It should come as no surprise that Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero is chock-full of easter eggs and fun references. A few of the more subtle examples can be found in the scant special throws available—these feature more cinematic animations and potentially different combo extensions, but just like the special finishers, there aren’t many compared to the roster size.
Another similarity to the finishers is that these are almost a hidden inclusion, their only mention in Whis’ Stamp Book. Having to be on the main menu to piece together which characters can pull off a unique throw is a drag, especially when there are ten total to keep track of. Our guide will break down how to perform them all and what makes them different from a fighter’s typical grab.
All it takes to trigger a unique throw is to have one particular fighter grab a specific target. It’s distinct enough that just using any version of a character might not cut it. Goku has three opponents he can perform a special throw against, but each one requires him to be in a certain form from a particular era.
Aside from some launching an opponent differently, these don’t feature any major gameplay differences. While there are some subtle advantages, they’re mainly meant to be fun references to iconic moments and fights us fans love.
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Goku’s standard throw has him grabbing the opponent by their foot, swinging them around for a bit, and then slamming them downward. The move will do extra damage if they’re thrown into the ground or a destructible part of the environment.
He does something different when fighting Frieza. Referencing their first fight on Namek, Goku grabs Frieza’s tail before swinging and throwing him off into the distance. The cinematic starts with the egotistical tyrant crossing his arms, as this moment occurred when he pompously fought Goku without using his hands.
This special can allow for alternate combos, since it launches Frieza differently. A decent opponent could quickly recover after being thrown to the ground with the default grab. Goku’s unique throw here sends the opponent flying horizontally, easily allowing for a follow-up dash or even a rush super.
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Android 16 is a weighty character with heavy-feeling moves. His default grab has him use a three-hit punch combo to launch enemies away horizontally. It even has some extra flair for ending with a rocket arm punch.
The bulky android takes a little influence from Goku if he’s fighting against Cell’s 1st Form, though. While he doesn’t comically swing them around, he does grab the terrifying monster’s tail and slam him downward. Fans might remember Android 16’s fights against Cell’s evolved forms more, but he did have his moment thrashing this imperfect form.
Besides looking more brutal, it can take out additional health from the big bug if he hits the ground. If you throw him from high in the air, you can also follow up with a vanishing attack, the Hell’s Impact super, or the Self Destruct Device ultimate.
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Gohan’s first foray into the Super Saiyan 2 form is rife with lightning-fast attacks and slower heavy ones too. His typical grab embodies the latter with two powerful hits that send the opponent flying horizontally, with their back to you.
He shows even less mercy against the so-called perfect being. Gohan will hit Perfect Cell with a devastating punch to the gut, and then follow up with an uppercut that launches his nemesis into the sky. A nice touch is that Cell attempts (and fails) to throw a punch of his own, which makes this one of the more dynamic throws in the game. It’s also a fun, faster representation of the first two hits Gohan lands on the villain in this form.
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This version of Goku has a slightly different default throw from the one we mentioned earlier. He still swings Majin Buu around by their foot, but opts for an upward launch instead of throwing them downward. Although you’ll miss out on additional damage from a possible ground smash, there can be more potential to combo from the launch.
Super Saiyan 3 Goku doesn’t just throw Majin Buu, but grabs him by his stretchy antenna to punch him in the head first before tossing him aside. The punch certainly makes this a hilariously brutal cinematic. Otherwise, the only real difference is that this is a horizontal throw and a great reference to these two fighters’ first meeting.
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Ultimate Gohan spends more time hitting the enemy than his teenage self manages. His default grab uses a five-hit combo that’s paced well and looks cool. It ends with him kicking the opponent directly forward.
Gohan truly inherits his father Goku’s influence when fighting against Super Buu. He throws a punch before, you guessed it, grabbing Super Buu’s antenna and swinging him around. Aside from the total disrespect that the punch adds, which is accurate to the initial fight between these two in the anime, this will launch the hungry pink blob upward.
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The blue-haired version of Vegeta, who has the unnecessarily long name of Vegeta (Super) Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan, normally uses two heavy punches to launch the opponent forward. If you’re confused about it counting as three hits, it’s because the first punch counts as two. He’s just that damn cool I guess.
Vegeta is a lot more vicious against Goku Black in his Super Saiyan Rose form. After punching the latter onto the ground (which looks strange when using this throw in the air), Vegeta picks the body-stealer up by his hair and delivers a headbutt and punch. It’s mechanically identical to the default throw as both send the opponent flying forward.
Even though there isn’t a gameplay difference, and it’s unfortunately missing the entire speech the Prince of all Saiyans delivers during this Dragon Ball Super moment, the throw is still one of the coolest in the game. But maybe that’s my bias speaking as a Vegeta fan.
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Goku’s first Ultra Instinct form is an imposing sight, and his throws back that up as some of the coolest-looking in the game. The default is a flashy four-hit punch and kick combo, including a vanishing grab midway through. It has a great flow to it that feels nearly as dramatic as any quick-time event Impact Action. Your opponent will be sent flying away with their back to you.
Read More: Let’s Master The Art Of Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero’s QTEs
Kefla’s Super Saiyan 2 form ends up receiving a special interaction that’s just as cool with a lot fewer hits. Starting with an overwhelming staredown, Goku catches Kefla flinching and quickly sends her flying forward with a single two-handed punch. This is indeed a reference from their fight, although a little unrecognizable because they’re not falling upside down next to a rock.
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Toppo isn’t nearly as big as Anilaza or Great Ape Vegeta, but he still dwarfs most of the roster. The default throw for his God of Destruction form normally uses a simple three-hit punch combo to knock opponents away.
He’s far more brutal when fighting Frieza (Super). With a style that would make Vegeta proud, Toppo uses his obscenely large hands to shove Frieza head-first into the ground, pick him up for a quick head squeeze, and then let go just to kick him away. Referring to the self-proclaimed Emperor of Universe 7 as trash is the disrespectful cherry on top of this great Dragon Ball Super scene recreation.
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Broly has always been one of the most brutal fighters in the series, and his grabs certainly reflect that. His default technique is to perform an upward punch before grabbing the opponent’s head and swinging them around his body for a quick throw. You can somewhat empathize with his father controlling him with a power-limiting ring when this is how he treats people.
When fighting against Goku (Z-Mid) Super Saiyan, Broly picks up Goku by his hair before letting him go and catching him with a big meaty punch. Although his regular throw is more vicious, fans are sure to love this memorable scene reenactment from his introductory movie.
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This version of Broly has a lot of unique moves, but the two screaming Saiyans with a green color scheme have a bit more in common than their name. The similarities unfortunately include the default throw for his Super Saiyan form, as it is the same animation as his sadistic predecessor’s.
His unique throw is thankfully a decent departure from everyone else’s. When fighting against Frieza (Super), the angry Saiyan uses his giant feet to get in some kicks and a sick backflip, before punching him away. This exact scenario plays out in the movie Dragon Ball Super: Broly, albeit with Frieza being kicked into a giant rock. While it looks strange in-game, since there is no rock or wall to play off of, the backflip does add a lot to the coolness factor.
It is pretty disappointing that Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero doesn’t have more unique throws, given the abundance of characters. Despite that, these are still a very welcome treat if you can trigger them in a fight. The animations are great and they do spice up your matches a little bit. Just as with the Special Finishers, we can only hope more are added through updates or DLC.
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