Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Can't Be The End of One Feature

The latest Dragon Ball game is out, and fans have been loving it so far. Setting out to become the ultimate fanservice package, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero has everything one would expect from a new licensed title in Akira Toriyama’s prestige franchise, along with several things one wouldn't. While there are a lot of other contemporary AAA Dragon Ball titles putting pressure on this one to stand out, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero is also using the Japanese subtitle of the fan-favorite Budokai Tenkaichi game line, and that comes with expectations high enough that being bad is no longer an option.

Fortunately, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero was able to rise to the challenge. Initially presenting itself as topping Budokai Tenkaichi's enormous roster by a couple of characters, Sparking Zero’s final trailer revealed a whopping 182 characters for its launch, and that is set to balloon to over 200 after the first season pass concludes. The game is fully outfitted with decent delay-based online multiplayer, a story mode full of branching paths, and lots of bonus animations and voice clips to make the experience feel special. However, one mode stands above the rest, and, despite its imperfections, it needs to be a regular sight.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero’s Custom Battle Is An Instant Highlight

From the same screen in the main menu where players would access the Episode Battle story mode, they can also find Bonus Battle and Custom Battle. Bonus Battles are, essentially, pre-made scenarios constructed by Sparking Zero's developers to showcase the capabilities of Custom Battle, with some unlockables and progression elements attached. The main event is Sparking Zero's Dragon Ball “what if” creator Custom Battle itself, and it delivers exactly what it promises. For a fandom as old and active as Dragon Ball’s, handing fans an in-game fanfiction maker is wild, and it only gets better.

Sparking Zero’s Custom Battle Mode Could Be Its Secret Weapon

Custom Battle’s gameplay side is arguably its unsung hero, as it allows for dynamic, layered effect programming that can make Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero's battles feel even more authentic than they already do. Meanwhile, the story editor has some limits on the effects and poses it allows, and its enormous collection of pre-written dialogue is hard to parse, but it is capable of producing a wide range of scenarios in the hands of someone willing to learn it. Some art stills based on iconic Dragon Ball story moments can be unlocked, giving Custom Battle some synergy with Sparking Zero's other modes as well.

Dragon Ball’s Custom Battle Still Has Potential Left To Unlock

While it would be nice to include animation in the story scenes and input original text, Custom Battle is a fantastic addition to Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero's repertoire. It's also a novelty in gaming in general, as custom quests or scenario creators are a rare sight. Aside from Sparking Zero, Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy is the only comparable game with a mode like Custom Battle, that doesn't need to remain the case in the future. Custom Battle deserves to be innovated upon, and not just by its creators.

Many Franchises Would Benefit From Their Own Custom Battle

Although another Dragon Ball game like Sparking Zero is probably a long way off, other franchises could get in on the action. For example, one more iteration in the Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm line could feasibly include something like Custom Battle, giving players the chance to apply CyberConnect2’s cinematic strengths to its regular gameplay. One Piece and Bleach are also great franchises to host this feature, and even Dynasty Warriors and its spin-offs could make something out of an in-depth custom scenario maker. There are plenty of places for Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero’s Custom Battles left to go, and passionate players would be more than happy to see their tools refined.