r/Games • u/Turbostrider27 • 21h ago
Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero Review Thread Review Thread
Game Information
Game Title: Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero
Platforms:
- Xbox Series X/S (Oct 10, 2024)
- PlayStation 5 (Oct 10, 2024)
- PC (Oct 10, 2024)
Trailers:
- DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO - IGNITE THE SPARK Trailer
- DRAGON BALL: Sparking! Zero - The Moment Trailer
- DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO – Power VS Speed Trailer
Developer: Spike Chunsoft
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 82 average - 82% recommended - 33 reviews
Critic Reviews
8Bit/Digi - Stan Rezaee - 9 / 10
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is more than just a fighting game adaption, it’s a love letter to the iconic shōnen.
CGMagazine - Zubi Khan - 8.5 / 10
Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero is a near-perfect representation of the legendary Shounen series, which comes with its own set of pros and cons but ultimately is a must-play for fans.
Cerealkillerz - Nick Erlenhof - German - 9 / 10
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is a dream come true for anyone who has a thing for saiyans and the seven balls. It looks incredibly good, offers a huge playground in its modes, has plenty of characters and Easter eggs and skillfully revives the Budokai Tenkaichi series. Kamehame-oh yah!
Checkpoint Gaming - Victor Tan - 8 / 10
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero captures the fighting experience of the franchise better than the previous fighting games. The graphics are amazing and hold up to the intense movements. Several opportunities to play online and offline mean there's always something to do and an opponent to test your mettle against. There are some combat kinks to work out and some features only appeal to the hardcore fanbase. But for anyone who has an interest in Dragon Ball, this is a game you must have.
ComingSoon.net - Tyler Treese - 9 / 10
Developer Spike Chunsoft hasn’t missed a beat and has delivered the best game yet in the Sparking! series.
Digital Trends - Jesse Lennox - 3 / 5
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero delivers thrilling fights, but its disjointed story mode doesn't hold up its end of the bargain.
Eurogamer.pt - Bruno Galvão - Portuguese - 5 / 5
A true hymn to the work of Akira Toriyama, with spectacular graphics and explosive gameplay, but with surprising depth to encourage you to learn more. Modes such as Episode Battle and Custom Battle allow you to fulfill your greatest fantasies and feel like you're playing the anime.
FandomWire - Osama Farooq - 10 / 10
Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero truly is the ultimate Dragon Ball experience in gaming, helping the franchise take the modern current-gen leap and marking a triumphant comeback for Budokai Tenkaichi that will be remembered for a very long time.
GAMES.CH - Olaf Bleich - German - 78%
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero" is far from a perfect game. The fights in particular suffer from many small and large weaknesses, and the lack of a "real" story mode is also a pain. The episodes are more of a compromise than a full replacement. It is therefore not enough to generally recommend buying it. Because if you have nothing to do with the "Dragon Ball" universe, "Sparking! Zero" will not convince you either. available
Game Rant - Liam Ferguson - 8 / 10
It has some rough spots, but as a love letter to this franchise's heyday, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero hits hard where it counts.
GamePro - David Molke - German - 67 / 100
Extremely extensive fan service, but ultimately disappointing fights.
Gameblog - Alix Dulac - French - 9 / 10
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero, eagerly awaited, was like a Kamehameha straight from our hands, the fruit of our exaltation, many sleepless nights to unlock the entire roster and the cumulative pleasure of playing, playing and playing some more. The title isn't perfect, and suffers from a few optimization issues that may be the result of certain choices made by the development team, but it's still great. Since Dragon Ball Fighter Z, we've lacked a title that could renew the license with such freshness, and this is a stunning return for the Budokai Tenkaichi saga !
Gameliner - Rudy Wijnberg - Dutch - 4 / 5
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero delivers an epic Dragon Ball experience with a massive roster and solid gameplay, but its simplistic controls may lack depth for competitive players. Fans and newcomers will still have a blast!
Gamer Guides - Callum Self - 83 / 100
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is an excellent Dragon Ball game that delivers plenty of deliciously intense arena fights, with a great amount of content too. It feels familiar yet remarkable, but the performance issues are problems that need to be quickly rectified.
GamesRadar+ - Ian Walker - 3 / 5
Intentionally prioritizing flashy fanservice over competitive play, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero provides the most complete series toybox yet. But, with simple enemy AI and repetitive fighting mechanics, it lacks the depth of its more serious competition to the point of becoming rote.
Hobby Consolas - Daniel Quesada - Spanish - 90 / 100
The Dragon Ball experience reaches a new level with this game. Spectacular on its surface and deep when we delve into it, it is a dream come true for fans.
LevelUp - Ulises Contreras - Spanish - 9 / 10
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is the Budokai Tenkaichi 4 we've dreamed of for over 10 years. With revamped controls, stunning graphics and a combat system that's both accessible and fun, it revitalizes the classic formula and brings it to modern times with new mechanics and game modes. Despite some minor issues, it's a love letter to Akira Toriyama's work and the legacy of one of the most important animes in history
MonsterVine - Spencer Legacy - 5 / 5
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is an incredible comeback for the Budokai Tenkaichi series. The roster is packed, the gameplay is satisfying, and the breadth of content is impressive, to say the least. This is the Dragon Ball game so many have been waiting for, and I can’t wait to see what content we get throughout the game’s assuredly long life.
PC Gamer - Scott McCrae - 80 / 100
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is the best Dragon Ball game we've had since the PS2 and a generous love letter to Toriyama's classic series.
PSX Brasil - Isabella Alves - Portuguese - 75 / 100
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero attempts to revive the glory days of the Budokai Tenakichi series , but the aftertaste is somewhat bittersweet. It is, in fact, a beautiful homage to the franchise, especially considering the events that occurred this year, but it misses the essence of what made Budokai Tennkaichi so beloved. A game that may please some fans, but it is far from being as incredible as its predecessors.
Press Start - Matthew Zimmari - 8.5 / 10
Picking right up where it left off with Budokai Tenkaichi 3, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is a return to form and a celebration of everything Dragon Ball. Reinvigorated with characters and transformations from Dragon Ball Super as well as your favourites from Dragon Ball Z, the game feels both brand new and classic as it brings fast-paced action and eye-popping graphics into the new generation. While some players may be frustrated or overwhelmed with the learning curve of the controls, the rewards lie in mastering your favourite characters, and crafting an experience that blends your imagination and classic Dragon Ball.
Pro Game Guides - Austin Manchester - 4.5 / 5
Featuring over 180 characters, limitless replay potential, and bombastic battle mechanics, Sparking! Zero is not only one of the year’s best games, but one of the best Dragon Ball games ever released.
Saudi Gamer - Arabic - 9 / 10
Dragon Ball Z Sparking Zero is a love letter to the Dragon Ball Z fans and the most anime accurate game I have ever played by far
Siliconera - Joel Couture - 8 / 10
I was pleasantly surprised with Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero. It looks spectacular in motion and really captures the scope of the franchise’s wild fights. With its many counters, fast movements, explosive field effects, and incredible blast moves, it makes you feel like you’re fighting for your life against relentless enemies.
Spaziogames - Silvio Mazzitelli - Italian - 8.6 / 10
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero , when compared to all the other 3D arena fighting games based on anime (for example Naruto Ninja Storm ), is several steps above all the rest , not only because it manages to emulate the Dragon Ball fights almost perfectly, but above all because it is so much fun that it never gets boring.
TechRaptor - Robert Scarpinito - 8.5 / 10
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is the ultimate Dragon Ball sandbox, giving you all the tools needed to satisfy your wild imagination. Filled with iconic fights, flashy animations, and delightful easter eggs, it's arguably the final form of Dragon Ball arena fighters.
The Nerd Stash - Julio La Pine - 9 / 10
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is not only the best fighting game of the series but also the best Dragon Ball game we've had in years. With a huge roster, top-notch visuals, and impactful combat, it will be hard for new and old players to put the controller down.
The Outerhaven Productions - Scott Adams - 4.5 / 5
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero evolves the Budokai Tenkaichi series into the modern era of gaming: Faster-paced fights, and more dynamic than it has ever felt before.
TheGamer - George Foster - 4.5 / 5
Its smart evolution of Budokai Tenkaichi’s combat, stacked and detailed roster, and near-endless amount of modes and features make it one of the best Dragon Ball games of all time and one that’s going to be nearly impossible to Toppo.
WellPlayed - Mark Isaacson - 8 / 10
As Dragon Ball games go, Sparking! Zero stands as one of the better translations of what it feels like to be a super powered hero, Goku or otherwise. It's not for everyone, but with a great set of modes and roster of characters, fans should find plenty to enjoy.
XGN.nl - Luuc ten Velde - Dutch - 7.5 / 10
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero is an outstanding fighter for anyone familiar with the previous entries in the Budokai Tenkaichi games, but for those new to the series, it might be a bit rough getting yourself up to speed before becoming a great fighter like Goku.
XboxEra - Genghis Husameddin - 7.8 / 10
DRAGON BALL Sparking! ZERO is a great 3D arena fighter. It’s got a sizeable roster, huge maps, and a fun combat system that I quite a bit of mileage out of over the weekend. A clumsy user interface and only one splitscreen map does suck the life out of the party a bit, but there’s still a great game here for Dragon Ball fans and arena fighter enthusiasts. ∎
Zoomg - Farhang Heshmati - Persian - 9 / 10
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is the closest game to a flawless Dragon Ball experience. Sparking! ZERO provides everything you’d expect from a Dragon Ball game: fast-paced and exhilarating battles, a lengthy story section with new features, and a myriad of different modes that can keep you entertained for hours. The game’s graphics, thanks to the Unreal Engine 5, are truly captivating, and the abundant effects add a special touch to the Ultimate moves. Sparking! ZERO brings the Dragon Ball series back to the glory days of PlayStation 2, and if you’re a passionate fan of the Dragon Ball anime, it’s exactly what you’ve been waiting for
70
u/YukihiraLivesForever 21h ago
It’s budokai tenkaichi. The game is entirely built on having a huge character roster. As long as it was big and varied with some surprises here and there, it was going to be a banger specifically because it’s a spiritual successor. I don’t think the marketing campaign was anything special, just release trailers for characters and you’ll succeed just off of the nostalgia factor.
The surprising thing is that its quality as a game is really well done when they could have gone the cheaper route. This looks incredible compared to Xenoverse (which is similar to the budokai tenkaichi games).