Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is the one game in this franchise that everyone knew was going to be a success from the get-go. With a vast character roster, 3D battles that fully capture the energy of the anime, and stunning visuals, that’s precisely what has happened as well.
Amidst all the excitement, though, there’s one odd bit about the game that people just can’t help but laugh at due to its implementation. In fact, it is so funny to see something like this in 2024 that you can’t even make your mind on whether it’s useful or completely useless.
Now, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is an amazing title that excels at capturing the spirit of the Dragon Ball franchise. Its fast-paced, arena-style combat mirrors all the iconic fights we once fell in love with back in the Budokai Tenkaichi days.
Plus, from mid-air battles to dramatic ki-blasts, every move feels ripped straight from the anime but given even more of that feeling of spectacle with its stunning visuals. But, with all that action going on, let’s say you decide to press pause.
Well, what you’ll be met with is about as bare-bones and bizarre as it can possibly be – a simple window would pop up, with only an option to close it and get back into action. There’s no option to quit, no character switching, no moves list, and no settings to tweak.
Most Useless Pause Menu in Gaming??? pic.twitter.com/MqClI2Znlk
— Daboy🕷 (@Daboyui) October 8, 2024
It is truly a baffling design choice from Spike Chunsoft, but there is a good way to look at it. We can assume that it was simply a method the developers employed to avoid any rage-quitting in the game. But this feels rather short-sighted, given that people can just close the game itself on their systems.
They really said “you ain’t running from this ass beating”
— TW – Thank You Akira Toriyama (@VenturaWanderer) October 8, 2024
What makes things a little funnier is that the menu still exists in local/offline matches. You might expect the ability to swap characters or at least exit the match if in offline mode, but the game still forces you to continue and complete the match before doing any of that.
Private Matches can’t leave lobbies alright man what
— Daboy🕷 (@Daboyui) October 8, 2024
While many speculate this minimalism was intentional to keep players focused on the intense battles and evoke a sense of nostalgia for the old days, it’s hard to see how this enhances the experience in a truly meaningful way.
That 2005 pause menu aside, thankfully, the game doesn’t stumble where it truly matters. For starters, the 182-character roster is genuinely a Dragon Ball fan’s dream, featuring everyone from iconic fighters like Ultra Instinct Goku to more obscure characters like Turles and Baby.
Not to mention, the story mode, in particular, is masterfully crafted, blending classic Dragon Ball sagas with alternate what-if scenarios, such as Gohan’s surprising victory over Golden Frieza or the emergence of Gohan Black.
Plus, we really need to emphasize that visually, Sparking! Zero is an unbelievably pretty game, with its dynamic lighting, destructible environments, and over-the-top special attacks.
The art execution alone makes all Battles feel larger than life, just like in the anime, with characters smashing through mountains or launching energy blasts that illuminate the entire battlefield.
So, while the pause menu is an odd misstep, and admittedly, the game could lean further into Dragon Ball Super-related content, it still, at the end of the day, provides a satisfying journey back into this universe for long-time fans and newcomers alike.
But with all that said, what are your thoughts on Sparking! Zero so far? Did you find yourself amused or annoyed by that pause menu? Let us know in the comments below!
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