The popularity of theDragon Ballfranchise isn’t slowing down anytime soon, as the latest video game in the series,Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, hit a record number of sales in a short time.Sparking! Zero,from publisher Bandai Namco,is the latest entry in theDragon Ball: Budokai Tenkaichiseries of fighting games set in the world ofDragon Ball Z.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero’sDragonBallGamesaccountannounced the landmark number of sales on X (viaGematsu), noting: “We’re thrilled to announce that DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO has officially sold 5 million copies worldwide!“Fans had been waiting for a newBudokai Tenkaichisuccessor for nearly 20 years, and the anticipation - along with an impressive reception at launch - led to record sales.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero Has Reached An Amazing Milestone
Sparking! Zero Has Set An Impressive Record For Bandai Namaco
With five million copies sold worldwide,Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zerohas become the fastest-sellingDragon Ballconsole game to date, even surpassing some of the most popularDragon Balltitles, includingXenoverse 2andDragon Ball Z: Kakarot. The game is riding a wave of popularity afterDragon Ball Daima’srelease, which put the franchise back on top asToei Animation’s top earner. In addition to being a new entry in a long-running franchise that establishedDragon Ballon console,Sparking Zero!allows fans to explore a variety of alternate endings to iconicDragon Ballsagas.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero’s 10 Best Characters, Ranked
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero has a staggering number of playable characters befitting the long-running franchise, but they’re not all equal.
The arena brawler allows fans to revisit iconic battles from theDragon Ballanime from the classic Freiza saga to fights fromDragon Ball Super. Like the original Budokai Tenkaichi entries,Sparking Zero!allows for custom battles and multiplayer so fans can live out their most interesting “What ifs” and fight against or alongside their friends.
The story mode’sWhat If scenariosinclude Goku triggering his Super Saiyan form during his first fight with Vegeta. In the original anime, Goku didn’t achieve Super Saiyan until the infamous battle with Frieza. So, for years, players were accustomed to playing out this original scenario in just about everyDragon Ballvideo game.InSparking Zero!fans get to live out a variety of alternate endings and fights that have made the game enticing beyond its refined fighting mechanics.
The Title Has Been A Hit Since Its Launch In October
Sparking Zero! Has Been A Sales Juggernaut From The Start
Sparking! Zero’s sales milestone means Bandai Namco and developer Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd have a lot to live up to when it comes to the nextDragon Ballgame release - whenever that might be.Sparking Zero!was a hit among critics, with aMetacriticscore of 81%. With the promise of DLC that’ll include plenty of popular side characters from the anime, it’s not hard to seeSparking Zero!hit even more milestones in the future.
InScreenRant’sSparking Zero! review, we gave it a 9/10, saying:“Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is an excellent addition to the Budokai Tenkaichi franchise that more than justifies the long wait for its release.“The near-perfect roster, creative custom battles, and interesting What If scenarios madeSparking! Zeroa standout entry in a long-running franchise that has yet to lose its worldwide popularity. It’s easy to see whyDragon Ball: Sparking! Zerohas been such a big seller among fans.
