Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, stylized as Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO, is a new entry in the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series. The game was first announced in March 2023 following the end of the Dragon Ball FighterZ World Tour finals. It was released for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam on October 10, 2024, in Japan and October 11, 2024, in the United States.
==Gameplay==
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.
Step into an arena that reacts to your every action. As you transform or unleash your most devastating attacks, watch the environment respond with stunning realism. Leave a trail of destruction in your wake as you battle to your heart's content.
Sparking! Zero features 182 characters, surpassing Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3.
The game proposes two different types of controls:
*Standard: the recommended controls for the game.
*Classic: enables you to enjoy similar controls to those of the previous Budokai Tenkaichi games!
===New Features===
The game keeps the core mechanics of the series, but new ones are added to better express the high-speed and authentic battles:
*Skill Count - A number that rises as you execute moves during the battle and is then spent to trigger special abilities.
*Short Dash - A technique that lets you move at lightning speed. This change opens up more possibilities such as dodging an opponent's attack with a short dash, unleashing a charged attack or even a Ki Blast while moving, or linking to a dragon dash to pull off a huge move in one go.
*Revenge Counter - A technique that lets you strike back while absorbing an opponent's attack. It is an action that enables high-speed attack and defense as seen in the original story where characters can launch an attack even while being hit.
*Super Perception - A counter command that lets you counterattack in anticipation of various attacks, even Ki Wave types of blast.
*Vanishing Assaults - A technique that lets you approach an opponent instantly and pounce.
*Customization - Customize every character in the game to make them fit with your taste and playstyle.
==Game Modes==
===Episode Battle===
In this single-player mode, players can control eight different characters. In each stage, there will be an introduction before going straight into battle. These battles come straight from Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super. The amount of cutscenes varies between characters, and some cutscenes are in first-person to provide a more immersive experience. Choices can be made in certain stages that differ from the original story, allowing players to change the outcome of the story.
Characters playable in Episode Battle:
*Goku
*Vegeta
*Gohan
*Piccolo	
*Future Trunks
*Frieza
*Goku Black
*Jiren
Additional playable characters available temporarily in certain levels:
*Krillin
*Tien
*Android 16
*Android 17
*Android 18	
*Vegito
*Cooler
*King Cold
*Zarbon
*Dodoria	
*Zamasu
*Fused Zamasu
===Custom Battle===
In this mode, players fight in battles with original scenes. Custom Battle also contains Bonus Battles, a mode with numerous original battle situations. In Bonus Battles, there are some battles that have different victory conditions, and some that have event cutscenes trigger during the middle of battle. 
Edit Mode allows players to freely select characters to be played as, along with camera cuts, poses, facial expressions, effects, dialogue, BGM, and even title screens. Character values, such as health and strength, can be adjusted. These battles can be uploaded for other players to experience. Bonus Battles can also be edited as a base. Players must first play through and successfully win their own Custom Battles in order to upload them.
===Battle Mode===
Challenge players online across various tournament modes and victory conditions to become a champion.
Local split-screen multiplayer is available to play with friends, exclusively in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. After a patch update, it is now available for all stages.
===Ranked Match===
With Ranked Matches, you can set your matchmaking conditions to find your ideal opponents with balanced character cost restrictions and check the leaderboards for rankings.
===Tournament Mode===
In this mode, you can create or join a tournament online with rivals around the world or play offline. Offline tournaments will generate opponents for you.
*Create Tournament
*World Tournament
*Cell Games
*Other World Tournament
*Tournament of Destroyers
*Tournament of Power
*Yamcha Games
===Encyclopedia===
The Character Reference from Budokai Tenkaichi 3 makes a return, but instead of Chi-Chi being the only one commenting on the characters, she is joined by Bulma and Videl.
==Playable Characters==
===Returning characters===
Name 	Returning transformations	New transformations	Available at Start
Android 13 	
*Base
*Super Android 13 	 	No
Android 16 	 	 	Yes
Android 17 (Z) 	 	 	Yes
Android 18 	 	 	Yes
Android 19 	 	 	Yes
Bardock 	 	 	No
Babidi 	 	 	Yes
Baby Vegeta 	
*Base
*Super Baby 1
*Super Baby 2
*Golden Great Ape	 	No
Broly (Z) 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan
*Legendary Super Saiyan	 	Yes
Bojack 	
*Base
*Full Power 	 	No
Burter 	 	 	Yes
Captain Ginyu 	 	 	Yes
Cell 	
*1st Form
*2nd Form
*Perfect Form	 	Yes
Cell Jr. 	 	 	No
Chiaotzu 	 	 	Yes
Cooler 	
*True Form
*Final Form 	 	No
Cui 	 	 	No
Dabura 	 	 	Yes
Dodoria 	 	 	Yes
Dr. Gero 	 	 	Yes
Dr. Wheelo 	 	 	No
Frieza (Z) 	
*First Form
*Second Form
*Third Form
*Final Form
*Full Power	 	Yes
Frieza Soldier 	 	 	No
Future Trunks (Z - Melee)	
*Base
*Super Saiyan
*Super Trunks	 	Yes
Future Trunks (Z - Sword)	
*Base
*Super Saiyan 	 	Yes
Garlic Jr. 	
*Super Garlic Jr. 	 	No
Gogeta (Z) 	
*Super Gogeta 	 	No
Gogeta (GT) 	
*Super Saiyan 4 	 	No
Gohan (Kid) 	 	 	Yes
Gohan (Teen) 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan
*Super Saiyan 2	 	Yes
Gohan (Adult) 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan
*Super Saiyan 2
*Great Saiyaman	 	Yes
Gohan (Future) 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan 	 	No
Goku (Teen) 	 	 	No
Goku (Z - Early) 	 	 	Yes
Goku (Z - Mid) 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan 	 	Yes
Goku (Z - End) 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan
*Super Saiyan 2
*Super Saiyan 3	 	Yes
Goku (GT) 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan
*Super Saiyan 3
*Super Saiyan 4	 	No
Goten 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan 	 	Yes
Gotenks 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan
*Super Saiyan 3	 	Yes
Guldo 	 	 	Yes
Hirudegarn 	 	 	No
Janemba 	
*Base
*Super Janemba 	 	No
Jeice 	 	 	Yes
Kid Buu 	 	 	Yes
King Cold 	 	 	No
Krillin 	 	 	Yes
Lord Slug 	
*Base
*Giant Form 	 	No
Majin Vegeta 	 	 	No
Majin Buu 	 	 	Yes
Majin Buu (Evil) 	 	 	No
Master Roshi 	
*Base
*MAX Power 	 	Yes
Metal Cooler 	 	 	No
Mr. Satan 	 	 	Yes
Mecha Frieza 	 	 	No
Nail 	 	 	No
Nappa 	 	 	Yes
Pan (GT) 	 	 	No
Perfect Cell 	 	 	Yes
Piccolo 	 	 	Yes
Piccolo (Fused w/ Kami) 	 	 	Yes
Raditz 	 	 	Yes
Recoome 	 	 	Yes
Saibaman 	 	 	No
Spopovich 	 	 	No
Super Buu 	
*Base
*Gotenks absorbed
*Gohan absorbed	 	Yes
Syn Shenron 	
*Base
*Omega Shenron 	 	No
Tapion 	 	 	No
Tien 	 	 	Yes
Trunks (Kid) 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan 	 	Yes
Turles 	 	 	No
Ultimate Gohan 	 	 	Yes
Uub (GT) 	
*Base
*Majuub 	 	No
Vegeta (Scouter) 	
*Base
*Great Ape Vegeta 	 	Yes
Vegeta (Z - Early) 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan
*Super Vegeta	 	Yes
Vegeta (Z - End) 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan
*Super Saiyan 2	 	Yes
Vegeta (GT) 	
*Super Saiyan 4 	 	No
Vegito 	
*Base
*Super Vegito 	
*Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan	Yes
Videl 	 	 	No
Yajirobe 	 	 	No
Yamcha 	 	 	Yes
Zarbon 	
*First Form
*Final Form 	 	Yes
===New characters===
Name 	Transformations	Available at Start
Anilaza 	 	No
Android 17 (Super) 	 	Yes
Beerus 	 	Yes
Bergamo 	 	No
Broly (Super) 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan
*Super Saiyan Full Power	No* (Yes via Early Access via pre-order)
Cabba 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan
*Super Saiyan 2	Yes
Caulifla 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan 2	No
Dyspo 	 	No
Frieza (Super) 	
*Final Form
*Golden Frieza	Yes
Frost 	
*Final Form 	No
Fused Zamasu 	
*Base
*Half-Corrupted	No
Future Trunks (Super)	
*Base
*Super Saiyan	Yes
Gogeta (Super) 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan
*Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan	No* (Yes via Early Access via pre-order)
Goku (Super) 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan
*Super Saiyan God
*Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan	Yes
Goku (Super) 	
*Ultra Instinct -Sign-
*Ultra Instinct	No
Goku Black 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan Rosé	No
Hit 	 	Yes
Jiren 	
*Base
*Full Power	Yes
Kakunsa 	 	No
Kale 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan (Berserk)
*Super Saiyan	No
Kefla 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan
*Super Saiyan 2	Yes
Ribrianne 	 	Yes
Roasie 	 	No
Toppo 	
*Base
*God of Destruction	Yes
Vegeta (Super) 	
*Base
*Super Saiyan
*Super Saiyan God
*Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan	Yes
Whis 	 	Yes
Zamasu 	 	Yes
===DLC Characters===
{|class="wikitable" border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-color: rgb(170,170,170);"
Name 	Transformations	DLC Pack
Gamma 1 	 	DLC Pack 1
Gamma 2 	 	DLC Pack 1
Glorio 	 	DLC Pack 2
Goku (Mini) 	 	Pre-order Bonus
Vegeta (Mini)	 	DLC Pack 2
===Non-Playable characters===
Name 	Transformations
Fused Zamasu (Gohan)	
*Base
*Half-Corrupted
Gohan Black 	
*Base
*Ultimate
==Battle Stages==
*Planet Namek
*Open Field
*Rocky Land
*City
*World Tournament
*Tournament of Power Arena
*Hyperbolic Time Chamber
*Land of the Kais
*Islands
*Cell Games Arena
*City Ruins
*Destroyed Planet Namek
==Pre-Order Bonuses and Editions==
===Standard Edition===
The Standard Edition includes the base game. Pre-order bonuses include an exclusive playable character:
*Goku (Mini)
And it also includes early unlocks for the following characters:
*Gogeta (Super)
*Gogeta (Super) (Super Saiyan)
*Gogeta (Super) (Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan)
*Broly (Super)
*Broly (Super) (Super Saiyan)
*Broly (Super) (Super Saiyan Full Power)
===Deluxe Edition (Digital only)===
The Digital Deluxe Edition includes the base game and a three-day early access to the game and DLCs. other bonuses include:
*The Season Pass for DLCs 1, 2, and 3, which will include 20+ characters from Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero and Dragon Ball Daima. Gamma 1 and Gamma 2 are confirmed characters in DLC 1, while Vegeta (mini) and Glorio are confirmed characters in DLC 2.
*Summon Shenron, a way to unlock items.
===Ultimate Edition===
The Ultimate Edition includes all the bonuses in the Digital Deluxe Edition, along with more:
*Ultimate Upgrade Pack: A Goku (Super) costume with Power Pole, an Emote Voice Set, 2 Player Card backgrounds, and 1 Customization item.
*Summon Super Shenron to unlock new items.
===Collector's Edition===
The Collector's edition includes all the bonuses in the Ultimate Edition, as well as physical items:
*Lenticular card with an Ultimate Edition Upgrade Pack Voucher Code.
*Exclusive Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO diorama.
*Double-sided metallic bookmark.
===Premium Collector's Edition===
The Premium Collector's Edition can only be purchased from the Bandai Namco store, and includes everything in the Collector's Edition and more:
*Exclusive SteelBook.
*3 playable cards and 1 Energy Marker card for Dragon Ball Super Card Game: Fusion World.
==Reception==
Publication 	Score 	
IGN 	7.0/10 	
Push Square 	8.0/10 	
GameSpot 	6.0/10 	
Eurogamer 	10.0/10 	
Review compilations	Review compilations 	Review compilations
Metacritic 	82% (based on 63 reviews)	
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero has received generally positive responses, and deemed it as the best Dragon Ball game in 17 years, and a love letter to Toriyama's classic franchise. The game sold over 3 million copies on its first day. It reached a peak concurrent player count of 122,554 on Steam after release.
==Trivia==
*This is the only Budokai Tenkaichi game that retained its original Japanese title for its overseas localization.
*This is the first Dragon Ball game to be exclusive to the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
**This is also the first Budokai Tenkaichi game to be on Steam.
*This is the first Budokai Tenkaichi game to feature content from Dragon Ball Super and Dragon Ball Daima.
**This is also the first Dragon Ball game in general to include content from Dragon Ball Daima.
*This is the first Dragon Ball game to be influenced with the Naohiro Shintani style from Dragon Ball Super: Broly.
*This is the final Dragon Ball video game to be involved in Akira Toriyama's lifetime before his death on March 1, 2024.
*This is Tōru Furuya's final appearance as the Japanese voice of Yamcha since he is stepping down the role due to facing allegations and is replaced by Ryōta Suzuki in Dragon Ball Daima.
*Sparking! Zero was a sponsor for the vs. match at the 2024 WWE Premium Live Event, .
*In the Girl Talk portion of the Encyclopedia, Bulma refers to Perfect Cell as Perfecter Cell. This is a reference to a line said by Yamcha in the Dragon Ball Z Abridged series by TeamFourStar.
*Goku (Mini) will continue speaking in Japanese even if you put the game's language in English until the DLC pack gets announced. The same thing happens in Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2.
*Vegito is the only returning character with a new Transformation as every other character that has a new form were introduced as a new character altogether. Notably, if Vegito was created by fusing Goku (End) and Vegeta (End), he cannot transform into his Super Saiyan Blue state. Similarly, if he was created by fusing Goku (Super) and Vegeta (Super), he cannot transform into his Super Saiyan state.
*This is the first game where characters have special quotes with themselves.
==Gallery==
===Promotional Material===
===Scans===
===Screenshots===
==References==
==External Links==
*DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO English website
*DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO Japanese website
*DRAGON BALL: SPARKING! ZERO is the earth-shaking sequel bringing the Budokai Tenkaichi series to a new generation
==Site Navigation==
Category:Video Games
Category:Dragon Ball games
Category:Fighting games
es:Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
fr:Dragon Ball - Sparking! Zero