What is a Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero What-If Scenario?
The Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero story mode and the respective episode arcs are some of the most expansive of any Dragon Ball game as they feature numerous storylines and characters at the forefront.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero has captured the attention of longtime fans of the franchise for its expansive 181-character lineup, new battling system, and content-packed story mode that features unique episode arcs for some of the franchise’s most iconic characters.
With several different stories available for players to experience, one of the mechanisms of the game’s story mode has been all the various branching paths available. However, one of the branching paths that can be quite confusing to understand is What-If scenarios that are polarizing for first-time players.
Here is your guide towards understanding what is a What-If Scenario in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero and how you can experience the story mode in its entirety.
What are What-If Scenarios in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero?
What-If scenarios are branching storylines that can happen in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero that does not occur in the main storyline. For example, ever wondered what it would be like if Zamasu took over Gohan’s body and became Gohan Black instead of Goku Black? The What-If scenario allows you to experience a new storyline unique from the anime depending on your choices and battle outcomes.
How to unlock What-If Scenarios in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero?
The method of unlocking specific What-If scenarios in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is on a case-by-case situation. While some what-if scenarios are determinants of completing battles in a set amount of time, such as the Frieza Revived Branching path, others like the Arrival on Planet Namek arc, require players to do specific actions like deflecting ki blasts.
Each scenario will appear on a flowchart after you complete a battle where it will showcase the path that you ultimately took, alongside a chart of other paths that you could have taken had other things worked out differently. Luckily, if you are looking to unlock specific branching What-If scenarios, players will be able to see what will unlock that specific outcome.
The What-If Mechanism in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is one of the most unique formats to play the story mode. While the pathways for each branching path may get confusing at times, it is worth it to go back through each main storyline arc as it allows you to appreciate the Dragon Ball series in a new way. So if you are somebody tired of Goku being the primary superstar of each and every fight, the What-If scenarios will allow you to experience Dragon Ball with a new character in the limelight.
For now, just take some time to enjoy everything that Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero has to offer as this continues to be one of the franchise's most ambitious projects in recent times.
Those looking to learn more about Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero should be sure to check out our Release Guide detailing the various Editions available to purchase and what systems the game is playable on. Additionally, be sure to check out our other guides on Destruction Points and the battle system in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero as the game features unorthodox battling formats compared to other fighting games.
Sage got his start in esports as a volunteer writer in 2016 for esports organization, Dignitas. Since then, he has continued to work on his craft as a journalist and reporter for a number of established esports publications, such as esports.gg, Unikrn, Akshon Esports, Howla, The Player’s Lobby, Nerd Street Gamers, and most recently Dot Esports. Now, as a member of Esports Illustrated’s content team, Sage’s primary duties are centered around creating groundbreaking written and video content about the esports industry that impacts the community in a meaningful way. Sage graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology and Informatics. There, he was a member of the Rutgers Esports Executive Board, both as the head of the fighting game community and a videographer/photographer for the Content team.