Highlights
- Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero continues the legacy of Budokai Tenkaichi with a huge roster and dream matches spanning the Dragon Ball franchise.
- The return of the iconic Sonic Sway technique in Sparking! Zero has longtime fans excited, with the new gameplay mechanics and character interactions also being promising.
- With promises of a new era for Dragon Ball Z arena-fighting, Sparking! Zero aims to deliver a thrilling experience for longtime fans and newcomers alike.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is the latest video game adaptation of the legendary Dragon Ball franchise. Announced as the next entry in the Budokai Tenkaichi series, the game is set to build upon the legacy of Dragon Ball Z’s most revered era of fighting games. While the franchise has seen no shortage of adaptations in the nearly 17 years since Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 was released, no title has recaptured the essence of what made the series so unique and addictive. However, a new trailer for Sparking! Zero, titled Master and Apprentice, suggests the upcoming title intends to do just that, with the one returning gameplay mechanic paying direct homage to Budokai Tenkaichi 3.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is the spiritual successor to the Budokai Tenkaichi series, which was revered for its sprawling roster and unique fighting mechanics. Continuing that legacy, Sparking Zero is set to feature more playable characters than any of its predecessors, allowing players to recreate their favorite battles from across the Dragon Ball franchise. What’s more, fans can create dream matches decades in the making, as the title will be the first Budokai Tenkaichi to see characters from the past face off against those from the series’ newest iteration, Dragon Ball Super. According to a recent trailer, it appears these match-ups will see the return of fan-favorite gameplay mechanics, with one, Sonic Sway, gaining the attention of Dragon Ball fans old and new.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero's Fusions Are in a Bit of a Pickle
The ongoing drought of dedicated fusion mechanics in Dragon Ball fighting games could impact Sparking Zero when it needs them the most.
Budokai Tenkaichi's Sonic Sway Technique Explained
The Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series introduced a host of adrenaline-pumping mechanics and techniques, which kept its 3D arena-fighting both fast and furious. With each subsequent release, the Budokai Tenkaichi series altered and refined key features, creating offensive and defensive techniques that made players truly feel like they wielded the abilities of their favorite characters. The series' final entry, Budokai Tenkaichi 3, introduced what is revered by many fans to be the best mechanic of all, Sonic Sway, which adapted a legendary Dragon Ball ability to games for the first time. It also marked the first time in franchise history that this powerful technique was given a name.
Fans of the Dragon Ball Z anime have long marveled at the strongest fighters' ability to nonchalantly dodge an onslaught of attacks without breaking a sweat. However, Budokai Tenkaichi 3 was the first time the ability was at fans’ disposal. Officially termed Sonic Sway, the technique allowed players to quickly dodge incoming attacks, draining their opponent's Ki and opening them up to a strong counterattack. The ability was performed by holding the Block button and pressing the Energy button right before an opponent’s attack landed. If performed correctly, a player’s character would effortlessly dodge a slew of attacks, delivering one of the best, and most exhilarating, exchanges the title had to offer.
Sparking! Zero’s Master and Apprentice Trailer Marks the Return of Sonic Sway
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero has delivered a consistent stream of character and gameplay reveals over the past few months, leading many fans to conclude that the full range of gameplay features had already been revealed. However, the title’s latest showcase, Master and Apprentice, heralds the return of two classic gameplay mechanics, including the legendary Sonic Sway. Near the one-minute mark of Sparking! Zero’s Master and Apprentice trailer, Gohan is seen effortlessly dodging the attacks that his future partner, Videl, throws at him, before delivering a swift blow to create space. Fans' reactions were immediate and overwhelmingly positive, with many hailing the reveal of Sonic Sway as the highlight of the entire trailer.
With the reveal of a new and improved Sonic Sway technique, the series’ largest roster to date, and more reveals likely to come, fans are more excited than ever for the release of the Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero. Whether the title can live up to these lofty expectations is yet to be seen, but all signs point to Sparking! Zero ushering in a new era for Dragon Ball Z’s classic arena-fighting series. While additional reveals have yet to be announced, fans may see more of the title very soon. Earlier this week, Bandai Namco was included among Summer Game Fest’s first round of partners and publishers, leading many to hope that Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero will make a major appearance.
