The biggest appeal of the Budokai Tenkaichi series has always been the intensive combat, distilled oftentimes directly from the anime, but practically every DBZ game features the franchise's timeless story. DBZ's upcoming game may be more Budokai Tenkaichi than DBZ: Kakarot, but the same can be said for Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero. While its launch roster and gameplay are at the forefront of the discussion, the game will likely feature some form of story-based mode, and many fans may be curious as to what sagas they will be available to play.
It's worth pointing out that the Budokai Tenkaichi 3 had a story mode that covered the main sagas of DBZ (Saiyan, Frieza, Android/Cell, and Majin Buu), the movies, Dragon Ball GT, the OG Dragon Ball, and a special What If Saga.
However, neither developer Spike Chunsoft nor publisher Bandai Namco have officially come out and said anything about story modes quite yet. The good news, though, is that story modes and battle stages often (though not always) go hand in hand with fighting game rosters. Between Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero' s trailer, accompanying screenshots, and confirmed roster and stages, fans can at least determine some of the story sagas that should be available come release.
The Best Dragon Ball Games of All Time
From Budokai to FighterZ, here are the best Dragon Ball games ever made, ranked by fun, depth, and how well they capture the anime’s spirit.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Story Sagas
Ideally, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero would cover everything from DBZ, everything from Dragon Ball Super, and include some special surprises like OG Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball GT, and/or something special, such as a teaser arc for Dragon Ball Daima. Looking at what's been revealed so far, it's likely that these arcs are included in the game:
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DBZ
- Saiyan Saga
- Frieza Saga
- Android/Cell Saga
- Majin Buu Saga*
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DBS
- God of Destruction Beerus Saga*
- The Golden Frieza Saga
-
Universe 6 Saga*
- Copy Vegeta Saga** - This is an anime-only mini-arc with no evidence of its inclusion. It is included here simply because it of its placement on the timeline.
- Future Trunks Saga
- Universe Survival Saga
- Dragon Ball Super: Broly
*These sagas have marginally less substance; however, their inclusion would be more logical in association with other arcs than their exclusion.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Stages
Per the announcement trailer, there are two key stages shown so far for the game. Fans will easily recognize these as the wasteland where Goku and Vegeta first faced off during the Saiyan Saga, while the second was Planet Namek in various stages of its lifecycle. This may not be outright confirmation they'll appear in the story, but it does make it much more likely that Dragon Ball Z's Saiyan and Frieza Saga are represented in the game, to some degree.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Roster
Rumors suggest that Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero will have the largest roster of any DBZ game to date, which may be somewhat daunting given the size of games like Xenoverse 2. Nonetheless, only a handful of characters have been shown off so far, and they likely represent their perspective sagas and their roles in the game. It's not exactly hard evidence, but as an example, it would be downright evil to show someone like Granolah if Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero wasn't going into manga-only territory. The roster, as confirmed so far, includes the following:
- Android 17 (DBS)
- Android 18
- Bergamo (Giant Form)
- Broly (DBS: Wrathful + Super Saiyan)
- Cell (Perfect Form)
- Frieza (Final Form)
- Future Trunks (DBS: Super Saiyan)
- Goku (Base + Super Saiyan Blue)
- Innocent Buu
- Jiren
- Krillin
- Mr. Satan
- Piccolo
- Tien
- Vegeta (Base + Super Saiyan Blue)
- Yamcha
Based on this list, the inclusions of several DBS characters like Android 17, Bergamo, and Jiren all suggest the Universe Survival Saga would be included, while Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero could perhaps include Broly's Dragon Ball Super movie given his inclusion. The inclusion of Innocent Buu doesn't necessarily confirm the Majin Buu Saga given his recurring role and his role in Dragon Ball Super, but given there is some representation for every other saga, it would be an odd omission. The same can imply that the Golden Frieza Saga would be included because of Super Saiyan Blue Goku and Vegeta, while everything up to the Universe Survival Saga would likely be as well.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 86%
- Released
- October 11, 2024
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Spike Chunsoft
- Publisher(s)
- Namco Bandai
WHERE TO PLAY
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!
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.
- Franchise
- Dragon Ball
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Fighting, Action
