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DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO separates three different ways to play: Battle Mode is for setting up direct fights, Episode Battle follows selected characters through story campaigns, and Custom Battle lets you play prepared scenarios or create and share your own. Choose Battle for a match, Episode for story progression, or Custom when you want authored scenes and rules.
How the three modes differ
The modes are not three versions of the same campaign. They answer different questions: Who do you want to fight? Whose story do you want to follow? Or what scenario do you want to build? Bandai Namco’s official Game Modes Handbook and launch-era Battle Modes overview describe these as distinct ways to play.
| Mode | Best for | How much you shape the experience | Story and sharing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle Mode | Arranging a direct fight rather than playing a character-led campaign or authoring a scenario. | You choose the fighters and arrange a match; it is not presented as a story editor. | Narrative is not its defining feature, and online sharing is not its main purpose. |
| Episode Battle | Playing selected story events from a character’s perspective. | You follow that character’s campaign; certain stage choices or conditions can change the outcome. | Some stages include alternate outcomes or hidden scenes. Progress is represented on a story map. |
| Custom Battle | Playing a designed scenario or making one of your own. | You can configure characters, teams, scenes, battle events, rules, and victory conditions. | Creators can upload battles for other players to play online. |
These descriptions explain each mode’s purpose, not every menu or online option available in every build. The official materials cited here describe features at different dates, so check the game’s current menus and applicable update notices for details that may have changed.
Battle Mode: arrange a fight
Choose Battle Mode when the main point is the fight itself. It is the straightforward option among the three: set up a matchup and play, without needing to advance a character’s campaign or construct dialogue and events. The modes overview separates this direct-battle route from Episode Battle’s story progression and Custom Battle’s authored scenarios.
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![DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO - Standard Edition - Xbox Series X|S [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51a-pIaEDEL._SL160_.jpg)
- Engage in heart-pounding, high-speed 3D battles that stay true to the anime and video game series
- This game contains breathtaking visuals and authentic combat moves like beam clashes, rush attacks, and movements too quick for the eyes to see
- Step into an arena that reacts to your every action including planet-razing ultimate attacks
- Watch the environment respond with stunning realism, and leave a trail of destruction in your wake as you battle to your heart’s content
The official descriptions do not establish a complete, current menu path or enumerate every match configuration. For that reason, use the labels shown in your installed game rather than relying on a button-by-button route from an older guide. The mode’s defining difference is its purpose—not a particular online ruleset or a fixed set of submenu names.
What to know about local split-screen
In a June 2024 gameplay showcase, producer Jun Furutani said split-screen multiplayer would be implemented exclusively on the Hyperbolic Time Chamber stage. The showcase also described a restriction that only one player could select a character at a time. Those are dated design statements from the pre-release period, not a verified description of every platform’s October 2026 build. Consult the current game and platform-specific information if local multiplayer details affect your setup. The statement appears in Bandai Namco Europe’s official gameplay showcase.
Episode Battle: follow eight character perspectives
Episode Battle is the single-player story mode. It presents selected battles and story moments through eight characters: Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, Future Trunks, Goku Black, Frieza, and Jiren. These are eight campaign perspectives, not the full playable roster. The official launch-era game overview separately announced 182 playable characters, a figure that describes the base-game roster rather than the number of story campaigns.
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The campaigns are not equal in length. Bandai Namco’s pre-release showcase describes Goku’s route as the longest example, beginning with the Raditz fight and reaching the Tournament of Power Saga. Jiren’s episodes, by contrast, are limited to Tournament of Power fights. The official outline does not give a single stage count that applies to every character, and it should not be treated as a complete accounting of later updates.
How choices and alternate routes work
Some Episode Battle stages let a choice or secondary objective affect what happens. Meeting a condition can lead to an alternate outcome, route, or hidden scene; it does not mean that every fight branches. The handbook describes a story map that shows campaign progress and makes it easier to revisit earlier choices. That makes the mode useful both for following a main route and for returning to a stage to explore a different result.
Approach a branching stage as a condition-based variation, not as a promise that every dialogue choice creates a wholly separate campaign. If a route changes after a fight, the relevant trigger is tied to certain stages and conditions. For a specific stage’s requirements, rely on what the game displays in that stage rather than assuming a universal branching rule.
Difficulty and post-launch changes
Episode Battle’s behavior has received post-launch adjustments. Bandai Namco Entertainment America’s January 20, 2025 update notice says difficulty could be changed even when using a Dragon Orb. The notice also records additions to Custom Battle, but it does not establish the full state of later builds. Bandai Namco’s game overview lists later update notices, including one dated September 2026; the specific notice is the relevant source for claims about that update, rather than extrapolating from the 2025 changes. See the January 2025 update notice and the official game overview.
Custom Battle: play scenarios or make one
Custom Battle has two distinct entry points. Bonus Battles are prepared scenarios, while Edit Mode is for creating or modifying a battle. Both center on a scenario with more authored context than a standard direct fight: matchups, dialogue, conditions, and, in creator-made battles, scenes and events.
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Bonus Battles
Bonus Battles are ready-made setups with defined matchups, dialogue, and victory conditions. Bandai Namco Europe’s launch-era overview reported over 30 Bonus Battles in 2024. That is a dated count, not a confirmed total for the current game after updates. The format is useful when you want a scenario with a premise and specified goal without having to design its pieces yourself.
Edit Mode: a practical creation sequence
The official materials describe the tools available in Edit Mode, but do not provide a reliable current button-by-button navigation path. The sequence below explains the work involved without assuming a menu location that may vary by build or platform.
- Choose a starting point. Copy and edit an existing Bonus Battle if you want to adapt a prepared setup, or start from scratch for an original scenario.
- Set up the combatants. Configure characters and teams, including guest characters where appropriate, then define the battle details for the scenario you are building.
- Establish the premise and ending. Use dialogue and pre- or post-battle cutscenes to frame the encounter, and set victory conditions so players know what outcome the scenario requires.
- Add events and special rules. Configure what happens during the fight and under what conditions. Official examples include triggering Sparking! mode below a health threshold, switching in a reserve character after a set amount of time, or playing a cutscene after an opponent is defeated.
- Review the result and share if desired. Check that the events and conditions support the intended scenario, then upload the creation for others to play online if you want to share it.
The examples are possibilities described by Bandai Namco, not a guarantee that every creator can combine every event in every way. The handbook and overview explain the design concept, while the options shown in your game determine what is available in a particular build.
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The launch-era official overview describes up to five cuts before and five cuts after a battle for scene construction. It also reports over 5,000 base subtitle texts available to creators, with some texts allowing noun replacement; the overview says those subtitles do not include voices. These figures describe the creation tools as presented in 2024, not a guarantee that the text catalog or tools are unchanged in later versions.
Custom Battle is therefore more than choosing a pair of fighters. Its authoring tools let a creator connect a setup, dialogue, battle conditions, and an outcome into a playable scenario. Producer Jun Furutani summarized the purpose in the 2024 showcase: “In this mode, players can create their original scenes, play, and share their creations.” The quote describes the mode’s intent; it does not mean that every creation has the same production values or complexity.
Which mode should you choose?
- Pick Battle Mode if you mainly want to arrange a fight and spend less time on story setup.
- Pick Episode Battle if you want a character-led route through selected story moments and are interested in alternate outcomes on stages that support them.
- Pick a Bonus Battle if you want a prepared scenario with its own matchup and goal.
- Pick Edit Mode if you want to adapt a scenario or build one around custom dialogue, events, rules, and conditions.
The modes can complement one another rather than compete: direct matches suit spontaneous fights, Episode Battle provides campaign progression, and Custom Battle shifts attention to scenarios created by the developers or players. The best starting point depends on whether you want to play a match, follow a story, or shape one.
What you need to access the modes
The game itself is the product needed to play these modes; no separate accessory, replacement part, or creator tool is required to understand or use their basic features. Bandai Namco’s current overview lists PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2, along with Standard, Deluxe, and Ultimate editions. Availability and editions can differ by platform and region, so check the current platform-specific listing before buying. The overview labels the Premium Collector’s Edition sold out; do not assume that edition is currently available to purchase.
There is no single price that applies across the listed platforms or editions, and retail stock can change. Online sharing is a feature of Custom Battle, but the official descriptions do not establish live service availability for every platform or region at every moment. If sharing is essential, confirm the game’s current online status and platform requirements rather than assuming that an old feature announcement confirms present access.
Rank #3
- Engage in heart-pounding, high-speed 3D battles that stay true to the anime and video game series
- This game contains breathtaking visuals and authentic combat moves like beam clashes, rush attacks, and movements too quick for the eyes to see
- Step into an arena that reacts to your every action including planet-razing ultimate attacks
- Watch the environment respond with stunning realism, and leave a trail of destruction in your wake as you battle to your heart’s content
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Battle Mode, Episode Battle, and Custom Battle? Battle Mode is for arranging direct fights, Episode Battle follows one of eight character-led story routes, and Custom Battle lets you play prepared Bonus Battles or create scenarios with authored scenes, rules, and conditions.
How do you create a Custom Battle? In Edit Mode, either copy and edit a Bonus Battle or start from scratch. Then configure combatants and teams, dialogue and pre- or post-fight cuts, victory conditions, and event triggers. The exact menu labels and available options should be checked in your current game.
How many characters have Episode Battle campaigns? The official campaign outline names eight: Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, Future Trunks, Goku Black, Frieza, and Jiren. That is separate from the announced base-game roster of 182 playable characters.
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Does every Episode Battle stage have an alternate route? No. Bandai Namco describes choices or secondary conditions affecting outcomes on some stages, not all of them. The story map helps you track progress and revisit earlier choices.
Can you share a Custom Battle? Bandai Namco says player-created battles can be uploaded for other players to play online. Current availability may depend on the game’s build and online services, so check the game itself for present access.
Are Bonus Battles and Custom Battles the same thing? Bonus Battles are prepared scenarios within Custom Battle. Edit Mode is the creation route, where you can adapt an existing Bonus Battle or build a new scenario.
Can you play split-screen on any stage? Jun Furutani’s June 2024 showcase described split-screen as exclusive to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber stage, with one player selecting a character at a time. That is a dated pre-release statement; check current platform-specific details for the version you play.
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What is the difference between Battle Mode, Episode Battle, and Custom Battle?
Battle Mode is for arranging direct fights, Episode Battle follows one of eight character-led story routes, and Custom Battle lets you play prepared Bonus Battles or create scenarios with authored scenes, rules, and conditions.
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How do you create a Custom Battle?
In Edit Mode, either copy and edit a Bonus Battle or start from scratch. Configure combatants and teams, dialogue and pre- or post-fight cuts, victory conditions, and event triggers. Exact menu labels and available options can vary by current build.
How many characters have Episode Battle campaigns?
The official campaign outline names eight: Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, Future Trunks, Goku Black, Frieza, and Jiren. That is separate from the announced base-game roster of 182 playable characters.
Does every Episode Battle stage have an alternate route?
No. Bandai Namco describes choices or secondary conditions affecting outcomes on some stages, not all of them. The story map helps you track progress and revisit earlier choices.
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Bandai Namco says player-created battles can be uploaded for other players to play online. Current availability may depend on the game’s build and online services, so check the game itself for present access.
Are Bonus Battles and Custom Battles the same thing?
Bonus Battles are prepared scenarios within Custom Battle. Edit Mode is the creation route, where you can adapt an existing Bonus Battle or build a new scenario.
Can you play split-screen on any stage?
Jun Furutani’s June 2024 showcase described split-screen as exclusive to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber stage, with one player selecting a character at a time. That is a dated pre-release statement; check current platform-specific details for the version you play.
The Bottom Line
Battle Mode is the direct-match option, Episode Battle follows eight different character perspectives through selected story events, and Custom Battle offers prepared Bonus Battles plus tools for authoring and sharing scenarios. Pick the mode that matches whether you want a fight, a campaign, or a creation project, and verify dated platform and update details against the current game.
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