The latestDragon Ballvideo game,Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, has launched to an expectant player base. The game has reviewed well and sold even better, hooking many fans with its return toBudokai Tenkaichi’s iconicDBZ-simulating gameplay and abundant hidden interactions and bonus content.Dragon Ball: Sparking Zerohas assumed its spot as the next bigDragon Balltitle, and even with some blemishes and missteps along the way, it has done a remarkable job of living up to its legacy.
ADragon Ballfighting game wouldn’t be complete without lots of playable characters and things to do, andSparking Zerodelivers. Boasting a record-settingDragon Balllaunch roster of 182 playable characters, as well as a number of offline and online modes, players can spend hours just rising through the online ranked ladder or making original stories in the robust Custom Battle. At some point, all players will likely be drawn toSparking Zero’s story mode, dubbed Episode Battle after the various character episodes and “what if” Sparking Episodes within. However, Episode Battle may have exposed thatDragon Ballstory modes, as fans know them, may be on their last legs.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero’s Story Feels Like A Retread
Many parts of Episode Battle were interesting for long-timeDragon Ballfans to engage with, particularly the chance to alter canon events. Besides the obvious branches presented by some dialogue options, player performance in battles can also cause minor swerves like new battles or different characters being present. The most dramatic deviations result inDragon Ball: Sparking Zero’s Sparking Episodes, and these tend to stand out from the rest of the story mode by including more original scenes and even some new animated sequences. Still, even prompting a small change by performing well in a fight can feel satisfying.
Episode Battle Should Be The Last Vanilla Dragon Ball Story Mode
With that said, outside the Sparking Episodes and occasional highlight moments, Episode Battle often feels like a recap slideshow for the events ofDragon Ball Zand some ofDragon Ball Super. It doesn’t help that this approach still cuts huge swaths of the original story out, essentially turningSparking Zero’s story mode into a glorified secret hunt catering only to hardcoreDragon Ballfans. That’s not a problem with contemporaryDragon Ball Z: Kakarotthoroughly replicatingDragon Ball’s story, but that just makesSparking Zero’s retelling ofDragon Balllook even more rote and underwhelming.
What Dragon Ball Video Games Need To Change About Their Stories
The truth is,Dragon Ballvideo games have remade the original andZSagas ofDragon Ballfor decades. Even limiting the scope to games with comparable content offerings toSparking Zero’s,Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2had all ofDBZadapted with plenty of “what if” bells and whistlesall the way back in 2003.Dragon Balltitles launched on eighth generation consoles, starting withDragon Ball Xenoverse, have made a concerted effort to either alter or step away fromDBZretellings, but now thatKakarotandSparking Zerohappened almost back-to-back with a clearDBZbias whenDB Superwas available, something needs to change.
The Next Dragon Ball Game Should Explore Uncharted Territory
Fortunately, a couple of solutions are already present.Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2has been steadily producing “what if” DLC campaigns, and a new game should borrow its notes.Sparking Zero’s Episode Battleseemed more passionate about exploring hypotheticals than recaps anyway, so pivoting should be easy. Alternatively,Dragon Ball Super’s anime and manga, as well asDragon Ball Daima, still haven’t been the main focus of a game, and could be a jumping-off point to explore new game genres. The nextDragon Balltitle afterDragon Ball: Sparking Zerohas some tough story choices ahead, but at least it isn’t out of options.
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 can 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.
