The hype is over 9000! After more than fifteen years, the legendary *Budokai Tenkaichi* series is returning under its original Japanese moniker, *Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO*. For fans who grew up with the earth-shattering battles and sprawling character rosters of the originals, this isn't just a new game; it's the revival of a legacy. The trailers have already promised a faithful evolution of the gameplay we adored, with stunning visuals and a palpable sense of power.
As the release approaches, the global Dragon Ball community has been buzzing with a collective energy, much like Goku charging a Spirit Bomb. We're all gathering our hopes and dreams, channeling them into a single, powerful wish for the ultimate Dragon Ball game. This article is our version of summoning Shenron. It’s a comprehensive list of wishes—from essential characters to dream gameplay mechanics—that would make *Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO* not just a great game, but a truly legendary one.
Shenron's Roster: The Ultimate Character Wish List
A *Sparking!* game is defined by its roster. We're not just wishing for the usual suspects; we're wishing for a deep, comprehensive list that celebrates every corner of the Dragon Ball universe.
1. The Return of the Movie Villains: Give us the non-canon icons in all their glory. We need Final Form Cooler, Super Janemba, Lord Slug, Turles, and the legendary Super Saiyan Broly (Z version, of course).
2. Dragon Ball Super's Heavy Hitters: Beyond Jiren and Broly (DBS), let's see characters like Moro, Granolah, Gas, and even the divine Ultra Ego Vegeta.
3. The Original Dragon Ball Crew: Don't forget where it all started! Give us Kid Goku (with Power Pole and Flying Nimbus), Demon King Piccolo, Mercenary Tao, and Master Roshi (at full power).
4. The Mighty Fusions: We expect Vegito and Gogeta, but let's go deeper with Gotenks (including Super Saiyan 3), Kefla, and maybe even a "What-If" fusion like Gokhan (Goku/Gohan).
5. The Complete Z-Fighter Support Team: Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu should have their most iconic moves, but let's also get a fully playable Videl and Yajirobe (with Senzu Beans!).
6. All Forms Accounted For: Ensure every key transformation is a separate, selectable form. We want to be able to start a match as 2nd Form Frieza or Semi-Perfect Cell if we choose.
7. Giants Among Us: Bring back the giant character battles! We need Great Ape Vegeta, Hirudegarn, and Lord Slug in their massive forms for truly epic showdowns.
8. The GT Revival: While controversial, *GT* has some incredible designs. Super Saiyan 4 Goku and Vegeta are a must, but let's also wish for Omega Shenron, Super 17, and Baby Vegeta.
9. A Truly Surprising Joke Character: Every great roster needs a wild card. Bring back Arale from Penguin Village or even Farmer with a Shotgun for the ultimate meme-tier victory.
Hyperbolic Time Chamber Training: Gameplay Mechanics We're Wishing For
Beyond the characters, the feel of the fight is what makes these games timeless. We're wishing for a system that is both a nostalgic throwback and a modern evolution.
1. The Classic Beam Struggle: We need the frantic, thumb-destroying joy of a classic beam struggle. Kamehameha vs. Galick Gun clashes should be epic, screen-filling events.
2. Deeply Destructible Environments: Don't just crack the ground; let us obliterate it. Fights should leave the landscape looking like a post-battle wasteland, with craters where mountains used to be.
3. Meaningful Transformations: Make transforming mid-battle a strategic choice, not just a cosmetic change. Perhaps it restores a portion of health but leaves you vulnerable, or grants a massive but temporary power boost.
4. "What-If" In-Game Fusions: Allow for in-battle fusions (Potara or Dance) if you have the right characters on your team in a tag battle. It would be a high-risk, high-reward mechanic.
5. A Refined Melee System: Keep the spirit of the original's combo system but add more depth. Implement timed counters, directional knock-backs, and unique combo strings for every single character.
6. Team Battle Dynamics: Improve the 3v3 or 5v5 team battle modes with unique support actions, team-up ultimate attacks, and strategic character switching.
7. Ki Management and Charge: Keep the classic ki charge, but make it strategic. Maybe charging leaves you open to attack, forcing players to find an opening just like in the anime.
8. The Return of "Rush Ki": Bring back the super-fast, evasive dashing that made the original games feel so fluid and frantic, allowing for instant repositioning and surprise attacks.
The 'What-If' Saga: Story Modes & Scenarios We Crave
The "What-If" scenarios were a beloved part of the *Budokai Tenkaichi* legacy. We're wishing for a story mode that not only retells the sagas we love but also explores tantalizing alternate histories.
1. A Full-Fledged "What-If" Mode: Give us branching narratives based on key moments. What if Raditz turned good? What if Vegeta achieved Super Saiyan on Namek? What if Cell absorbed Krillin instead of 18?
2. Saga Mode with a Twist: Replay the classic sagas, but from different character perspectives. Experience the Frieza Saga as Vegeta, or the Cell Games from Gohan's point of view.
3. The "History of Trunks" Timeline: A dedicated mini-campaign that lets us play through the desolate future timeline of Trunks, fighting the Androids in a desperate struggle for survival.
4. A "Tournament of Power" Gauntlet: A survival mode where you pick a team of fighters and try to last as long as possible in a battle-royale-style tournament, knocking opponents off the stage.
5. "Villain Victory" Scenarios: Let us play out scenarios where the villains won. Conquer Earth as Frieza, achieve perfection as Cell, or unleash Majin Buu's full destructive power across the galaxy.
6. "Cross-Era Clash" Storylines: Create short, original stories that bring characters from different eras together. Imagine Cooler arriving during the Cell Games or GT's Omega Shenron facing off against Jiren.
7. Mission Mode with Unique Objectives: Include a mode with specific challenges beyond just winning a fight, like "Survive for 60 seconds against Broly" or "Defeat 10 Saibamen using only Yamcha's Wolf Fang Fist."
Capsule Corp's Finest: Presentation & Customization Wishes
A game's soul is in its details. From the music to the menus, we're wishing for a polished experience that screams Dragon Ball from every pixel.
1. A Killer Original and Licensed Soundtrack: Give us a new, hype-inducing score, but also include an option to use the original Japanese broadcast audio and classic themes like "Cha-La Head-Cha-La."
2. Extensive Character Customization: Let us customize character colors, outfits, and even auras. A black-and-gold Frieza or a Goku in his Yardrat armor would be fantastic.
3. A Robust Replay and Photo Mode: With graphics this good, we need a feature-rich photo mode to capture epic moments and a replay system to re-watch our favorite battles from cinematic angles.
4. Authentic Voice Acting in Multiple Languages: Ensure a high-quality, passionate performance from the original Japanese cast and the beloved English VAs.
5. Clean, Unobtrusive UI: Let the action be the star. The health and ki bars should be clear but minimal, allowing the beautiful visuals to shine without clutter.
6. Interactive Menus and Lobbies: Create a fun lobby where our avatars can interact, maybe a hub world like Conton City or even a simple area like Kami's Lookout.
7. Battle Damage That Lasts: Characters' clothes should rip and tear, and they should show scuffs and bruises that persist through the fight and transformations. Seeing a tattered Gi on a Super Saiyan Blue Goku adds to the drama.
A Wish Beyond the Dragon Balls: Our Most Over-the-Top Hopes
This is for the wishes that are so ambitious, you'd probably need Super Shenron to grant them. But hey, a fan can dream!
1. A Full-Scale World Tournament Mode: An in-game tournament mode with a proper bracket system, announcer, and ring-out rules, playable both online and offline.
2. Cross-Platform Play: Unite the entire player base by allowing users on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC to battle against one another from day one.
3. A True Dragon Ball Encyclopedia: An in-game database with detailed models, character bios, and story summaries that acts as the ultimate fan resource.
4. Procedurally Generated "What-Ifs": A mode that randomly generates a bizarre "What-If" scenario for a single battle, creating endless, hilarious, and unpredictable matchups.
5. The Ability to Destroy Planets: In space-based stages, let a sufficiently powerful ultimate attack (like a Super Spirit Bomb or Death Ball) completely destroy the planet, ending the match in a dramatic draw.
6. A "Build-A-Fighter" Mode: Go beyond simple CaC (Create-a-Character) and let us build a fighter by mixing and matching moves from the entire roster to create our dream warrior.
7. Long-Term DLC That Explores Manga Arcs: A commitment to post-launch support that brings the *Dragon Ball Super* manga arcs, like the Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga (Moro) and the Granolah the Survivor Saga, to life.
### Your Turn to Make a Wish
And there you have it—our ultimate wish list for *Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO*. These are the hopes and dreams that we believe would elevate the game from a welcome return to an all-time masterpiece. But just like the Spirit Bomb, the strength of our collective wish comes from everyone contributing.
What are your biggest wishes for the game? Is there a character you're desperate to see or a gameplay feature you can't live without? Take the ideas from this list that resonate with you, add your own personal flair, and share your excitement. Let's send our energy to the developers and hope that when the game finally arrives, it's everything we've been wishing for and more.