The New Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi Game Could Be Making a Comeback Soon

Sparking!

by Robert Ramsey Fri 6th Oct 2023

Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi New Game Trademark

Remember back in March when a brand new Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi game was announced? Well, as you're probably aware, we've heard next to nothing about the project since. All we really know about it is that Super Saiyan Blue Goku will feature — and that's not saying much!

However, it looks like new information could be coming our way soon. As spotted by Gematsu, Bandai Namco has trademarked something called 'Sparking! Zero' in the US, which certainly sounds Dragon Ball-related. For the uninitiated, the term 'Sparking!' has always been associated with the franchise. It features in the song for the iconic Dragon Ball Z anime opening, and Dragon Ball Z: Sparking! was actually the Japanese title for the original Budokai Tenakichi game on PS2.

Now, as always, trademarks don't necessarily mean that an update is incoming, but more often than not, it does suggest that things are gearing up behind the scenes. The timing of this trademark in particular would certainly line up with some kind of re-reveal before the end of 2023.

What are you hoping to see from the new Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi game? Start feeling the hype in the comments section below.

[source gematsu.com]

Robert (or Rob if you're lazy) is an assistant editor of Push Square, and has been a fan of PlayStation since the 90s, when Tekken 2 introduced him to the incredible world of video games. He still takes his fighting games seriously, but RPGs are his true passion. The Witcher, Persona, Dragon Quest, Mass Effect, Final Fantasy, Trails, Tales — he's played 'em all. A little too much, some might say.

1
somnambulance
Fri 6th Oct 2023

I really hope that this game covers Dragon Ball Super, including the manga. We haven’t really seen Zamasu, Jiren, Super Broly, Moro, etc covered properly in a video game yet. It’s time. It’s time for some of the manga only characters to be featured as well. Moro and Granollah, it’s time…

2
Keyblade-Dan
Fri 6th Oct 2023

I pray they don't muck this up but I'm too cynical to believe they won't

3
J2theEzzo
Fri 6th Oct 2023

I hope it remains optional to play as incredibly outmatched characters in vs, or to customise your load outs with mid-match transformations, rather than 10 different versions of Goku!

4
Fight_Teza_Fight
Fri 6th Oct 2023

@J2theEzzo The load-outs tied to transformations are the best aspect of the game.
You can make each form feel unique. One form standard, another melee, next glass cannon,… .

5
EchoRange
Fri 6th Oct 2023

I always thought it was Sparkling, worldview crushed.

6
Netret0120
Fri 6th Oct 2023

Dragonball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 3 was my favourite back on PS2.

Easy enough for anyone to pick up and have a good time and deep enough for people to master too.

7
Keyblade-Dan
Fri 6th Oct 2023

@EchoRange The games were called Sparking in Japan

8
Juanalf
Fri 6th Oct 2023

I hope that they at least use a new engine or something, I played Xenoverse 2 recently and it felt and looked like a early PS3 game at best

9
homelesscretin
Fri 6th Oct 2023

@somnambulance Honestly I would be really surprised if they don't. I think they may not include moro and granola due to them still existing only within the manga(not that that means anything, but I can see them maybe wanting moro and granola having their debut be within the anime when it eventually returns), but zamasu and jiren should be a must. Like there is no reason why they shouldn't be in this game.

10
GeneticMutation
Fri 6th Oct 2023

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 was the best, IMO. I just couldn’t get on with the Tenkaichi games. I liked the Street Fighter style fighting rather than the “open” arenas.

11
somnambulance
Fri 6th Oct 2023

@homelesscretin We’ve been waiting on the anime to return for so long that who knows if it ever will at this point? I sort of hope they re-do Super from start to finish and have it be manga faithful if that’s the case (though I know that’s probably too big an ask). But seriously Moro made his debut in the manga in 2018, FIVE YEARS AGO. It’s time we see him and Meerus, especially. It’s about time Moro, Broly, Granollah, Cell Max, and Jiren to duke it out, so fans can continue to get nowhere in the power-scaling argument. I have this inkling that we may see Beast Gohan before we see Moro and it just feels wrong too, you know?

But surely Zamasu’s arc must be covered. The manga version of it is one of my personal favorite arcs in the series, so I’m biased, but its also been frustrating that Dragon Ball games continue to ignore the OG series as well as Super, especially while games were being made while the series was running.

12
Pepsiman_100
Fri 6th Oct 2023

@somnambulance the first trailer had ssb goku. I'm sure Super content will be covered. I'm not sure about manga stuff tho. These games usually only cover the anime

13
somnambulance
Fri 6th Oct 2023

@Pepsiman_100 I’ll take Super manga stuff over Z movies and GT. I hope Bamco feels the same, but I know they prefer whatever sells action figures and merch most, so I might be preferring a lost cause. Lol.

14
Olmaz
Fri 6th Oct 2023

YES YES YES YESSSSSS!!!!! I can't scream enough how hyped I am about this! BT3 is the only PS2 game I go back nowadays (with emulation it can look "glorious").

It is the perfect embodiment of Dragon Ball Z : quick and tactile combat with a need for strategy. Perfect controls, a huge roster and wonderful graphics.

Let's hope BandaiNamco doesn't make it something akin to the combat of Kakarot (good enough, but nothing compared to BT3) and that it forgets, for once, that microtransactions exist.

I generally tend to be cynical and to restrain my hype, but for BT4, I'm all in!

15
Diowine
Fri 6th Oct 2023

Want exactly the same game as Tenkaichi 3 but with updated graphics/controls and the new Super Characters of course.
What I mean? The same gameplay, amazing quantity of playable characters and no DLC (not going to happen) trying to squeeze every penny from us for a bunch of extra characters that should be in the base game from the start.

16
Pepsiman_100
Fri 6th Oct 2023

@somnambulance Yea I agree. I think this would be the perfect game to focus on Super and DB heroes too. Can't say I'm hyped to go through the Z and GT stories for like the hundredth time. There are many characters, costumes, and story battles they could add over time. This game could go pretty far

17
somnambulance
Fri 6th Oct 2023

@Pepsiman_100 I’d rather they skip GT and Z movies if that gets Super manga stuff in. Moro and Granollah arcs may have been a bit uneven as a month-to-month manga, but they read better in full context and are relatively interesting arcs, certainly better than any arcs in GT and more unique too. That final fight against Moro, in particular, man, that could be crazy.

GT and Z movies are good content for inevitable DLC, you know?

18
Drago201
Fri 6th Oct 2023

Man I haven't played a tenkaichi game in a long time man the ps2 era was great

19
FullMetalWesker
Sat 7th Oct 2023

@somnambulance - I think you can take SSB Goku being confirmed as basically a confirmation that at least the Super anime will get included (I imagine the movies will as well). The manga stuff though, I don’t see being included, purely because games like this don’t really adapt manga, from what I understand (probably because they generally see the anime as the manga adaptation) so we’ll likely have to wait a bit longer for any Moro/Granolah stuff (which is a shame, since that means we won’t likely get anything newer than 2018 besides the Gohan movie).

20
VideoGameBoy
Sat 7th Oct 2023

BT3 was SO good. Up there with XV2 and Kakkarot for me. When I first heard about this game I thought day one but then I thought about all the $5 character packs I have seen for FighterZ and I thought, maybe I'll wait and see... it's got to have a HUGE roster for no extra money for me to buy. That's what BT is about for a lot of people; the huge roster and IN-FIGHT TRANSFORMATIONS.

21
J2theEzzo
Sat 7th Oct 2023

@Fight_Teza_Fight Totally true! Could have a Goku that could go all the way to SS4, or keep him at SS3 but with a super buffed kamehameha. I used to play as Cooler a lot, with his mecha cooler regeneration- so when my friends thought they'd beat me, I'd suddenly come back buffed with 3 more health bars, haha. Good times!

22
Fight_Teza_Fight
Sat 7th Oct 2023

@J2theEzzo Yep it’s been too long but you could do something similar with the in-battle fusions as well.

Although my favourites were probably Ultimate gohan & SS2 Teen Gohan. Great times.

23
somnambulance
Sat 7th Oct 2023

@FullMetalWesker I think it’s realistic not to expect the manga material but I’m hoping it’s included. I do wonder if they’re waiting for the manga to conclude before continuing the anime or perhaps re-starting the anime to have better production value. Dragon Ball is not above remaking itself, as we’ve seen Z and Kai. It’s crazy that the anime concluded so long ago now, but Super continues on.

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