Summary
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zerois getting its biggest update yet in December 2024, addressing some longstanding balancing issues and making some much-requested adjustments.Dragon Ball: Sparking Zerowas met with a warm reception from fans of the oldBudokai Tenkaichiseries when it finally launched in October, quickly becoming Steam’s most-played game before it even came out and eventually breaking the record for the highest-selling title in the franchise in the US. In the months that followed,Sparking Zero’s player count has dropped, but Bandai Namco is continuing to support it through updates and planned DLC.
Back in November, developer Spike Chunsoft polled fans on what DLC updates they would like to see inDragon Ball: Sparking Zero, with the options featured including new playable characters and skins, features like auto-play and increased experience, or new story content forDragon Ball: Sparking Zero’s branching Episode Battle mode. Of course, there are still plenty of balancing and gameplay issues that players would like to see ironed out, as demonstrated by the controversialSparking Zerotournament that was met with much criticism due to the game’s imbalanced roster and gameplay exploits that resulted in matches that weren’t very fun to watch.
The latestDragon Ball: Sparking Zeroupdate is set to go live on Jul 07, 2025, and looks to be the biggest one yet. For starters, the local versus multiplayer mode adds the ability to select any stage while playing offline, whereas previously onlythe Hyperbolic Time Chamber stagewas playable by default due to supposed technical issues. There are also a handful of functionality adjustments, like being able to change a character’s display method in Battle Setup, skipping character animations in Ranked and Player Matches, and choosing to keep the player’s team hidden from their opponent while editing it before a Player Match.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero’s newest update features numerous adjustments to standard moves and attacks across the board. This includes a new quick movement attack called the High-Speed Dragon Dash, which allows the player to move quickly toward their opponent and close the distance during anintenseDragon Ball: Sparking Zerobattle. Tweaks to existing moves include the player no longer being stunned by a Rush Ki Blast while charging a Smash Attack, Rush Ki Blasts taking longer to reset after the maximum number of shots, and Z-Search no longer losing track of the enemy when characters are being swapped with reserves.
Lastly, the upcomingDragon Ball: Sparking ZeroDecember 2024 patch will address some of the game’s most infamous balancing issues by altering some characters. Giant characters likethe infamous Great Ape Vegetawill now take longer to charge a Smash Attack, and the damage the move inflicts will be lowered. Players will also be able to escape Cell Second Form’s throws, while the health absorbed by Android 19 and Dr. Gero’s throws have been adjusted. There are plenty of other changes inDragon Ball: Sparking Zero’s December 2024 update patch, which will be available to download starting December 12.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero December 2024 Update Patch Notes
Game Mode Adjustments
All stages are now available in offline P1 vs. P2 battles.
Skills that cause instant Sparking! Mode
Skills that increase stats in general
Long-Range Blasts and Ultimate Blasts
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
WHERE TO PLAY
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO takes the legendary gameplay of the Budokai Tenkaichi series and raises it to whole new levels. Become a super warrior and experience the earth-shaking, limit-breaking power of DRAGON BALL battles!Unleash the strength of over 180 fighters from DRAGON BALL Z, DRAGON BALL Super, DRAGON BALL GT, and selected DRAGON BALL movies, all in the base game! Each character comes with their own signature abilities, transformations, and techniques.Make the destructive power of the strongest fighters ever to appear in DRAGON BALL yours!Engage in heart-pounding, high-speed 3D battles that stay true to the anime and video game series, with breathtaking visuals and authentic combat moves like beam clashes, rush attacks, movements too quick for the eyes to see, and planet-razing ultimate attacks.Challenge other players online to test your skills, or sit down with friends offline to hone your skills exclusively in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber! Fight your way to become a champion across various tournament modes and victory conditions.Conquer the action-packed battles from the beloved original story, or discover and unlock new encounters for your favorite Z-Fighters and more. Relive your favorite moments from the series through cutscenes you’re able to experience from the perspectives of eight characters!Recreate your favorite battles from throughout the DRAGON BALL story, or set up your dream story battle with your favorite characters! Share your creations with other fans and experience the battles brought to life by imaginations around the world.
