Dragon Ball is always a hit with its gaming fans, and when it was showed off at the Summer Game Fest Showcase it definitely got its oo’s and ah’s; and after taking some time to check it out at Play Days, it definitely has me excited in some aspects too.
Bandai Namco’s booth at SGF Play Days was only visitable by appointment only, and they had quite a bite of space. There was a small theater, a gaming area to try the game, and a station with someone making “Dragon Breath” balls, which were actually pretty nifty… more on that later.
Before we could try the game, we sat in a short presentation to talk about what to expect about the game. For the uninitiated, Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is a return to its Budokai and Tenkaichi roots dating back to the PS2. While it still can be considered a fighting game, its focus is really on its over-the-top presentation and accessibility that some people call a QTE system, even though there’s still some skill involved.
Episode battle looks to be a fun story mode, especially when playing scenarios from a non-canon angle.
One of the modes shown to us was Episode Battle, a story mode featuring eight characters with separate stories players can experience. Naturally, Goku was the chosen character for the presentation, so we were treated to how battles look and we got taken back to where it all started in Dragon Ball Z with Goku taking on Raditz.
After that fight, which saw Goku’s son Gohan kidnapped, the action continued at the Kame House where Goku decides whether or not he wants to have Piccolo (an enemy at the time) help eradicate the evil Saiyan Raditz. This actually brought up the point that the game brought back scenarios. In this scenario, you can decide to have Piccolo help (which is canon), or leave him alone. Bandai Namco told us that going off the canon path can lead to different results, but to our dismay, they went with the canon choice.
When we watched the devs take Raditz on again with Piccolo on Goku’s side, we confirmed you can switch characters mid battle, and cutscenes could also be viewed in first-person by the main character. Ever wonder what it looks like from Goku’s eyes when he receives a fatal gut punch? Perhaps we’ll see it here.
Customization is going to be a big part of Sparking! ZERO. In Custom Battle mode you can do everything from select who’ll be fighting, where they’ll be fighting, and a few more other details. It’ll also be possible for these custom dream matches to be uploaded for other fans to try out. Have a big match between The Great Saiyaman and Broly planned? Go right on ahead.
Dragon Ball dream matches? Say less!
Before long, we were given some time to try the game out for ourselves, and I took the opportunity to use as many characters as possible. From every form of Gohan to Android 18, even Mr. Satan and Yamcha, I had a blast playing as different characters and finding ways for the weakest people to destroy some of the strongest beings in the universe.
The combat in the Budokai/Tenkaichi games can be pretty formulaic in their approach. You weaken your opponent a little, build your KI, and unleash devastating attacks on your opponent. New to the series is “Shining” mode, which you can activate for any character by charging their KI beyond their maximum point. This gives you access to every character’s super attack, and they’re certainly a sight to behold. Players that master the timing of this, along with planning combos they’ll set up with other members on your team, plus when to activate upgrades all go a long way.
I came away pretty impressed with what I played, but the thing with these Budokai/Tenkaichi games is that if you’ve played one, you’ve played them all. Of course, the Dragon Ball fan in me wants to go through that Episode Battle mode, just so I can see what happens when you choose to not follow the Dragon Ball story.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO comes out on October 11, 2024 on the PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Oh yeah, the dragon breath. It was actually some large cereal balls mixed with nitrogen. Pretty cool though.
Dragon Ball is always a hit with its gaming fans, and when it was showed off at the Summer Game Fest Showcase it definitely got its oo’s and ah’s; and after taking some time to check it out at Play…
Dragon Ball is always a hit with its gaming fans, and when it was showed off at the Summer Game Fest Showcase it definitely got its oo’s and ah’s; and after taking some time to check it out at Play Days, it definitely has me excited in some aspects too.
Bandai Namco’s booth at SGF Play Days was only visitable by appointment only, and they had quite a bite of space. There was a small theater, a gaming area to try the game, and a station with someone making “Dragon Breath” balls, which were actually pretty nifty… more on that later.
Before we could try the game, we sat in a short presentation to talk about what to expect about the game. For the uninitiated, Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is a return to its Budokai and Tenkaichi roots dating back to the PS2. While it still can be considered a fighting game, its focus is really on its over-the-top presentation and accessibility that some people call a QTE system, even though there’s still some skill involved.
Episode battle looks to be a fun story mode, especially when playing scenarios from a non-canon angle.
One of the modes shown to us was Episode Battle, a story mode featuring eight characters with separate stories players can experience. Naturally, Goku was the chosen character for the presentation, so we were treated to how battles look and we got taken back to where it all started in Dragon Ball Z with Goku taking on Raditz.
After that fight, which saw Goku’s son Gohan kidnapped, the action continued at the Kame House where Goku decides whether or not he wants to have Piccolo (an enemy at the time) help eradicate the evil Saiyan Raditz. This actually brought up the point that the game brought back scenarios. In this scenario, you can decide to have Piccolo help (which is canon), or leave him alone. Bandai Namco told us that going off the canon path can lead to different results, but to our dismay, they went with the canon choice.
When we watched the devs take Raditz on again with Piccolo on Goku’s side, we confirmed you can switch characters mid battle, and cutscenes could also be viewed in first-person by the main character. Ever wonder what it looks like from Goku’s eyes when he receives a fatal gut punch? Perhaps we’ll see it here.
Customization is going to be a big part of Sparking! ZERO. In Custom Battle mode you can do everything from select who’ll be fighting, where they’ll be fighting, and a few more other details. It’ll also be possible for these custom dream matches to be uploaded for other fans to try out. Have a big match between The Great Saiyaman and Broly planned? Go right on ahead.
Dragon Ball dream matches? Say less!
Before long, we were given some time to try the game out for ourselves, and I took the opportunity to use as many characters as possible. From every form of Gohan to Android 18, even Mr. Satan and Yamcha, I had a blast playing as different characters and finding ways for the weakest people to destroy some of the strongest beings in the universe.
The combat in the Budokai/Tenkaichi games can be pretty formulaic in their approach. You weaken your opponent a little, build your KI, and unleash devastating attacks on your opponent. New to the series is “Shining” mode, which you can activate for any character by charging their KI beyond their maximum point. This gives you access to every character’s super attack, and they’re certainly a sight to behold. Players that master the timing of this, along with planning combos they’ll set up with other members on your team, plus when to activate upgrades all go a long way.
I came away pretty impressed with what I played, but the thing with these Budokai/Tenkaichi games is that if you’ve played one, you’ve played them all. Of course, the Dragon Ball fan in me wants to go through that Episode Battle mode, just so I can see what happens when you choose to not follow the Dragon Ball story.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO comes out on October 11, 2024 on the PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Oh yeah, the dragon breath. It was actually some large cereal balls mixed with nitrogen. Pretty cool though.
by Danreb Victorio
