basics first before jumping into online matches, which I highly recommend. This is not a typical anime brawler where a few tutorials are enough; mastering the timing of dodges and avoiding combo traps is essential.
Bandai Namco has created what could be considered the ultimate Dragon Ball game with this release. However, the tutorial could have done a better job of teaching combat mechanics beyond the basics. I found myself diving into the in-depth tutorial to fully grasp the various mechanics, and surprisingly, there are quite a few. Visually, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is very impressive, closely resembling the anime. While I did not notice any major issues with the character models, the environments do feel underwhelming, and the cutscenes lack dynamic presentation. The Sparking Episodes mode, which features a lot of content, does not include many animated scenes, but this is understandable given the sheer volume of material covered.
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO Game Information
- Price: $69.99
- Publisher: Bandai Namco
- Developer: Bandai Namco
- Platform: PS5 (Reviewed)
- Disclaimer: A review code was given by the publisher
