Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Tournament Criticized by Fans

The recent Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero tournament has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons, including an imbalanced roster and competitors exploiting certain gameplay mechanics in ways that aren’t satisfying for spectators. Earlier this year, Bandai Namco and developer Spike Chunsoft released the first mainline Budokai Tenkaichi entry in nearly 17 years with Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, which updated the classic formula with new roster additions from Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super.

The results have been quite positive for Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, which was recently named the highest-selling Dragon Ball game in the United States and the fourth-highest-selling game of 2024 so far. Even though Sparking Zero’s PC player count has dropped considerably since its massive initial launch, Bandai Namco has promised to continue supporting the game through future DLC and even a global eSports tournament. Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero – The Dramatic Showdown – Grand Finals was announced earlier this month, with champions from all around the world picking one character to play as in a battle to see who is the best in the world.

While this might seem like an interesting way to promote Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero at first glance, the tournament has already generated a lot of controversy. As reported by Push Square, observers have pointed out that Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero’s playable roster isn’t very balanced, with some characters having very clear advantages over others in a way that is clearly meant to emulate the Dragon Ball shows rather than serve as a competitive multiplayer fighter.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Tournament Sparks Controversy

Additionally, some of Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero’s gameplay mechanics are really easy to exploit, as shown in the most recent qualifying competition in France. The grand finals match saw both competitors stalling and avoiding their opponent using the game’s vertical flying to keep themselves just out of reach of a high-damage Sparking Zero combo. As many have noted, this doesn’t make for the most gripping fight to watch, and the commentary team at the French qualifying event even stopped calling the match for a considerable stretch of time.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero – The Dramatic Showdown – Grand Finals will continue throughout the rest of November going into December, with Japan and Spain holding qualifying events on November 30, Italy holding one on December 1, the US west coast having their Sparking Zero event on December 7, and the US east coast holding one on December 8. From there, the grand finals will take place at the Dragon Ball: Games Battle Hour 2025 event in Los Angeles, CA on January 18 and 19. Hopefully, this event will be worth the hype for Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero fans, but the previous qualifiers haven’t been the best of omens.

DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO takes the legendary gameplay of the Budokai Tenkaichi series and raises it to whole new levels. Become a super warrior and experience the earth-shaking, limit-breaking power of DRAGON BALL battles!

Unleash the strength of over 180 fighters from DRAGON BALL Z, DRAGON BALL Super, DRAGON BALL GT, and selected DRAGON BALL movies, all in the base game! Each character comes with their own signature abilities, transformations, and techniques.

Make the destructive power of the strongest fighters ever to appear in DRAGON BALL yours!

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Engage in heart-pounding, high-speed 3D battles that stay true to the anime and video game series, with breathtaking visuals and authentic combat moves like beam clashes, rush attacks, movements too quick for the eyes to see, and planet-razing ultimate attacks.

Challenge other players online to test your skills, or sit down with friends offline to hone your skills exclusively in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber! Fight your way to become a champion across various tournament modes and victory conditions.

Conquer the action-packed battles from the beloved original story, or discover and unlock new encounters for your favorite Z-Fighters and more. Relive your favorite moments from the series through cutscenes you can experience from the perspectives of eight characters!

Recreate your favorite battles from throughout the DRAGON BALL story, or set up your dream story battle with your favorite characters! Share your creations with other fans and experience the battles brought to life by imaginations around the world.

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Released

October 11, 2024

Publisher(s)

Namco Bandai

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

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Engine

proprietary engine

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence

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How Long To Beat

8 Hours

How Long To Beat (Completionist Runs)

80 Hours

PS Plus Availability

N/A

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Split Screen Orientation

Vertical

Local Co-Op Support

1-2 Players

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OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Early Access Release

October 7, 2024

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