When is the Dragon Ball Sparking Zero release date? While its subtitle may be unfamiliar to Western audiences, Sparking Zero is actually the long-awaited Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 4. After a 16-year hiatus, publisher Bandai Namco has drafted in Spike Chunsoft – the original studio at the helm of Budokai Tenkaichi – to ensure Sparking Zero remains an authentic Dragon Ball experience for fans and newcomers alike.
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero ushers the popular 3D arena brawler onto current-gen platforms, and we expect it to take advantage of all the latest tech to ensure the fighting game looks and feels as smooth as ever. Aside from the core gameplay mechanics that define the Budokai Tenkaichi series, Sparking Zero is also set to include “genre-defining features” to create “one of the most immersive anime game experiences of all time” according to Bandai Namco CEO Arnaud Muller. Here’s what we know ahead of the Dragon Ball Sparking Zero release date.
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero release date estimate
The Dragon Ball Sparking Zero release date is likely to fall in Q4 2024. This is based on previous entries in the series, which were all released in October and November. Spike Chunsoft games tend to have a gap of only several months between their announcement and launch, so we don’t expect the release date to extend into 2025.
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero will be available on PC via Steam, as well as on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S for console users.
There’s also a possibility that Dragon Ball Sparking Zero might be an upcoming Game Pass game, given that we’ve seen Dragon Ball FighterZ on Game Pass back in 2022. However, Bandai Namco has given no indication it will be available on the subscription service at launch.
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero trailers
An official reveal trailer for Budokai Tenkaichi 4 was first shown at Bandai Namco’s Dragon Ball Battle Hour in March 2023. This brief teaser features Goku’s transformation into Super Saiyan Blue in a seamless transition from Budokai Tenkaichi 3 into the next installment of the series. While it didn’t confirm the name of the latest entry, the trailer served as our first real indication that the Budokai Tenkaichi series was set to continue.
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero was officially revealed in an announcement trailer that aired during The Game Awards 2023. The trailer opens with gameplay footage of Goku and Vegeta duking it out in the Gizard Wasteland, trading Kamehameha and Galick Gun attacks before simultaneously transforming into Super Saiyan Blue in an explosion of Ki energy. We’re also afforded a preview of just some of the most prominent fighters in Sparking Zero’s roster, including Freiza, Piccolo, Krillin, Trunks, and Cel.
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero gameplay
Despite the decade-and-a-half since Budokai Tenkaichi 3’s release, the Dragon Ball Sparking Zero gameplay we’ve seen so far remains remarkably faithful to its predecessors. Players can choose from an extensive roster of beloved Dragon Ball characters and go head-to-head in expansive arenas. Combat extends from the ground to the sky, as characters unleash their signature abilities and techniques to reduce their opponent’s health bar to zero.
The Sparking Zero announcement trailer invites players to ‘shake the earth’ and ‘break the heavens’, and appears to confirm that battle arenas will be fully destructible. We’ve already seen Goku and Vegeta topple the rock pillars of the Gizard Wasteland using their Ki abilities, but we also catch a glimpse of Frieza sending his Supernova attack down to Namek’s surface, causing the landscape to crack open and be consumed by boiling lava.
Now that you’re all set for the Dragon Ball Sparking Zero release date, check out some of the upcoming PC games you might want to take for a spin before you don your battle armor. We’ve also got some of the best multiplayer games if you and your pals need to brush up on your reflexes before you reacquaint yourselves with the Budokai Tenkaichi series.