Never Mind Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, Sand Land Is Shaping up to Be the Most Faithful Adaptation of Akira Toriyama’s Materials
Ava Hudson
Updated on April 03, 2026
The hype around the upcoming title Sparking Zero is huge, but there is one other game based on a manga created by late Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama that has fans excited. Sand Land is an action role-playing game based on a manga by Toriyama and is set to launch on April 26.
The fans are asking Bandai Namco to honor Toriyama and do justice to his legacy with the upcoming DB game, and while it remains to be seen how well the developers do with the game, Sand Land is shaping up to be the most faithful adaptation by staying true to the source material.
Sand Land May Be the Best Adaptation of Akira Toriyama’s Work
The manga was originally released in 2000 and has a single volume. Although it is not as popular as Dragon Ball, it is one of the best creations from Toriyama. The story of the manga follows Beelzebub, a Fiend prince, on his adventures in a post-apocalyptic wasteland world with his friends Sheriff Rao and Thief as they embark on a journey in search of water to bring to their world.
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The game is releasing next month, and according to what has been seen in the trailers, the game seems to be faithfully adapting the source material. The game will see players look for a Legendary Spring to bring water back, just like in the manga, and they will also be able to use weapons and machines against the enemies that they encounter on their journey.
The game’s art design is also similar to Toriyama’s art style in the manga, which has been very much appreciated by the fans. Sand Land also doesn’t shy away from going a bit outside the source to fit the genre and will also feature vehicular action, and players will be able to create their tanks, motorbikes, and other weaponry to go against their opponents.
Sand Land Demo Is Now Available on All Platforms
The game seems to be staying true to the original material created by Toriyama and will hopefully feature all that has made him and his work so iconic in the anime and manga communities. This will also be a perfect send-off to one of the most popular figures in pop culture.
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The game will be released for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam, and the demo is now available for players on all the above-mentioned platforms. The demo allows players access to a limited part of the game’s map and three playable characters: Beelzebub, Rao, and Thief.
Moreover, players will also be able to use battle tanks and armor and experience motorcycle gameplay. It is important to mention that the progress that players will make during the demo will not carry over to the game, but when players start the game after the full release, they will be getting bonus resources such as 30 B-Grade Steel and Bolt.
Are you looking forward to playing Sand Land? Let us know in the comments.
