DBSZ's best, what with revealing the roster's biggest blind spot

Spoilers ahead
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero
Sparkling episode “The Strongest Fighter”.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero positioned herself as the official successor of her beloved Budokai Tenkaichi series. Filling those very large shoes came in all shapes and sizes, from the game's gargantuan roster to its absolutely bombastic battles. Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero also revived What If scenarios, though it may have come at an unexpected cost.

by all means Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero takes the What If premise and runs with it. The new What Ifs, now called Sparking Episodes, often feature the interesting and engaging stories that fans have been hoping for. Gohan's Sparking Episode almost certainly takes the cake thanks to one bold decision, but it also manages to expose one of the game's biggest blind spots.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero can't leave what-if characters on the table.

Gohan's episode “The Strongest Warrior” Sparking Gohan goes beyond Sparking Zero another What Ifs

Each episode of Sparking provides its own flavor of entertainment, but there are still a few that stand above the rest. Some Sparking Episodes don't necessarily present an interesting question and instead just serve as a slightly altered ending. Some simply give their protagonists more of an agenda, but the best What Ifs in Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero experience truly unexpected twists and turns.

Gohan's one and only Sparking Episode has to take the cake in this regard. Titled “The Strongest Warrior”, players are essentially led through a lifelong dream of watching Gohan become Dragon Ballthe main protagonist. At first it seems like The Strongest Warrior is simply running a routine of increasing Gohan's relevance in the story, but it quickly becomes bait. Gohan's Sparking Episode is easily one of the most inventive stories the game has to offer, and one of the longest Sparking episodes.

The strongest warrior becomes separated from the main story during the events Resurrection Fwith Gohan proving himself to be strong enough to hold his own against the Frieza Force. Gohan's story takes shape quickly from there, introducing an unexpected original villain. This character will quickly become the highlight of the game, although its exclusion from the list is more than disappointing.

Gohan Black is set to become a playable character in Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero

The Strongest Warrior does something no other episode has attempted Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero. Gohan Black is an aptly named alternative to Goku Black and a completely original new character Sparking Zero. Gohan Black is easily the best that Sparking Episodes has to offer, and it's a shame he's no longer playable.

To some extent, this is somewhat understandable. after all Sparking ZeroThe developers probably didn't want to spoil any players at the character selection screen, especially not considering the game's biggest twist. This begs the question of how long fans will have to wait before it becomes playable, assuming it ever is. That's a fair assumption, though, as Gohan Black is the exact kind of villain that fans have been hoping for from What Ifs all along.

It would be especially unfortunate for Gohan Black not to become playable, as he's pretty much on his own in this concept. One Sparking Episode sees Vegeta go Super Saiyan much earlier, leading to a unique form, but this one is significantly different. While the original design for Vegeta could be relegated to a costume, it would be a shame if Gohan Black didn't use his power to the fullest.

Gohan was always a fan favorite and Goku Black was a similarly popular part Dragon Ball Super. The pairing of two characters isn't unheard of, but it's a pleasant surprise Sparking Zero to take such a bold step. Gohan Black is not yet playable, although some Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero leaks suggest that may change. Regardless, it would be a shame Sparking Zero thus creating an interesting concept, but it never reaches its full potential.