Summary
As the latest in theTenkaichiseries of arena fighters,Dragon Ball: Sparking Zerois set to return to one of the franchise’s most well-received line of video game adaptations. With updates from the current era ofDragon Ball Super, there’s no telling how huge this revival of a historically popular series of gaming’s sixth generation will be. Despite the hype surrounding the game, however, there’s one key feature that has yet to be confirmed, leaving some fans on the fence aboutDragon Ball: Sparking Zerofor the time being.
Arena fighters may technically be distinct from traditional fighting games, but both styles share a core reliance on multiplayer by design. Sincethe originalBudokai Tenkaichigame, the series has always been a fitting representation of theDragon BallIP through allowing players to face off against each other in large, 3D battlefields as any number of characters, even locally. This was achieved through split-screen, a feature which may not even make it intoSparking Zerogiven the current status of the game’s store pages. Although online multiplayer may be the dominant form in modern gaming overall, another title lacking local split-screen could be a bad sign for the future of the feature.
A Classic Component of Tenkaichi’s Multiplayer
During the era of the PS2 in which the originalTenkaichigames thrived, the multiplayer dynamic was always centered around a local experience. Online wasn’t nearly as prevalent in most games at the time, meaning the majority of titles with multiplayer modes had some form of split-screen to support another controller. Traditional 2D and 3D fighting games, along with arena fighters with cameras like that oftheNaruto Ultimate Ninja Stormtitlesdon’t usually require the same functionality, butDragon Ball’s over-the-top action is different. TheTenkaichiseries uniquely benefitted from separate split-screens, as it allowed both players to experience the game’s dynamic camera angles on just one system.
Waning Support for Split-Screen Isn’t New to Sparking Zero
As online has become the main option for multiplayer across the entire medium, split-screen has been somewhat controversially phased out from several notable titles over the years. Between matters likeHalo 5’s lack of the feature before reappearing inHaloInfinite, and more recent backlash toCall of Duty: MW3Zombiesnot having split-screen, it’s clear that even franchises that once had local multiplayer ingrained into their identities aren’t guaranteed to include it anymore.Sparking Zeromay only be announced, but the game’s listings are cause for concern that the nextDragon Ballarena fighter might follow this trend as well.
Sparking Zero’s Local Multiplayer Situation
With the reveal ofSparking Zeroas the fourthBudokai Tenkaichititle, many fans likely assumed that the return of this dormant series would make split-screen functionality a given. The Steam and PlayStation Network pages for the game indicate otherwise, as the game is only stated to have online multiplayer on both. As a series so well-known for the local versus experience it provided in the past, leaving out split-screen could makeSparking Zeroa divisive game before it even launches. The revival ofTenkaichihas seemed like a hopeful prospect to players, but relegating multiplayer to online-only has the potential to disappoint dedicated and casual fans alike.
There’s Still Hope for Split-Screen in Gaming
There may not seem like much potential for local play inSparking Zerobased on what is currently known, but the game also has yet to receive a release date. The success of the recentBaldur’s Gate 3’s local co-op, as well asGears 5,Borderlands 3, andIt Takes Two’s own multiplayer features in the past few years, all show that there is still a lot of value in maintaining split-screen, despite the industry’s growing emphasis on online. It’s still too early to say if it will omit local multiplayer after all, and the continued presence of outspoken fans could still lead to the inclusion of split-screen whenDragon Ball: Sparking Zeroeventually arrives.
