Mortal Kombat 1, Street Fighter 6, and Tekken 8 have nothing on the next Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi installment, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero.
The next entry in the iconic fighting game franchise is the biggest leap in terms of graphics, gameplay, and content. As expected, Front and center in the latest trailer is the forever rivalry between Goku and Vegeta.
What stood out isn’t the occassional duo’s fighting prowess, but the extensive range of characters available to players.
One of the most remarkable aspects revealed in the trailer is the game’s massive character roster. A quick glimpse at the end of the trailer shows a whopping 164 character slots. While most of these slots remain unfilled, the first 24 characters are various forms of Goku and Vegeta, ranging from early appearances to latest transformations like Super Saiyan God and Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan.
Bandai Namco and developer Spike Chunsoft have taken an interesting approach by focusing on Goku and Vegeta in the initial character reveal. This choice caters to the long-standing fan fascination with these iconic characters and their evolving forms throughout the series. The inclusion of multiple forms for Goku and Vegeta aligns with the tradition of the Budokai Tenkaichi series, where each character variant possesses unique abilities and fighting styles.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, known as Budokai Tenkaichi 4, showcases next-gen graphics and action-packed combat and gameplay in its latest trailer, closely mirroring the anime adaptation’s intense battles. The game releases on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and PC, and while there is no concrete release date yet, it’s expected to come out later this year.
The new trailer also highlights the rivalry between Goku and Vegeta through various stages of their journey. It features a range of environments and transformations, demonstrating the depth and variety Sparking Zero promises to offer. Its use of Unreal Engine 5 contributes to its impressive visuals, bringing the characters and their moves to life with stunning detail.
Fans can expect Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero to add to the legacy of the Budokai Tenkaichi series with its expansive and robust character roster as well as its immersive gameplay. While the initial focus on Goku and Vegeta forms might seem limiting, it opens the door for a diverse range of characters to be introduced later.
