Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is a final flash from the past, sometimes to a fault, but the feeling of traveling back to a simpler time when games didn’t have to be balanced or competitive to be fun is still a good one.

The frenetic fighting Dragon Ball fans expect is here, but it's marred by an overall shallow experience with more repetition than revolution.

Sparking! Zero is everything Dragon Ball fans will have wanted, but it's also just a blast for those unbothered by its extensive fan-service.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is the best Dragon Ball game we've had since the PS2 and a generous love letter to Toriyama's classic series.

Intentionally prioritizing flashy fanservice over competitive play, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero provides the most complete series toybox yet. But, with simple enemy AI and repetitive fighting mechanics, it lacks the depth of its more serious competition to the point of becoming rote.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is an impressively robust celebration of all things Dragon Ball. It's just about as bombastic as arena fighters get, and while the game could do a much better job of teaching players the ropes, there's a technical depth to combat that makes the learning curve feel incredibly rewarding. Boasting a colossal character roster and some of the best anime-based visuals in gaming, Sparking! Zero is an absolute blast.

Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero delivers a commendable 3D brawler experience even if some visual and performance issues persist. The immense roster is sure to please any Dragon Ball fan, no matter what age or era they entered the franchise. The branching narratives in Episode Battles and the online play are fun staples to the game, and it feels right at home on Switch 2.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero delivers thrilling fights, but its disjointed story mode doesn't hold up its end of the bargain.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is undeniably one of the best games based on Akira Toriyama's series. With an engaging story mode that includes intriguing what-if scenarios, a combat system that's easy to learn but challenging to master, a massive character roster, and impressive attention to detail, Spike Chunsoft has created a must-have for Dragon Ball fans. If you've ever wanted to be Goku and scream your heart out before unleashing secret techniques, this is the game for you.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is a game that many fans have wanted for fifteen years, and while it was delivered to us, it does feel like it is lacking in some areas. There are issues with the camera and combat at times, but the game is still fun, flashy and over the top like fans deserve. Fans may also find newer stories missing somewhat frustrating, with some story arcs missing at launch or otherwise unavailable until a further date. Out of the box, this is still a solid game with a huge cast of characters and a ton of optional content available to the player. This was made for the fans of Dragon Ball and might not end up being for everyone.