Returning to a more familiar battle system in Dragon Ball Sparking Zero is the perfect opportunity to revisit Akira Toriyama’s most famous manga through the eyes of Goku and his branching paths in the campaign.
Beginning from the Saiyan Saga, Goku’s brother, Raditz, and then Prince Vegeta and his hand servant Nappa, attempt to invade Earth right up until the conclusion of the Universal Tournament Arc from Dragon Ball Super.
However, Dragon Ball Sparking Zero lets players see what might happen if different decisions were made or if a character easily fends off a rival’s attack the first time around. Sometimes, they are cute resolutions that neatly wrap up the story, but occasionally, you’ll get entire side stories with reshuffled events. In Vegeta’s branching paths, it may mean he becomes the focus of the tale. However, as Dragon Ball’s main protagonist, Goku’s Branching Paths are the most fascinating in Dragon Ball Sparking Zero, so here are the conditions needed to start them.
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero Goku side paths
In Goku’s campaign mode, there are three major side paths with unlockable rewards at the end of them in Dragon Ball Sparking Zero. These are:
- Side by Side
- Pushing the Limit
- The Changing Future
For two of these paths, your performance in battles matters. If you’re finding it difficult to unlock a side story because of a tight timeframe, we have many Dragon Ball Sparking Zero tips and tricks to help you out. For now, though, here’s everything about Goku’s three major branching paths.
Side by Side
After the first fight of Goku’s campaign against Raditz, Piccolo will arrive to offer a truce during the Earth’s Mightiest Duo?! cutscene. If you decide to “Go it alone,” you’ll begin the Side by Side side path. However, you’ll rejoin the main timeline if you don’t manage to win the Raditz vs. The Turtle School fight before the time expires. This is an invisible time limit, but you can keep track of it knowing that time is nearly up when Piccolo arrives and offers his help again.
If you beat Raditz, you’ll begin a variant of the Dragon Ball story where Goku never dies and can train with the rest of the Z Warriors for the full year. You’re locked into this new story from this point, culminating in Vegeta and Goku working together to beat Frieza. By finishing this side story, you’ll get 100,000 Zeni and the “Goku’s Saga: Side by Side” photo collection.
Pushing the Limit
Starting this side story is very similar to the first one, except that you must choose to work with Piccolo during the Earth’s Mightiest Duo?! cutscene. Defeat Raditz in the subsequent fight, and you’ll begin the Pushing the Limit side story.
Once you begin this one, there’s no going back. It has several fights against Prince Vegeta, with the final act seeing our hero awaken his dormant powers out of sheer desperation. You’ll unlock Vegeta (GT) Super Saiyan 4, 100,000 Zeni, and the “Goku’s Saga: Pushing the Limit” photo collection by overcoming the last challenge.
The Changing Future
During a conversation in Hyperbolic Time Chamber with Gohan, he’ll plead with Goku to help the others stop Cell. If you decide to “Go and help,” you’ll begin this deviation from the main Dragon Ball timeline.
Like the Side by Side path, the following level, Defeat Cell!, has a way of amending this paradox so that the events play out normally. However, staying on this path entirely depends on whether or not Cell uses the Solar Flare technique. If he does, he’ll use this distraction to consume Android 17 and 18 to transform into Perfect Cell, thus setting up the events leading to the Cell Games. If you somehow beat Cell without him using the technique or it misses you when activated, you’ll continue down The Changing Future.
The following three fights are against the three Androids, each getting tougher as you progress through the plot. Upon defeating Android 16, you’ll finish this side story and earn Android 18 Outfit 2, 100,000 Zeni, and the “Goku’s Saga: The Changing Future” photo collection.
Dragon Ball Sparking Zero Goku branching paths
Finally, an assortment of minor deviations are available, acting as different endings or cutscenes that immediately reconvene with the main plot. Getting these depends on how you perform in certain matches or your dialogue choices. Here are all the conditions for each of Goku’s campaign’s branching paths in Dragon Ball Sparking Zero.
| Campaign level name | Saga | Deviation condition |
| Arrival on Planet Namek | Planet Namek Arc | Defeat Jeice |
| Goku’s Back | Planet Namek Arc | Defeat Frieza without using a Spirit Bomb |
| The Cell Games Begin! | Android/Cell Arc | Defeat Cell |
| A New Power Awakens | Majin Buu Arc | Wear down Majin Buu within a given time (before all the dialogue is exhausted) |
| Frieza Returns | God of Destruction Beerus/Frieza’s Resurrection Arc | Defeat Frieza |
| The Truth about Zamasu | Future Trunks Arc | Defeat Zamasu and Goku Black within the allotted time limit (before Trunks arrives) |
| Into a Third Future | Future Trunks Arc | Defeat Zamasu and Goku Black within the allotted time limit (the two will fuse together for a third encounter if you’re fast enough) |
| Search for the Ultimate Team Members! | Universe Survival Arc | Invite Majin Buu |
| Search for the Ultimate Team Members! | Universe Survival Arc | Invite Android 17 |
| Search for the Ultimate Team Members! | Universe Survival Arc | Invite Tien |
| Goku’s Strength | Universe Survival Arc | Defeat Jiren within a given time (this is a very short time limit) |
