Summary
The next entry in the popularBudokai Tenkaichiseries,Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZEROis set to continue the prolific anime’s legacy in the arena fighter genre. Returning to the mainline style of the generally well-received previousTenkaichititles,Dragon Ball: Sparking Zerohas the potential to rise above many of the otherDragon Balladaptations that have released over the years if it can match what was shown in its reveal trailer.
Despite the unfamiliarity some fans may have with its title,Sparking Zerois the same game asBudokai Tenkaichi 4. As the latest in a series that has maintained a dedicated following for decades,Sparking Zerois going to be expected to both live up to and surpass its predecessors.Budokai Tenkaichi 3is considered a classic by manyDragon Ballfans for its mixture of depth and breadth in terms of combat mechanics and roster size, butSparking Zeromight be able to live up to its legacy through environmental destruction.
The Environmental Destruction Mechanic of Sparking Zero
A Subtle Yet Game-Changing Part of Sparking Zero’s Reveal
Revealed at The Game Awards 2023 in a gameplay trailer,Sparking Zerohas already offered fans a glimpse into its new systems. While the unveiling of newupdates to theTenkaichirosterfromDragon Ball Superwas likely the most hype moment of the showcase, one aspect of the combat stood out as particularly innovative for the franchise.
In abattle between Vegeta and Goku, the two are shown to be causing damage to their surroundings in an unprecedented way. A massive rock formation is destroyed on impact when Goku is launched toward it, and the ground itself is raised by blasts of energy.
Destructible Environments Show Evolution From Budokai Tenkaichi’s Past
While it has maintained interest since its release back in 2007,Budokai Tenkaichi 3is still ultimately limited by its age. Despite being a faithful adaptation ofDragon Ball Zin most possible ways, it still couldn’t necessarily capture the damage that some of the series’ battles have caused to their surrounding environments. It’s likely that fans would enjoy a newTenkaichititle if it were simply an update to the series without such a dramatic addition, but the inclusion of stage destructibles shows that there could be more innovation than expected at work inSparking Zero. If nothing else, environmental destruction on this scale could be visually epic.
Sparking Zero’s Potential to Meet Budokai Tenkaichi 4’s Expectations
A Commitment to Remaining Faithful to the Tenkaichi Formula
There are many examples of modern games being teased and slowly showcased ahead of their releases, butSparking Zeroboldly subverted this with its first trailer. Over 15 characters have been confirmed, and its gameplay emphasized the new environmental damage system specifically. While it’s unknown how important this mechanic will be to the actual combat or how immersive and frequent, it also seems as though Spike Chunsoft is focused on recapturing the feeling of the previous games in a way that is certain toset the latestTenkaichiapart fromFighterZ.
In a turn of events that seems aware ofDragon Ball Zesports fans,Sparking Zerohas been shown to appear quite similar to itsTenkaichipredecessors in terms of core gameplay. The combat’s emphasis on interactions in the air and projectiles seems to be intact, and it’s even possible it will include the same attention to detail in character-specific mechanics that the previous game’s roster featured. It does seem as though the environmental destruction system has a legitimate effect on the arenas, however, meaning that preserving the actual feeling of the olderTenkaichititles could prove to be a challenging balance to find in the end.
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.
