Highlights
- Local multiplayer may be confirmed for Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, delighting fans of the Budokai Tenkaichi series.
- The return of split-screen PvP multiplayer would be a nostalgic throwback for Dragon Ball gaming enthusiasts.
- Despite previous doubts, the latest update to the game's PlayStation Store listing suggests Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero may include local play.
Despite previous rumors to the contrary, it seems that Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero will indeed come with the ever-popular local multiplayer. Fans of the old Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series have been waiting anxiously for Sparking Zero ever since it was first announced at The Game Awards 2023, with their excitement growing with each new leak and character confirmation. Just like the past entries, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero will allow gamers to recreate their favorite Dragon Ball battles with a packed roster of the franchise’s most legendary heroes and villains.
Like with most competitive fighting games of the past, one of the biggest appeals of the Budokai Tenkaichi series was its local split-screen PvP multiplayer, which let friends play against each other from the couch. Online multiplayer didn’t come to the series until 2007’s Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3, though most players still preferred the local option. Unfortunately for them, insiders claimed that issues with Sony and Microsoft would prevent Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero from including split-screen multiplayer earlier this year, but that might not be the case after all.
How Dragon Ball Sparking Zero is Paying Homage to Budokai Tenkaichi 3
The latest trailer for Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero featured the return of a fan-favorite ability, paying direct homage to the series' past.
Twitter user and Dragon Ball gaming fan SLOplays noticed that the Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero PlayStation Store page has been updated to describe the game as being for “1-2 players,” whereas it previously only mentioned single-player and online multiplayer. So far, it seems this update only applies to the PlayStation Store; Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero’s Steam page still lists the game as being single-player and online PvP multiplayer only, while the Microsoft Store still doesn’t have the game listed at all at this present time.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Could Have Split-Screen Multiplayer After All
Of course, the Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Steam page might not have been updated to reflect the game having local multiplayer, but the PlayStation Store’s indication of this popular mode returning could be welcome news for gamers with fond memories of challenging each other in fast-paced duels between iconic rivals like Goku and Vegeta from their couches back in the day. Most anime-based arena fighters typically include split-screen multiplayer, and the rumors that Sparking Zero might have omitted it were met with much disappointment from die-hard fans.
While Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero’s list of gameplay features and playable characters from across various Dragon Ball media is coming together at a steady pace, the game’s release date remains ever elusive. This might change at the Summer Game Fest later this week, but for now players can at least breathe a sigh of relief that Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero may yet include the local split-screen multiplayer that helped make the Budokai Tenkaichi games some of the most well-regarded titles in the monumental Dragon Ball franchise.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
Considered part to the Budokai Tenkachi series, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is an in-development arena fighter developed by Spike Chunsoft and published by Namco Bandai.
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Developer(s)
- Spike Chunsoft
- Publisher(s)
- Namco Bandai
- Genre(s)
- Fighting , Action
