Goku's Strength chapter
Screenshot by Destructoid

How to unlock canon and alternate paths in Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Goku’s Strength

The epic finale of Goku's Saga begins!

As you approach the end of the Goku Saga, you’ll be met with two unique pathways in the Dragon Ball Super storyline. One pertains to the narrative’s canon route, while the other takes you on an all-new adventure with Sparking Zero’s ‘What If?’ scenarios.

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Here’s how to unlock the canon and alternate paths in Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Goku’s Strength.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Goku’s Strength guide

The Goku’s Strength chapter presents you with two objectives: ‘Defeat Jiren’ or ‘Defeat Jiren quickly.’ The latter may seem like the most complex task, but the first one can be equally, if not more, challenging to achieve. This is due to Goku’s overpowered Ultra Instinct transformation, which can quicken the pace of the battle. Now that we’ve covered that aspect, let’s dig into how to unlock the canon and alternate paths in Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Goku’s Strength.

How to unlock alternate path in Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Goku’s Strength

Those who defeat Jiren quickly trigger the alternate pathway for the Goku’s Strength chapter. Eliminate him within (roughly) five minutes or more to unlock this ending. To do this, use the great powers of the Ultra Instinct transformation for quick takedowns. You can also take advantage of the robust second form, which activates at some point during the Jiren fight.

Charge up your Ki and earn Skill Points (let the progress bar gradually load up) to uncover Goku’s Sparking mode. This ability will make the battle go by a lot faster, perfect for the alternate route’s objective. And, since you have the Ultra Instinct second form, every hit will inflict a ton of damage to Jiren.

Powering up Goku
Screenshot by Destructoid

I suggest activating the Sparking mode immediately, then start hitting him with Rush Attacks (basic punches). When he’s staggered, unleash Goku’s special ability to deplete Jiren’s health substantially.

Unfortunately, Jiren will replenish his health two times, unlocking his Full Power transformation. By the third replenishment, Ultra Instinct won’t be available, giving you a slight disadvantage. The same tactics with the Sparking mode still apply here, where you can initiate the deadly Super Spirit Bomb. I used this special attack a couple of times during the match, and that ended up helping me in the long run.

Jiren Full Power form
Screenshot by Destructoid

After you’ve defeated Jiren at a quick rate, you’ll unlock the alternate path: ‘Goku, the World’s Strongest Warrior.’ However, this narrative does not conclude the Goku Saga, meaning you must open the canon pathway.

How to unlock canon path in Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Goku’s Strength

To unlock the Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero‘s canon ending in Goku’s Strength, you can either lower the difficulty or wait until Vegeta states: “Go on, Kakarot! Now it’s time to put Jiren down.” Based on my experience, this part occurs roughly five to six minutes in, sometime after Jiren activates his form.

Vegeta's dialogue in Jiren's fight
Screenshot by Destructoid

Patience is key in the canon route. Rushing in with attacks may trigger the alternate pathway if you get too hasty. Take your time with the match and strategically utilize Goku’s skills, like Ultra Kamehameha and Supreme Kamehameha, without overusing them.

The main thing you need to wait for is the short cutscene with Jiren’s transformation. Once that happens, start depleting his health (it’ll replenish again) through Sparking mode. Then, you must wait around until Vegeta mentions the specific line. You’ll know when it’s about to happen when Jiren retaliates Goku, saying, “To hell with your friendship. To hell with your trust.”

Jiren Full Power fight
Screenshot by Destructoid

Like the alternate route, you’ll also embark on another round with Jiren even after defeating him twice. Just keep using that Sparking Mode and unleash Super Spirit Bombs to become the victor of this round. Alternatively, you can ease the stress of this match by lowering the difficulty. You’ll acquire the canon ending no matter what, given that the lower difficulty only stays within the correct Dragon Ball Super timeline.

Once you’ve defeated Jiren in Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, it’ll mark the conclusion of the Goku Saga. In return, you’ll earn rewards like Player XP, Zenni, Dragon Balls, and many more.


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Author
Image of Kristina Ebanez
Kristina Ebanez
Staff Writer - Kristina has been a video game lover ever since she saw Solid Snake get under that cardboard box in Metal Gear Solid. She continues to show off her love for gaming and has been writing about it for more than two years. Aside from the Metal Gear Solid series, she enjoys playing The Sims, Call of Duty, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Horizon Forbidden West, Minecraft, and many more.