The biggest appeal of theBudokai Tenkaichiseries has always been the intensive combat, distilled oftentimes directly from the anime, but practically everyDBZgame features the franchise’s timeless story.DBZ’s upcoming game may be moreBudokai TenkaichithanDBZ: Kakarot, but the same can be said forDragon 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. BetweenDragon 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.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Story Sagas
Ideally,Dragon Ball: Sparking Zerowould cover everything fromDBZ, everything fromDragon Ball Super, and include some special surprises like OGDragon Ball, Dragon Ball GT, and/or something special, such as ateaser arc forDragon Ball Daima. Looking at what’s been revealed so far, it’s likely that these arcs are included in the game:
*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 thatDragon Ball Z’s Saiyan and Frieza Sagaare represented in the game, to some degree.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Roster
Rumors suggest thatDragon Ball: Sparking Zerowill have the largest rosterof anyDBZgame 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 showsomeone like GranolahifDragon Ball: Sparking Zerowasn’t going into manga-only territory. The roster, as confirmed so far, includes the following:
Based on this list, the inclusions of severalDBScharacters like Android 17, Bergamo, and Jiren all suggest theUniverse Survival Sagawould be included, whileDragon Ball: Sparking Zerocould perhaps include Broly’sDragon Ball Supermovie 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.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
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.
