The best Namekians in Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero

From their peaceful existence to being involved in some of the series' most intense battles, Namekians have played a pivotal role in the Dragon Ball universe. Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero features several Namekian characters, each with their own unique abilities.

Whether it's Piccolo's iconic battles or the menacing presence of Lord Slug, these characters offer different play styles. While some are more powerful than others, each Namekian adds something special to the game, not to mention that the Dragon Balls are the creation of the Namekians, meaning we owe them the series' namesake.

6 Dende And The Namek Elder

You didn't know they were in the game?

While these two Namekians aren't playable characters, they are technically in the game and you can use them to liven up various scenes. Sure, it would be great to stand up for Dende, but the peaceful Namekian feels more like a healer than a fighter.

The mode in question where you can use them is Custom Battle, something that Sparking Zero has so players can create their own stories in the Dragon Ball universe. Dende even has an adult version when the group needs to talk to the guardian of Earth's dragon balls.

There are other characters you can use in this mode, such as Bulma or the leader of the angels, but the Namekians are the closest thing to a civilian, which makes them perfect for a lot of scenes.

5 Nail

A loyal warrior when outnumbered

Nail, a guardian warrior of Namek, was one of the first Namekians to challenge Frieza during the Namek Saga. In Sparking Zero, Nail has solid, well-rounded combat skills, but lacks the raw power of the more advanced characters on this list, not to mention that his basic punches and grabs look similar to what Piccolo already does.

However, what always shined through with Nail was his style, which made him feel like a completely different character than Piccolo, even though all Namekians look so similar. His ultimate attack is a great call back to his strong stance against Frieza, but other than that, there's not much else to this brave soul.

4 Lord Slug (Giant Form)

Sluggish

Lord Slug, one of the oldest and most ruthless Namekians, can assume his giant form in his Sparking Zero iteration. Piccolo once had this ability, but only during the streak; the two Piccolos present in Sparking Zero never got that big since that's what he did before the Z era and recently after achieving his orange transformation.

While this form of Lord Slug makes him stronger and healthier, it also makes him much slower and takes away much of the charm that his base form had. However, it does have some utility, especially with its immunity to grabs and most quick attacks.

3 Piccolo

The first days of a proud warrior

Piccolo from the Saiyan Saga is a good mid-level character in Sparking Zero, slightly overshadowed by his more modern version. During this period in the series, Piccolo was still growing into his role as a hero, and his in-game abilities reflect this, as he has yet to complete his training with Gohan, becoming close to the young Saiyan.

He has strong energy attacks, such as a special beam cannon that can cut through most other explosive attacks. His other attacks, such as Explosive Demon Wave, lack the range and utility that would make this a worthy Namekian version.

2 Piccolo (merged with Kami)

An excellent Namekian warrior

Piccolo's fusion with Kami is one of the defining moments of Dragon Ball Z, and in Sparking Zero, this version of Piccolo represents his peak power. After the fusion, Piccolo becomes much stronger and smarter, gaining access to powerful abilities and excellent fighting techniques.

He still has access to his deadly special beam cannon, which retains the ultimate attack qualities of his old version, but it comes out much faster, allowing him to reliably use it to deal with his enemies. Since his older form and Nail have similar movesets, this version of Piccolo is the most realized version of the fighter.

1 Lord Slug

Ruthless conqueror

If you love the Namekian as a concept rather than a fan of a specific character, then Lord Smudge is a surprisingly better choice, towering over Piccolo. This is because due to his moveset, he has more of the things that make him uniquely Namekian, unlike Piccolo, who, while having a few signature moves, lacks some of the defining characteristics of the alien race.

One of these aspects is the throw, which uses the stretched nature of the Namekians to catch an opponent's back after throwing them to continue the punishment. This is what Piccolo's forms could do in the old Tenkaichi games, but unfortunately it lost its elasticity.

Another purely Namekian aspect presented by the Slug is his ability to transform into a giant. As you'll notice we've already covered this form and why it's not so good, but if you look at it in a vacuum; when you use this form to finish off your enemies, you mostly play to its strengths without worrying too much about its negatives.