Highlights:
* Three Dragon Ball Sparking Zero game modes have been officially unveiled.
* Episode Battles, a single-player experience, will include a choice system that affects the story.
* Edit Mode in Custom Battles enables players to change pre-battle and post-battle cutscenes.
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero, the fourth main installment in the Budokai Tenkaichi series, will be released on October 11 this year. Bandai Namco has dropped multiple trailers to reveal the sagas the game is about to cover. Featuring realistic graphics, breakable environments, and a wider roster of characters, Sparking Zero centers on a single-player experience, including two solo game modes, but it also has co-op mode which unfortunately didn’t meet its full potential.
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero Game Modes Explained
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero was featured at the end of the Gamescom 2024 Day 1 livestream. The trailer was narrated by Marco Rizzo, Product Manager of DBSZ, who revealed more details about the gameplay and the game modes. Sparking Zero will include two single-player modes, namely Episode Battles and Custom Battles.
Episode Battles
Episode Battles is a mode that features some of the most iconic fights from the Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super anime. Players can take the point of view of eight different characters, including Goku and Vegeta. Before the battles, cutscenes familiarize the player with the story which occasionally switches from a first-person perspective to third-person perspective.
According to the official news, the number of stages or fights for each character will be different. It is one of the Dragon Ball Sparking Zero game modes that may prominently feature Goku. Interestingly, the mode will also include a choice system. Players can influence the story with their decisions as seen in the trailer when Krillin died at the hands of Ape form Vegeta. This will, in turn, lead to exciting transitions such as Goku gaining his Super Saiyan form earlier than that in the anime series.
Custom Battles
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero Custom Battles provide a range of customizations. Players can select win conditions, modifiers, and even change the pre-battle and post-battle cutscenes by using the Edit Mode. That’s not all, these cutscenes can be shared online for the community to view and download. The trailer during Gamescom Day 1 also featured various Maps and Texts that one could select in the Edit Mode.
Custom battles include solo and online multiplayer. There is also a Bonus Battle mode which features event cutscenes that are triggered at certain moments. With the Gamescom trailer, Bandai Namco revealed Ultimate Gohan to be the latest addition to the Dragon Ball Sparking Zero roster.
The trailer on Xbox Gamescom only disclosed the details for the single-player modes. However, Sparking Zero will also feature a local multiplayer. It was revealed by Producer Jin Furutani in the ‘Game Mode Showcase’ YouTube video.
Local Multiplayer Mode
One of the most demanded Dragon Ball Sparking Zero game modes, the Local Multiplayer will be accessible from the the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. The co-op will be exclusive to one map as per the official statement. Other limitations to the mode include a split-screen play that has been added after “careful consideration.”
Given that the game was designed for single-player, co-op players won’t be able to select their characters simultaneously. Accoridng to Furutani, the team wanted to enhance the player experience with destructible environments and changeable weather while characters charged Ki. However, they found it difficult, leading to the incomplete Dragon Ball Sparking Zero co-op experience.
A fighting game tailored for modern-day consoles, hailing from a classic franchise, Dragon Ball Sparking Zero is currently available for pre-orders.
