Following an exciting gameplay trailer at The Game Awards 2023, Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero producer Jun Furutani shared more insight about the game in an IGN interview, revealing that it takes inspiration from Dragon Ball FighterZ.
The new Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi game was announced during Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour 2023. Details about this particular game were scarce until the new trailer was shown at The Game Awards 2023, highlighting the incredible visuals and gameplay of Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero.
Inspiration Behind Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero Development
In the new interview, Furutani believes it was finally time to create an “evolved” Dragon Ball gameplay experience for next-gen consoles (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S). At the time of early development, Furutani observed the Dragon Ball FighterZ eSports scene to identify ways of recreating iconic battles in a similar experience in Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero. Moreover, the game will push “the limits of how much a player can completely immerse themselves into the world” according to Furutani.
Furutani also notes the environmental effects in Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO, which reacts in real time. For instance, wind will pick up around Goku as he charges up and transforms. The game is developed in Unreal Engine 5, so the effects are more “real” and immersive than ever before. Furutani specifically notes that the game has been in development for five years.
The game’s official gameplay trailer highlights several playable characters, including Dragon Ball Super versions of Goku, Vegeta, Android 18, Krillin, Broly, and Frieza. Many other characters from across the series will appear as well, including Future Trunks, Jiren, and Cell. However, Furutani did not divulge details about the game’s modes and playable character roster.
Lastly, Dragon Ball fans can expect more updates at Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour 2024 in January 2024. The event will feature news about Dragon Ball FighterZ, Dragon Ball Card Game, Dragon Ball Legends, and Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle.
