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

[Mr Baggins]

That botched AI for CPU is reportedly getting patched soon

Good to hear.

The new AI isn't difficult for me, but only because I'm forced to abuse the same cheap ass tactics to win. That's no fun.

They just need to tone down the insane input reading.

[Makaioshin]

I personally think he replicates the voice very well so I believe I'll easily get used to it. As for Boo, I checked a recent gameplay in Japanese and i'm pretty sure it's still Kozo Shioya's voice lines. I believe the first place we'll hear his new voice actor will be one of the two mobile games, though they could still use pre-recorded lines from Shioya.

Finally got around to it and there are new lines for Majin Boo all recorded for the new mode. You can find the sample here: https://x.com/SDBH_KAITO/status/2085339391569035538

Majin Boo's replacement voice actor is Mitsuaki Kanuka whose most notable role is providing the voice for Patrick Star on SpongeBob. He does a great job and it is a funny note of trivia.

Video essays are essays presented in the form of videos and are usually about topics like social media, politics, entertainment, stuff like that. It typically features one person speaking directly into the camera (probably being filmed in their room or recording studio) or voicing over an edited video for a couple minutes, while including footage of or pictures of what it is they're talking about.

Sometimes these video essays can go on for several hours and can be longer than movies. There are loads of video essays on Dragon Ball alone, most notably by PlagueOfGripes

Isn't there a real word for that? And also it still has nothing to do with what I was talking about so I'm still confused.

the real word for it is "video essays".

It has nothing to do with what you directly said, and more of an aside that people will use anything to make half-bake content. It's not that serious.

Thank you and FPSSJ4_Goku for explaining the concept of video essays and asides. It is always fun to throw out a few as it can take conversations in new and exciting directions.

[angeldreamZ004]

Spoiler:

Finally got around to it and there are new lines for Majin Boo all recorded for the new mode. You can find the sample here: https://x.com/SDBH_KAITO/status/2085339391569035538

Majin Boo's replacement voice actor is Mitsuaki Kanuka whose most notable role is providing the voice for Patrick Star on SpongeBob. He does a great job and it is a funny note of trivia.

Wow, unlike Yamcha he sounds very different to me! Thank you for sharing it. Being the Japanese voice for Patrick Star is indeed a strange coincidence lol

[MCDaveG]

That botched AI for CPU is reportedly getting patched soon

Good to hear.

The new AI isn't difficult for me, but only because I'm forced to abuse the same cheap ass tactics to win. That's no fun.

They just need to tone down the insane input reading.

That’s the thing. While some embraced it as challenging, it forces me to cheese against the AI cheeses and it’s not fun at all.

[90sDBZ]

I think in october we're finally getting Beerus' planet and probably the Capsule Corp stage. Perhaps that Cave stage too, but I don't think so nor want it. It has only appeared once, in BoG, if I'm not mistaken. Or was there any other cave-like fight I'm forgetting?

I think you're talking about the Cave Stage from Xenoverse and FighterZ. Yes I'm pretty sure it only shows up in that movie.

There was a very similar stage in the Raging Blast games. I forget the name of it, but it was essentially an underground cavern.

This predated BoG by a few years, and was likely inspired by the brief moments in Z were fights went underground. Goku vs Majin Vegeta, and Gohan vs Buutenks both had underground sequences.

I wouldn't be against seeing a cave stage in Sparking Zero.

[Hellspawn28]

If they made another big DLC pack for SZ, I would like to see:

DB: Kid Kuririn, Oozaru, King Chappa, Pilaf, Tambourine, Cyborg Tao, Old Piccolo Daimao, Kami, and Ranfan
DBZ: Appule, Kibito, Kibitoshin, and Olibu
DBGT: Baby (kid, teen, and adult), General Rildo (base, sigma, metal), Legic, Lord Ludd, GT Goten, Two Star Dragon, Third Star Dragon, Five Star Dragon (base and gaint), Six Star Dragon (base and transformed), and Seven Star Dragon (base and transformed)
Z Movies and Specials: Tarble, Hatchiyack, Base Garlic Jr, #14, #15, Dore, and Neiz
Super: Teen Trunks, Teen Goten, Fat Gotenks, Pan, Vados, Gine, Catopesra, Ganos, Magetta, Botamo, Saonel, and Pilina
Diama: Mini Piccolo, Tamagami #1, Tamagami #2, and Tamagami #3
Other: Arale

[Scsigs]

So, is the new DLC worth the money?

[goku the krump dancer]

So, is the new DLC worth the money?

25+ new characters
Several New Stages
New Storylines added with cutscenes
New costumes
New costumes that give additional attacks
New game mode
Balance changes
New animated intro


For $35 bucks.

You be the judge.

[MCDaveG]

So, is the new DLC worth the money?

Honestly, nope. I’d wait for discount.
I am a big fan and went for it, as the wait was insane and I really like the Limit Breaker mode, but would rather see the price around 25 bucks.

[Jord]

So, is the new DLC worth the money?

25+ new characters
Several New Stages
New Storylines added with cutscenes
New costumes
New costumes that give additional attacks
New game mode
Balance changes
New animated intro


For $35 bucks.

You be the judge.

A lot of the "cutscenes" in story mode are just power point presentations without narration though.

[Makaioshin]

Balance changes

For $35 bucks.

You be the judge.

Balance changes as one of the bullet points is really funny though it isn't true. Part of the free update.

[Jord]

I am not a big fan of the BT games (even though I own a fair amount of them), but I cant deny how the models in this game look stunning. It's a joy to watch on Youtube.

[The Dark Knight]

I am not a big fan of the BT games (even though I own a fair amount of them), but I cant deny how the models in this game look stunning. It's a joy to watch on Youtube.

Everything about the game's look, be it the character models, the environments, the attacks, etc. look absolutely stunning. If we get a sequel, this is one area they won't have to worry about improving, as they can instead focus exclusively on content and gameplay.

[Jord]

I am not a big fan of the BT games (even though I own a fair amount of them), but I cant deny how the models in this game look stunning. It's a joy to watch on Youtube.

Everything about the game's look, be it the character models, the environments, the attacks, etc. look absolutely stunning. If we get a sequel, this is one area they won't have to worry about improving, as they can instead focus exclusively on content and gameplay.

I feel that was the main goal for the team; make a current looking BT3. And they did. I have been critical about the story mode, which could use some sprucing up regarding presentation, but even there, the stories themselves are interesting a lot of the time. Heck, I prefer this game's Saiyan Saga fight with the game all fighting Vegeta, over the actual manga's story.

[Scsigs]

So, is the new DLC worth the money?

Honestly, nope. I’d wait for discount.
I am a big fan and went for it, as the wait was insane and I really like the Limit Breaker mode, but would rather see the price around 25 bucks.

Yeah. I'm in no rush to buy it. Unless it's a game I really like, I'm good waiting to buy DLC on a sale.

[The S]

I mean you do get more for your money than you ever did for the same amount in XV2....

[angeldreamZ004]

25+ new characters
Several New Stages
New Storylines added with cutscenes
New costumes
New costumes that give additional attacks
New game mode
Balance changes
New animated intro

You can watch the new opening and cutscenes for free on Youtube, so I don't agree with considering them. Also the balance changes unrelated to the DLC like Makaioshin said.

I mean you do get more for your money than you ever did for the same amount in XV2....

I think that's very subjective, like, yes, you'll spend more money purchasing everything XV2 has to offer. But in defense of that game, it's 8+ years older, the new edition that made the previous one obsolete was released only 7 years later, and the new stories in the DLC focused in the new characters. Sparking Zero is selling now a DLC with characters and some content cut from the base game, which okay, you can justify that it's a fair thing and they at least look awesome, but none of the new characters received any story dedicated to them, instead, they decided to charge for 4 new stories focused on characters who were in the base game already, which just makes no sense especially if their "justification" is the fact that parts of the DLC's Tenkaichi Budokai Tenshinhan moveset was used for the story mode Tenshinhan, but it's a story that only covers the Saiyajin and Freeza arcs. So I can't see the logic.
Plus, I think it's the fourth or fifth time I'm repeating this in the thread, I'm sorry for that but it's important, which is the fact that the Legendary Edition comes less than 2 years after the Ultimate edition, so they already released a new edition that made the previous one obsolete and they even removed it from some online store listings (or all of them, haven't checked), and many people who bought the Ultimate Edition complained about that. That never happened with Xenoverse 2, or any of the other games within the franchise as far as I know.

[goku the krump dancer]

25+ new characters
Several New Stages
New Storylines added with cutscenes
New costumes
New costumes that give additional attacks
New game mode
Balance changes
New animated intro

You can watch the new opening and cutscenes for free on Youtube, so I don't agree with considering them. Also the balance changes unrelated to the DLC like Makaioshin said.

You can literally say that about any DLC update for any game that expands the story mode. It’s still effort on the developers part to go out of their way to create a new intro for the game and new story what-ifs for certain characters. Don’t get stuck on the balance patch dot either because obviously that’s something that comes free in fighting games regardless if you buy the season pass DLCs or not but if this were 2006 you’d be paying for balance changes for sure by buying the next game which is essentially what this Neo update is, a soft sequel or a Sparking Zero 1.5.

My overall point though is that it’s only 35 bucks.. that’s hardly a tall ask based on everything we get in the update, not including what comes free. Most people spend that much or more Door Dashing their dinner every night, so if you’re someone who enjoys Sparking Zero enough, why not just go ahead and buy it?

Hell I’m pseudo defending them and I haven’t even bought it myself, not because I don’t think its worth it but because I don’t really enjoy the core game enough to care that much, though I might buy it anyway because I’m really excited about GT Vegeta. Time will tell.

[angeldreamZ004]

Spoiler:

25+ new characters
Several New Stages
New Storylines added with cutscenes
New costumes
New costumes that give additional attacks
New game mode
Balance changes
New animated intro

You can watch the new opening and cutscenes for free on Youtube, so I don't agree with considering them. Also the balance changes unrelated to the DLC like Makaioshin said.

You can literally say that about any DLC update for any game that expands the story mode. It’s still effort on the developers part to go out of their way to create a new intro for the game and new story what-ifs for certain characters. Don’t get stuck on the balance patch dot either because obviously that’s something that comes free in fighting games regardless if you buy the season pass DLCs or not but if this were 2006 you’d be paying for balance changes for sure by buying the next game which is essentially what this Neo update is, a soft sequel or a Sparking Zero 1.5.

My overall point though is that it’s only 35 bucks.. that’s hardly a tall ask based on everything we get in the update, not including what comes free. Most people spend that much or more Door Dashing their dinner every night, so if you’re someone who enjoys Sparking Zero enough, why not just go ahead and buy it?

Hell I’m pseudo defending them and I haven’t even bought it myself, not because I don’t think its worth it but because I don’t really enjoy the core game enough to care that much, though I might buy it anyway because I’m really excited about GT Vegeta. Time will tell.

I know, didn't try to say there was no effort put into it, nor if it's worth it or not. I just added those extra notes, the rest is still content and if you think it's worth it go on and be happy, though 2026 is a complete different scenario than 2006 context so it's very complicated to do such a comparison imo, DLC was rare and they had to make a lot of changes in the next game in order to justify selling it as a new product, which is what happened technically with games like DBZ2-3, Sparking Neo-Meteor, Raging Blast 2. They are supposed to be pretty much just upgraded versions of previous title, but they also work as their own individual games and had to be selective in regards to the contenr due to time constraints, which is one of the main reasons Budokai 2 doesn't have everything from 1 or Budokai 3 doesn't have everything from 2 for example. That view doesn't exist for the modern games anymore.

Of course, I'm talking about Dragon Ball only, If I consider games in general then of course we'll find some of these modern practices applied to older games in a "elder form", or practices like seen with Street Fighter for example.
I think with Dragon Balll the closest we got to a new game making the previous one obsolete was with Xenoverse 2, being a upgraded XV1. Though it took a few years for them to release DLC with XV1's story for XV2.

Anyway if they at least waited like 4-5 years to release the Legendary Edition I wouldn't be parroting here about it. The rest they did I think is fine, not good, but normal at least.

[Scsigs]

I mean you do get more for your money than you ever did for the same amount in XV2....

Can't wait for the inevitable XV2 complete bundle...