"Sparking! ZERO" Official Announcement, Pre-, & Post-Release Discussion Thread

[Zinnia]

Dragon Ball seems to be perfectly represented now, right?

Technically there's still characters to pick from: Arale, General Black (he was his arc's main villain), Pilaf Machine and it's Combination, Mummy Man, Annin (the girl that could go giant).

Kid Chichi isn't returning for obvious reasons, but at least they added her Tournament version.

[FiReFTW]

Oh right. We'll have a destroyed city stage that can be used for the Future Androids and for the Omega Shenron final bout.

Dragon Ball seems to be perfectly represented now, right? maybe Chibi Krilin is missing, and Cyborg Tao and maybe Shen, but I can live without them. Even Tenshinhan has a new moveset.

Now it's only GT that needs some love. Goten, Gohan, Rildo, Redjic and the Twin dragons, and I'm fucking set for life.

How do you know tenshinhan has a new moveset? How many characters have new movesets and how to change the movesets?

[Koitsukai]

Oh right. We'll have a destroyed city stage that can be used for the Future Androids and for the Omega Shenron final bout.

Dragon Ball seems to be perfectly represented now, right? maybe Chibi Krilin is missing, and Cyborg Tao and maybe Shen, but I can live without them. Even Tenshinhan has a new moveset.

Now it's only GT that needs some love. Goten, Gohan, Rildo, Redjic and the Twin dragons, and I'm fucking set for life.

How do you know tenshinhan has a new moveset? How many characters have new movesets and how to change the movesets?

I cannot post the image right now, but the trailer has Tenshinhan doing some silly faces and a new attack (I've only watched it once, mind you) in an Original DB fashion.

[The S]

Oh right. We'll have a destroyed city stage that can be used for the Future Androids and for the Omega Shenron final bout.

Dragon Ball seems to be perfectly represented now, right? maybe Chibi Krilin is missing, and Cyborg Tao and maybe Shen, but I can live without them. Even Tenshinhan has a new moveset.

Now it's only GT that needs some love. Goten, Gohan, Rildo, Redjic and the Twin dragons, and I'm fucking set for life.

If by twin dragons you mean Sì and Sān (Nuova and Eis), Nuova's in this pack at least.

[Koitsukai]

Yeah, the red one is confirmed, I just need the evil twin, too. I'm not sure if we're getting anybody else in this DLC, though.

[The Dark Knight]

The majority of characters in this expansion were found in the games files over a year ago, so I have no doubt that the ones that haven't made it this time, like Ice Shenron, will make it into the next expansion.

[angeldreamZ004]

It's the very first time False Super Saiyan appears in a game and it's not playable... What do they have against that form?

Simple, they just don't like using "prototype designs" for the characters in finalized products. "False SSJ" is not a form, at least not a separate one, it's just SSJ1 in a early design that we luckily got to see in a finalized product for the public (Z Movie 4), the same way we got Nappa and Saiyajin arc Vegeta in early color designs in the anime (later corrected in Kai), and early villain designs in promotional material for the Z Movies.
Same applies to the other SSJ1 design, as False SSJ is not the only one, there's Red Eyed SSJ1 as well which was featured in Toriyama's design for Movie 5 and almost every promotional material for that movie to the point we can even see it in the official poster.

I didn't expect them to finally include Movie 4 SSJ in a game now though. No idea what happened that made they change their minds as it's not something usual. Maybe they just thought it would be cool, given how many fans like to treat it as a separate form.

[WittyUsername]

I wasn’t expecting them to go all in for the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai. Looks like even Tenshinhan’s pre-Z self is getting his own character slot. It’s an interesting idea, though it’s odd that they apparently excluded Cyborg Tao.

Also, damn, Cynthia Cranz sounds really old nowadays. It’s really noticeable when she’s voicing Teen Chi-Chi.

[Grimlock]

Simple, they just don't like using "prototype designs" for the characters in finalized products. "False SSJ" is not a form, at least not a separate one, it's just SSJ1 in a early design that we luckily got to see in a finalized product for the public (Z Movie 4), the same way we got Nappa and Saiyajin arc Vegeta in early color designs in the anime (later corrected in Kai), and early villain designs in promotional material for the Z Movies.
Same applies to the other SSJ1 design, as False SSJ is not the only one, there's Red Eyed SSJ1 as well which was featured in Toriyama's design for Movie 5 and almost every promotional material for that movie to the point we can even see it in the official poster.

I didn't expect them to finally include Movie 4 SSJ in a game now though. No idea what happened that made they change their minds as it's not something usual. Maybe they just thought it would be cool, given how many fans like to treat it as a separate form.

Since you are not the first I see saying stuff like this: I really don't understand this reluctancy (and frankly kind of stubbornness) to accept things change. Yeah, False Super Saiyan was not originally conceived to be a different form, but given currently situation (and by "currently" I mean ever since Super Saiyan debuted in the manga), it is now a different thing. There must be a recontextualization to it.

Anyway, addressing your reasoning, I don't think that's the case, because Bio Broly rarely appears too and he isn't a "prototype design". We also don't get Super Saiyan Grades 2 and 3 Goku, and he isn't a "prototype design". So this clearly is a conscious decision to simply not include them in games, they just don't want to, when they should.

[Makaioshin]

Nice to see the False Super Saiyan form appear in some way in this game. I still wish they would further develop custom battle so it wasn't so awful to search terms.

[Mr Baggins]

oh shit, was genuinely not expecting super saiyan -sign- to show up

[angeldreamZ004]

I forgot to say that it was just a hypothesis though, so I made a gaffe there. But anyway, I didn't consider the two characters you mentioned because my point was about prototyte characters designs and the pattern that could possibly indicate why we never got to see them anywhere else. With Bio Broly or Ultra SSJ Goku we don't really see a pattern with them as this kind of character like Monster Zarbon - Hatchiyak - Tarble - Arale - etc they randomly appear again somewhere in one media at some point with no real logic behind it other than they just not showing interest in using them.
Movie 4 SSJ I view as sharing the same pattern as Red Eyes SSJ and the other examples I gave previously due to we never getting to see them
again in any shape or form in new material after they got replaced. The only time it was officially considered a separate trasnformation / given a in-universe explanation If I'm not wrong is not right after the actual SSJ shows up in the manga, but like 5 years later in Daizenshuu, but given how we never saw it again, makes me think that it was somewhat considered to be forbidden from showing up, so the only good explanation I can think for it is that Daizenshuu was not enough to make them reconceptualize it, falling into the "should not be used because it's outdated" territory.
But it doesn't matter anyway, whatever happened behind the scenes, they decided to use it this time, but I highly doubt the reason is more than just "we didn't want to use it" or else we would've seen it in Xenoverse 2, Mobile Games or the Card Games for example.
I keep my theory that they simply thought it would be cool due to the way fans treat it, you know, they oftenly like to say "fans like it" in order to justify bringing a character or something. I think it also opens the door for them to bring back characters like early anime Vegeta, which I believe was only used again for a figure. Red Eyes SSJ unfortunately I guess we'll never see ever again due to it not showing up in animated format, and not being popular.

[The Dark Knight]

Simple, they just don't like using "prototype designs" for the characters in finalized products. I didn't expect them to finally include Movie 4 SSJ in a game now though. No idea what happened that made they change their minds as it's not something usual.

If we get really technical, this form isn't a prototype design, as it did make it into an official product; Z's 4th movie, which is the argument I expect they made to get it approved. The same applies for Vegeta's early Z design; it made it into the show, thus isn't a prototype in the typical sense of remaining behind the scenes and never seen by the public.

[The S]

So it looks like the actual characters we're getting are:

*Gokū (Tenkaichi Budōkai)
*Majunior
*Majunior (Giant)
*Tenshinhan (Tenkaichi Budōkai)
*Chi-Chi

And then a bunch of costumes will have differences in playstyle such as new attacks

https://dbsz.bn-ent.net/dlc/

[djh1991]

So far we have about 241 playable characters in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero. So here's the rundown of all the characters (including DLC characters) in the roster:

OG Dragon Ball:

Kid Goku
Goku (23rd Budokai Tenkaichi Tournament)
Tien Shinhan (23rd Budokai Tenkaichi Tournament)
Chi-Chi (23rd Budokai Tenkaichi Tournament)
Nam
Eighter (aka Android #8)
Grandpa Gohan
Master Roshi (Base, Max Power)
Yajirobe
General Blue
Mercenary Tao
Devilman?!
Demon King Piccolo
Piccolo Jr. (Base, Giant)

Dragon Ball Z:

Goku (Z; Early) (Base, False Super Saiyan as a power up)
Goku (Z; Mid) (Base, Super Saiyan)
Goku (Z; End) (Base, Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 2, Super Saiyan 3)
Kid Gohan
Teen Gohan (Base, Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 2)
Future Gohan (Base, Super Saiyan)
Gohan (Buu Saga) (Base, Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 2, Ultimate Gohan)
Great Saiyaman
Piccolo (Base, Fused w/Nail, Fused w/Kami)
Krillin
Tien Shinhan
Chiaotzu
Yamcha
Future Trunks (Short hair) (Base, Super Saiyan)
Future Trunks (Long hair) (Base, Super Saiyan, Super Trunks (aka Super Saiyan Grade 3))
Kid Trunks (Base, Super Saiyan)
Kid Goten (Base, Super Saiyan)
Vegeta (Z; Early) (Base, Super Saiyan, Super Vegeta (aka Super Saiyan Grade 2))
Vegeta (Z; End) (Base, Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 2)
Vegito (Z) (Base, Super Saiyan)
Gogeta (Z) (Super Saiyan)
Gotenks (Base, Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 3)
Videl
Mr. Satan (aka Hercule)
Tapion
Kid Uub (Z)
Nail
Fasha
Tora
Bardock (Base, Super Saiyan)
King Vegeta
Garlic Jr. (Super Garlic Jr.)
Raditz
Saibamen
Nappa
Vegeta (Z; Scouter) (Base, Great Ape/Oozaru)
Turles
Lord Slug (Base, Giant)
Cui
Zarbon (Base, Monsterous Transformation)
Dodoria
Guldo
Recoome
Burter
Jeice
Captain Ginyu
Frieza Soldier
Frieza (1st form, 2nd form, 3rd form, 4th form, 100% Full Power)
Mecha Frieza
King Cold
Salza
Cooler (4th form, Final Form)
Metal Cooler
Android #13 (Base, Super Android #13)
Android #16
Android #17 (Z)
Android #18
Android #19
Android #20 (aka Dr. Gero)
Broly (Z) (Base, Super Saiyan, Legendary Super Saiyan)
Cell (Imperfect, Semi-Perfect, Perfect, 100% Perfect)
Zangya
Bojack (Base, Full Power)
Spopovich
Babidi
Demon King Dabura
Majin Vegeta
Majin Buu (Innocence)
Majin Buu (Pure Evil)
Super Buu (Base, Super Buu absorbed Gotenks (aka Buutenks), Super Buu absorbed Gohan (aka Buuhan))
Kid Buu
Janemba (Giant, Final Form (Super Janemba))
Hirudegarn

Dragon Ball Daima:

Kid Goku (Daima) (Base, Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 4)
Goku (Daima) (Super Saiyan 4)
Kid Vegeta (Daima) (Base, Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 2, Super Saiyan 3)
Vegeta (Daima) (Super Saiyan 3)
Glorio
Panzy
Majin Kuu
Majin Duu
Gomah (Third Eye, Giant)

Dragon Ball Legends:

Shallot

Dragon Ball Super:

Goku (Super) (Base, Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan God, Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan (aka Super Saiyan Blue), Ultra Instinct, Mastered Ultra Instinct)
Vegeta (Super) (Base, Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan God, Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan (aka Super Saiyan Blue))
Piccolo (DBS Superhero) (Base, Power Awakening, Orange, Orange (Giant))
Vegito (Super) (Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan (aka Super Saiyan Blue))
Gogeta (Super) (Base, Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan (Super Saiyan Blue))
Gohan (DBS Superhero) (Base, Super Saiyan, Ultimate Gohan, Beast Gohan)
Android #17 (Super)
Future Trunks (Super) (Base, Super Saiyan)
God of Destruction from Universe 7: Beerus
Whis
Frieza (Super) (4th form, Golden Frieza)
Champa
Hit
Frost
Cabba (Base, Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 2)
Kale (Base, Super Saiyan Berserk, True Super Saiyan)
Caulifla (Base, Super Saiyan 2)
Kefla (Base, Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 2)
Goku Black (Base, Super Saiyan Rosé)
Zamasu (Base, Merged Zamasu, Merged Zamasu (Corrupted))
Bergamo
Anilaza
Roasie
Kakunsa
Ribrianne
Dyspo
Toppo (Base, God of Destruction form)
Jiren (Base, Super Full Power Jiren)
Broly (Super) (Base (Wrathful), Super Saiyan, Legendary Super Saiyan)
Cheelai
Gamma 1
Gamma 2
Cell Max

Dragon Ball GT:

Goku (GT) (Base, Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 3, Super Saiyan 4)
Vegeta (GT) (Base, Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 4)
Gogeta (GT) (Super Saiyan 4)
Pan (GT)
Trunks (GT) (Base, Super Saiyan)
Uub (GT) (Base, Majuub)
Baby Vegeta (GT) (Base, Super Baby Vegeta 1, Super Baby Vegeta 2, Golden Great Ape/Oozaru Baby Vegeta)
Hell Fighter #17 (GT)
Nuova Shenron (GT)
Syn Shenron (GT)

Missing characters from the original Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Daima, Dragon Ball Super, and Dragon Ball GT:

OG Dragon Ball:

Great Ape/Oozaru transformation for Kid Goku and Kid Gohan from DBZ
Kid Krillin
Giran
Major Metallitron
Ninja Murasaki
Assistant Black (and his Red Ribbon Army robot suit)
Pilaf Machine (Base, Fused)
Arale (from Dr. Slump)
Cyborg Tao
Tambourine
Drum

Dragon Ball Z:

Garlic Jr. (Base)
Kibito
Kibito Kai
Shugesh
Borgos
Amond
Coaco
Daiz
Lakasei
Raisin
Dore
Neiz
Android #14
Android #15
Paragus (Z)
Bido
Bujin
Kogua
Hatchiyack
Tarble

Dragon Ball Legends or other Dragon Ball videogame characters that can join the Sparking! Zero roster:

Super Saiyan Shallot
Super Saiyan 2 Shallot
Super Saiyan 3 Shallot
Super Saiyan God Shallot
Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan (aka Super Saiyan Blue)
Android #21 (Base, Majin form, Cell form)
Supreme Kai of Time (aka Chronoa)

Dragon Ball Daima:

Super Saiyan 2 Kid Goku (Daima)
Super Saiyan 3 Kid Goku (Daima)
Kid Piccolo (Daima)
Kid Nahre/Supreme Kai (Daima)
Degesu
Dr. Arinsu
Tamagami 1
Tamagami 2
Tamagami 3

Dragon Ball Super:

Kasheral
Cocotte
Ganos (Base, Bird form)
Caway
Vados
Botamo
Magetta
Lavender
Basil
Obni
Paparoni
Catopesra
Maji-Kayo
Damom
Gamisalas
Paragus (Super)
Belmod
Maracita

Dragon Ball GT:

Goten (GT) (Base, Super Saiyan)
Ledgic (GT)
Mutchy (GT)
Lord Luud (GT)
Sigma Force (GT) (Natt, Ribet, Bizu, and Nezi)
Sigma Force Cannon (GT)
General Rilldo (GT) (Base, Machine form, Metal form)
Dr. Myuu (GT)
Baby/Bebi (GT)
Haze Shenron (GT)
Rage Shenron (GT)
Oceanus Shenron (GT) (aka Princess Oto)
Naturon Shenron (GT)
Eis Shenron (GT)

[The Dark Knight]

So it looks like the actual characters we're getting are:

*Gokū (Tenkaichi Budōkai)
*Majunior
*Majunior (Giant)
*Tenshinhan (Tenkaichi Budōkai)
*Chi-Chi

https://dbsz.bn-ent.net/dlc/

I am very (pleasantly) surprised we're getting a 2nd Tien, and he's from OG DB no less; great news. The OG DB representation for this game is a very nice change of pace from the often handful of characters we're stuck with. Hopefully we can get Kid Krillin, Tambourine, Bandages the Mummy, Kami from the 23rd TB, and Cyborg Tao in the next expansion. Anything more will of course be welcomed. I would also like to see them expand on the GT roster by adding the remaining 6 shadow dragons, Ledgic, General Rildo, the whip creature, Baby (pre-Vegeta), Goten, and Gohan. I would of course like to see the three Tamagamies make it in as well to round out the Daima roster.

So far we have about 241 playable characters in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero.

We could be looking at upwards of 270-275 characters if there's another expansion that's equal in size of this one, and over 300 in the eventual sequel.

[djh1991]

That whip creature from Dragon Ball GT is Mutchy Mutchy (GT).

[djh1991]

What stages/maps do you want to fill up the entire Dragon Ball era?

Mines are:

Mountain Road
Mount Paozu
Planet Vampa
Planet Tuffle (Baby's homeworld)
Planet M2 (Giru's homeworld, and Goku (GT) fought against General Rilldo (GT))
King Kai's Planet
Beerus Planet
Tournament of Destroyers arena
Intergalactic Tournament arena
Otherworld Tournament arena
Fortune-teller Baba's Palace
Diablo Desert
Penguin Village
Muscle Tower
King's Castle
Korin's Tower
Garlic Jr.'s Castle
Lord Luud's Castle
Planet Imecka
Underwater Cave
Open Field (tall pillars of trees that looks like a island; the place where Super Saiyan 4 Goku (GT) fought against Super #17 in Dragon Ball GT)
Big Gete Star
Hell (from Fusion Reborn film)
Glacier (The World's Strongest film; the place where Goku, and the Z-fighters fought against Dr. Wheelo)
Glacier (Broly: Second Coming film; the place where Kid Goten, Kid Trunks, Videl, and Gohan (Buu Saga) fought against Broly (Z))

[The Dark Knight]

What stages/maps do you want to fill up the entire Dragon Ball era?

Considering we only got 4 this time, I don't think we'll get more than 4-6 next time, so mine are:

Hell (movie representation).
Planet Tuffle (GT representation).
Mountain Road (Z representation).
Muscle Tower or King's Castle (DB representation).
Tournament of Destroyers arena (Super representation).

These stages are very detailed, so although I understand why we aren't getting so many of them, I still hope to be surprised.

[Cold Skin]

When it comes to new costumes in this expansion, it seems primarly focused on Z and Z movies.

Next time, with Super probably being back as the on-going priority (just like Daima was in various games not so long ago around the time the series aired) with Beerus and in preparation of The Galactic Patrol, I'd bet the new costumes will be hopefully focused on Super. We still need Farmer Goku, blue shirt Vegeta, Super Hero C-18, Super pink pullover Videl, Super cool devil Videl (who is shown in the encyclopedia, so put this look in the damn gameplay!), Battle of Gods Krilin, Tacos Krilin, Celebration suit Battle of Gods Gohan, Super studying Gohan, Super Yamcha, and so on...