Do you need to have prior Dragon Ball knowledge to play Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO? 

Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO has topped the PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam charts to become one of the most pre-ordered games, causing many gamers to wonder if they need prior knowledge of the Dragon Ball franchise to enjoy it. Fortunately for them, the answer is no. The developers at Spike Chunsoft have designed a fantastic game that allows anyone to pick up Sparking! ZERO and enjoy it.

That said, there are some elements that only the long-time fans of the series will recognize. This article will dive deep into the Dragon Ball franchise to answer whether you require prior knowledge about the franchise to enjoy Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and reflect the author's opinions.

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A brief summary of the Dragon Ball

Goku from the original Dragon Ball animated series (Image via Crunchyroll)

Dragon Ball is a Japanese media franchise created by Akira Toriyama. The story was first written and illustrated in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine and follows the story of Son Goku and his adventures to find seven the wish-granting orbs called Dragon Balls.

The animated series is divided into Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and Dragon Ball Super where Goku meets various allies and undergoes multiple transformations to protect Earth from increasingly dangerous enemies.

Dragon Ball has captured the hearts of millions and its impact on modern entertainment, especially anime, is undeniable. The series is the source of some of the most iconic media characters like Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan, and phrases like "Kamehameha" and "Super Saiyan" are instantly recognizable.

Also check: Dragon Ball Watch Order guide

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Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO explained

Sparking: ZERO is a new entry in the Budokai Tenkaichi series (Image via Bandai Namco)

Thanks to Dragon Ball’s popularity, the series has given birth to various video game series throughout the years. Among them, the Budokai Tenkaichi series became one of the most popular Dragon Ball video game series. Titles in this series are known for their fast-paced combat, destructible environments, and beautiful visuals that successfully capture the essence and scale of Dragon Ball’s combat.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is the latest installment in the Budokai Tenkaichi series, and brings all the characters from Dragon Ball history to present a massive 182-character roster at launch.

Also check: Dragon Ball Sparking Zero review - A near-flawless addition to the classic Budokai Tenkaichi franchise

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Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO Combat explained

The combat faithfully recreates Dragon Ball battles (Image via Bandai Namco)

Sparking! ZERO is essentially an arena fighter, where players can run and fly around a 3D-destructible arena in teams of up to five characters. On the surface level, the combat is quite simple and easy to understand.

Characters have access to one projectile attack, one melee attack that can be chained into combos, two special attacks, and two support abilities. That said, there is sufficient depth and learning required to master different counter techniques, rush attacks, follow-up attacks, and projectile attacks.

On top of that, there are mid-battle transformations and the Sparking Mode that give access to even stronger ultimate moves and combos to keep the pressure up.

Overall, each character, whether it’s a transformation or a standalone character, features its unique abilities and moveset, meaning there is necessary depth to mastering every character in this arena-fighter.

Also check: Will Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO be available on Xbox Game Pass?

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Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO Storytelling explained

Episodic Battles recreate major Dragon Ball moments (Image via Bandai Namco)

The standard campaign mode of the Budokai Tenkaichi series is replaced by Episode Battle in Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO. Episode Battle mode tells the story of Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super from the perspective of eight different characters. This mode is a great segway for anyone diving into the world of Dragon Ball for the very first time.

The cutscenes and voice acting are crisp and cinematic, providing newcomers with the grand scale of the franchise's battles and storytelling. The addition of “What-if” scenarios also gives players the choice to shift from the Dragon Ball canon to experience entirely new story outcomes.

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Is prior Dragon Ball knowledge necessary to enjoy Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO?

As stated earlier, you do not need to have any Dragon Ball knowledge to play and enjoy Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO. The developers have done a fantastic job of introducing new players to the world of Dragon Ball.

There is a proper single-player campaign, tutorial section, and online multiplayer game modes to keep any fighting game enthusiast engaged for hours, even if they’re not a Dragon Ball fan.

Whether you are a die-hard fan or simply looking for a fun and exciting fighting game, Sparking! ZERO is worth checking out.