Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero

Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is undeniably one of the best games based on Akira Toriyama's series. With an engaging story mode that includes intriguing what-if scenarios, a combat system that's easy to learn but challenging to master, a massive character roster, and impressive attention to detail, Spike Chunsoft has created a must-have for Dragon Ball fans. If you've ever wanted to be Goku and scream your heart out before unleashing secret techniques, this is the game for you.

A near-perfect comeback whose flaws will be more or less erased depending on how much of a fan you are. Above all, Sparking will require a real learning curve before you can fully enjoy it.

DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO feels like a faithful continuation of the series. Beautiful visuals and epic combat make for a great combination and the creative What If scenarios were a treat to explore. A definite recommendation for fans. The AI cheats, though.

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.

Dragon Ball Sparking Zero succeeds in bringing the Budokai Tenkaichi series back to the forefront in an excellent way, offering the original gameplay while adding a few new features such as new counter methods. Alongside this, you'll find a cast of gigantic characters that will please fans of the early days, but which can also be seen as artificially inflated due to transformations, for titanic confrontations in destructible arenas during local or online battles, even if this can sometimes make them rather messy. And let's not forget the history of the mythical saga, which can be revisited in part, albeit focused on Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super.

The most authentic Dragon Ball battles ever let you live out your wildest fantasies.

Sparking Zero takes the Budokai Tenkaichi series to new heights, successfully recreating the grand spectacle of an epic Dragon Ball fight. With plenty of single-player content to get through, a custom battle mode bursting with potential, and online multiplayer to challenge players around the world, Dragon Ball fans have never had it better than this.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO isn't perfect, with Episode Battle falling somewhat short in its ambitions, but it's an excellent recreation of the series' power fantasy.

Sparking! Zero is everything Dragon Ball fans will have wanted, but it's also just a blast for those unbothered by its extensive fan-service.

I ended my time with Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero much the same way I started it: really excited to play more of it. I’ve already dumped a lot of time into Sparking! Zero, but there’s still a lot more to see. I have more alternate paths to complete, more costumes to unlock, plenty of other mechanics to master, more Capsules to play with, new teams to build… I could be here for a while, now that I think about it. The greatest compliment I can pay to a game is to say that I want to keep playing it after I’m done covering it. I want to keep playing Sparking! Zero. It’s been a long, long time coming, but Sparking! Zero is worth the wait. That little kid who grew up loving Dragon Ball would love that. I’m really happy for him.

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.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero isn't a perfect sequel to Budokai Tenkaichi 3, but it has successfully recaptured its spirit. Effort is visible even in the areas where Sparking Zero falls short, and concentrating on the core gameplay, presentation, and progression has paid dividends. Custom Battle and a decent online suite help this game find its own voice, both compared to its PS2 forebears and its more focused modern Dragon Ball peers. Ultimately, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero does the late Akira Toriyama and his collaborators’ work justice, and that should help it find its audience.

More than 17 years after Budokai Tenkaichi 3, Sparking Zero takes the strengths of its predecessor to go even further. With the generosity of its casting, the quality of its effects and the impressive staging of its moves, the game excels in its fanservice. But above all, the title stands out for its gameplay as technical as its predecessors which offers both a real margin of progression and instant fun thanks to its accessibility options. Too bad the fights are a little spoiled by readability and camera issues. At the same time, we can blame the game for its minimum service for its interfaces, its cutscenes and its training mode which clash with the care given to the rest of the experience. Despite everything, Sparking Zero has everything to delight Dragon Ball fans, even those who want to play locally who will have to settle for a single arena for the moment, because it really is the Budokai Tenkaichi 4 that everyone was waiting for.

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.