Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero - Everything You Need to Know

October 11 will be a big day for Dragon Ball fans. After a year of anticipation following its announcement in March 2023, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero will finally be released in just a week.

This highly anticipated 2024 game is a sequel to the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series, promising to elevate its legendary gameplay to new heights.

With an expansive roster featuring 182 characters from the franchise, the game generates incredible hype, making fans even more excited to get their hands on it.

To get ready for its nearing release, here’s everything you need to know about Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero.

Sparking Zero Release Date, Cost, and Platforms

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero will be officially released on October 11.

However, players who have purchased the special editions, Deluxe, Ultimate, and Premium, will have the chance to play the game three days earlier, on October 8.

For its prices and inclusions, you can check the list below:

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Credit: BANDAI Namco

Standard Edition - $69.99

It inclused the standard version of the game plus the pre-order bonuses if you purchase it before release.

Deluxe Edition - $99.99

It includes the following:

• Base Game
• Season Pass (DLC 1-3)
• Season Pass Bonus – Summon Shenron
• Early Access – Play 3 Days Early

Ultimate Edition - $109.99

• Base Game
• Ultimate Upgrade Pack (Goku [Super] Costume with Power Pole, Emote Voice Set, 2 Player Card Backgrounds, 1 Customization Item)
• Ultimate Edition Bonus (Summon Super Shenron)
• Season Pass (DLC 1-3)
• Season Pass Bonus – Summon Shenron
• Early Access – Play 3 Days Early

Premium Edition - $229.99

• Base Game
• Ultimate Edition Upgrade Pack Voucher Code
• Lenticular Card
• Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Exclusive Diorama
• Exclusive Cards
• Steelbook
• Metallic Bookmark
• Early Access – Play 3 Days Early

The game will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam.

Pre-Order Bonuses

Regardless of the version you pre-order, you'll get the following bonuses:

• Exclusive new playable character: Goku (Mini) -

Early unlock of the following six characters:

• Gogeta
• Gogeta
• Super Saiyan
• Gogeta Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan
• Broly
• Broly,
• Super Saiyan
• Broly, Super Saiyan (Full Power)

PC System Requirements

Players planning to play Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero on PC don’t need to worry, as the game only requires minimal system requirements.

They only need 29 GB of free hard drive space and the following specs:

• Intel Core i5-9600K or an AMD Ryzen 5 2600
• 8GB of RAM
• Nvidia GeForce GTX 980, or AMD Radeon RX 590, or Intel Arc A750

Sparking Zero Playable Characters

As mentioned above, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero will feature 182 playable characters from the franchise's 40-year history.

The game will include both returning and new characters, as well as DLC characters.

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Credit: BANDAI Namco

• Returning Characters:

• New Characters

• DLC Characters

Gameplay

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero won’t be a traditional fighting game as it will feature an arena fighter like its predecessor.

Its high-speed 3D battles promise to stay true to the franchise’s anime and video game series while featuring breathtaking visuals and authentic combat moves.

While the game will still feature the Budokai Tenkaichi series’ core mechanics, it will also have new features to feature new battles. Its new features are:

• Skill Count
• Short Dash
• Revenge Counter
• Super Perception
• Vanishing Assaults
• Customization

Game Modes

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Credit: Spike / Bandai / Bandai Namco Entertainment / Atari

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero will have five game modes: Episode Battle, Custom Battle, Battle Mode, Ranked Match, and Tournament Mode.

• Episode Battle is a single-player mode in which players can choose from eight characters: Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, Future Trunks, Frieza, Goku Black, and Jiren. The battles in this mode will be reminiscent of Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super. However, the choices available will differ from the original story, allowing players to create their own tale.
• Custom Battle lets players fight in original battle scenes. It includes Bonus Battles, which feature various original battle situations, though some have different victory conditions.
• Battle Mode allows players to compete online in various tournament formats. They can also play with friends using local split-screen multiplayer, exclusively in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
• Ranked Match enables gamers to set matchmaking conditions to find opponents they want to face.
• Tournament Mode allows players to create or join online tournaments and compete against other players worldwide. Offline tournaments are also available.

Battle Stages

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Credit: Spike / Bandai / Bandai Namco Entertainment / Atari

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero will have 12 battle stages. However, ahead of its release, fans are already divided about the number of stages it will feature.

Some say they are way too little, with many hoping more will be added in the future, like the unlockables. Others, alternatively, stress that these stages are more detailed than the ones from Budokai Tenkaichi 3.

Here’s the list of the game’s 12 exciting battle stages:

• Gizard Wasteland
• Planet Namek
• Dying Namek
• Island
• West City
• Destroyed West City
• World Tournament
• Sacred World of the Kai
• Cell Games Arena
• Spinach Wastes
• Tournament of Power Arena
• Hyperbolic Time Chamber

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero has generated high expectations following the success of the Budokai Tenkaichi series. With its gigantic roster and diverse gameplay, this new title is highly promising. However, it remains to be seen whether it can live up to the hype.