Which characters are in Dragon Ball Sparking Zero? We’ve seen so many different versions of Dragon Ball fighting games over the years. Starting with the Budokai series which began back in 2002, transitioning into a 3D arena with Budokai Tenkaichi (named Sparkling in Japan), before taking the series to the esports scene with Dragon Ball FighterZ.
Sadly, the Dragon Ball Sparking Zero release date isn’t arriving any time soon, but there’s still plenty to look forward to. Dragon Ball Sparking Zero follows on from Budokai Tenkaichi, introducing a new entry to the fighting game series since 2010. Unlike past entries, this new title uses the Japanese name across the world. The Sparkling series is known for its massive and diverse roster of characters, with Budokai Tenkaichi 3 (or Sparkling! Meteor) featuring 96 characters and over 161 transformations.
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero characters list
Here are the confirmed characters in the Dragon Ball Sparking Zero roster so far:
- Base Goku (Super and Z – Early, Mid, End)
- Super Saiyan 1-3 Goku (Z – Mid and End)
- Super Saiyan God Goku (Super)
- Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Goku (Super)
- Base Vegeta (Super and Z – Scouter, Mid, End)
- Great Ape Vegeta
- Super Vegeta (Z – Mid)
- Super Saiyan 1-2 Vegeta (Super and Z Early and End)
- Majin Vegeta
- Super Saiyan God Vegeta (Super)
- Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Vegeta (Super)
- Broly (Super)
- Legendary Super Saiyan Broly (Super)
- Super Saiyan Broly Full Power (Super)
- Super Saiyan Trunks
- Super Saiyan Future Trunks (Super)
- Cell (Perfect)
- Majin Buu
- Frieza
- Jiren
- DBS Android 17
- Android 18
- Piccolo
- Krillin
- Yamcha
- Tien
- Hercule
- Bergamo
- Master Roshi Max Power
- Nappa
- Burter
- Jeice
- Hit
- Super Saiyan Kale (Berserk)
- Toppo
- Dyspo
- Kakunsa
Base Goku (Super and Z – Early, Mid, End)
You couldn’t have a Dragon Ball game without regular old Goku in his base form, and fortunately, Sparkling Zero features four versions of Base Goku. Just like the previous Budokai Tenkaichi games, each character variation features a unique move set, albeit with some slight tweaks. The version of Goku at the beginning of Z is drastically different from the man we see at the start of Super, both in terms of moves and abilities.
Super Saiyan 1-3 Goku (Z – Mid and End)
The first appearance of Super Saiyan 1 Goku is a separate form in this game, alongside Goku in all three Super Saiyan forms at the end of Z. The differentiating factors between Goku on Namek and his usual SSJ form include his ripped outfit and, surprisingly enough, the way physics is applied to his hair. Though nothing is stopping him from using these forms in Super, Goku is rarely seen using his golden-haired power-ups in the latest series.
Super Saiyan God Goku (Super)
The red-haired Super Saiyan God form is largely ignored these days in favor of SSGSS, but that’s not to say SSG is completely useless. In the case of Goku, we know he has access to several special abilities only ever seen in the Dragon Ball Super: Broly movie, including the God Bind which can briefly be seen in the first trailer.
Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Goku (Super)
Goku appears in his Super Saiyan Blue form, or Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan (SSGSS) as it’s more commonly known, for the first time in the Budokai Tenkaichi series. Part of the announcement trailer showed SSGSS Goku getting pummeled by Broly, so we can expect to see some of Goku’s more modern attacks make it in Dragon Ball Sparking Zero.
Base Vegeta (Super and Z – Scouter, Mid, End)
Base Vegeta makes his debut in Dragon Ball Sparking Zero, but this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. What should be surprising is the inclusion of Vegeta with his iconic scouter, debuting a less-skilled version of the proud Saiyan. The trailer gave us a glimpse of Vegeta parrying a ki beam, sending it flying into the distance, destroying part of the battlefield. We also see Vegeta attack Goku using Final Burst Cannon, a large purple ki beam that Goku easily teleports past.
Great Ape Vegeta
Get your hands on a giant-sized character with Great Ape Vegeta, giving you access to a massive monster that can rip through the stage elements with ease. These giant characters were nowhere near as large as they are in Sparkling Zero, so it’ll be interesting to see how they stack up against the rest of the cast this time around.
Super Vegeta (Z – Mid)
Dragon Ball Sparkling Zero’s roster is so granular that it breaks down individual forms of Super Saiyan, including Super Vegeta, a self-proclaimed title from the Prince of Saiyans. It’s important to note that this version of Vegeta is different from both Super Saiyan 1 and 2, it’s an in-between form that only featured once in Dragon Ball Z. The version of Vegeta was used against Imperfect Cell, though it has some downsides like increased muscle mass that slows the user down.
Super Saiyan 1-2 Vegeta (Super and Z Early and End)
Unlike Goku, Vegeta has used his Super Saiyan form a few times in Dragon Ball Super, and we see two variations from Z at the beginning and end. Vegeta never appeared to reach Super Saiyan 3, leaving him stuck at Super Saiyan 2 as his highest peak when it comes to the legendary form.
Majin Vegeta
Arguably, this is Vegeta in his most villainous form. After years of settling down with a family, learning to treat his former enemies as friends, and learning to work with Goku, Vegeta goes against everything he has worked towards in favor of Babadi’s instant power upgrade. Upon receiving the Majin mark on his forehead, Majin Vegeta immediately blasts away hundreds of tournament attendees to force Goku to fight him. Expect Majin Vegeta to have access to his Final Explosion attack to take down powerful enemies.
Super Saiyan God Vegeta (Super)
For a good few years, there was some confusion about whether Vegeta ever achieved Super Saiyan God form, but fans finally received confirmation in the Dragon Ball Super: Broly movie. The animation as Vegeta transforms from Super Saiyan into a Super Saiyan God has been taken directly from the film, and you can expect a number of his attacks to be lifted from his fight scene against an aggressive Broly.
Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Vegeta (Super)
Another character variation, this time the debut of Vegeta’s SSGSS form. Hardcore Dragon Ball fans will know that this isn’t Vegeta’s final form, but it’s unclear just how far Sparkling Zero will go into the series’ lore. The trailer shows Vegeta getting ready to perform his Final Flash attack just as Goku readies his Kamehameha. The two beams collide, and here’s where would expect a classic beam clash to play out.
Broly (Super)
We are truly in the next generation of Budokai Tenkaichi games now as we get our first glimpse of Broly from the Dragon Ball Super movie. Broly comes equipped with his iconic grab where he smashes his opponent into the ground repeatedly. This doesn’t necessarily rule out the variation of Broly from the Dragon Ball Z movies, and it really wouldn’t surprise us given the amount of characters these games usually have.
Legendary Super Saiyan Broly (Super)
Unsurprisingly, we get a chance to see Broly transform into the Legendary Super Saiyan we always knew he could be. Sadly, we don’t get to see him in action at all, but he most likely has access to his movie moveset, including his Gigantic Breath ki blast and more.
Super Saiyan Future Trunks
Future Trunks, the time-traveling fighter, equipped with his father’s Saiyan armor joins the Sparkling cast. While it’s always difficult to recognize exact variations of characters, Future Trunks features his post-Hyperbolic Time Chamber haircut, so we’re pretty sure it’s the same Trunks that arrives after the Frieza saga.
Super Saiyan Future Trunks (Super)
This variation of Future Trunks comes from Dragon Ball Super, sporting his sword and Capsule Corp outfit. To differentiate the two versions of Trunks, it’s likely this version incorporates his sword into his moveset.
Perfect Cell
There’s a glimpse of Cell in the middle of a speech in the trailer, which only makes sense for one of DBZ’s best trash-talkers. After absorbing both Android 17 and 18, Cell’s tail retracts into his body, and his form changes one last time to create Perfect Cell. Don’t be surprised if Cell’s Imperfect and Semi-Perfect forms make the roster, especially if the game’s story mode runs through this iconic saga.
Majin Buu
The first form of Majin Buu, sometimes referred to as Fat Buu, is briefly shown throwing a pink substance that looks a lot like his body. Just like Cell, you should expect to see a few more forms of Majin Buu in the game, including Super Buu and Kid Buu.
Frieza
Remember that time Freiza blew up Namek for fun? Well, we get to see him do it again in the launch trailer. Freiza is shown in his ‘Final’ form, but we know that Golden Frieza exists in Dragon Ball Super, let alone another form that has yet to be revealed in the anime. In addition to this, Frieza’s previous forms might come to the game, featuring the villain in a variety of different shapes and sizes.
Jiren
One of Dragon Ball Super’s scariest villains, Jiren rarely ever talks, maybe because he does all the talking he needs to do with his fists. Jiren is one of the most powerful people in the universe, capable of bringing the Z fighters to their physical limit without ever breaking a sweat.
Android 17 (Super)
The Androids were always threatening villains, but Android 17 in Dragon Ball Super appears to have mellowed out since the Cell saga. Along with a change of outfit, Android 17’s abilities focus primarily on protecting other people and animals. That said, he can pack a punch when required, but he’d rather avoid confrontation if possible. There are a few more versions of Android 17 we could see, including his Dragon Ball GT variant, Super 17, and first appearance as regular old Android 17 in DBZ.
Android 18
Android 18 is spotted in the trailer wearing her classic outfit, the same one she wore when destroying cities and killing innocent people with her twin brother. She also appears in Dragon Ball Super as Krillian’s wife, and while the question remained whether or not she could keep up with the rest of the Z fighters, she proved her worth in the Tournament of Power.
Piccolo
Once Goku’s greatest enemy, now long-time family friend, Piccolo has one of the best character arcs in the entire series. He’s also a formidable fighter, though his strength certainly dips as we approach the beginning of Dragon Ball Super when the Saiyans start to overtake absolutely everyone. The most recent Dragon Ball movie debuted a new form for Piccolo, so with any luck that form makes it into the game.
Krillin
Goku’s best friend and rival, that is before Vegeta landed on Earth, Krillin is actually one of the strongest humans on the planet. Though his alien friends are capable of turning their hair golden, Krillin is no slouch either as he’s able to throw a mean Destructo Disc when called upon.
Yamcha
Just like Krillin, Yamcha is one of the strongest humans on Earth and is a useful ally to the Z fighters. As a martial artist, Yamcha fights primarily using standard attacks, but he also can utilize Ki in his fists to land devastating punches.
Tien
Despite Tien’s largely human appearance, he descends from the Triclops race which is why he has a third eye in the middle of his forehead. This extra eye can be used to fire Ki blasts, and it’s been said to give Tien an advantage in battle.
Hercule
The biggest joke in Dragon Ball Z, Hercule is the World Martial Arts Champion, though he did not reach this role through merit alone. After bragging to a local news station about his strength, Hercule was sent to take on Magin Buu. Fortunately, he managed to convince Buu to change his ways, that was before he split himself into two and became a much larger threat than before as Super Buu.
Bergamo
The Budokai Tenkaichi series is known for featuring weird, offshoot characters that only briefly made an appearance in the anime. This is the first appearance of Bergamo, a large wolf-man who first appeared in Dragon Ball Super’s Tournament of Power saga. Bergamo is part of the Trio of Danger, so there’s a chance the other two wolves could be added to the roster.
How many characters are going to be on the Dragon Ball Sparking Zero roster?
The end of the Goku vs Vegeta Rivals Trailer revealed what looks to be the character select screen in Dragon Ball Sparking Zero roster. This officially confirms that there are 24 slots dedicated to variations of Goku and Vegeta. We wouldn’t be surprised if the game ended up featuring over 100 characters, and that’s before you include any potential DLC to bolster that number even further. The latest batch of characters was revealed on March 20 in the Power vs Speed trailer.
That’s every Dragon Ball Sparking Zero character we know about so far, but stay tuned as we’re going to keep this list updated whenever someone is added to the roster. Until then, we have a list of the best multiplayer games to keep you and your mates entertained. If that doesn’t do it for you, give our list of the best PC games a whirl to experience the greatest titles on offer.