Bandai Namco Entertainment dropped a reveal trailer out of the blue on June 17 announcing Saiyan Shallot is coming to Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero on June 26, with Season Pass owners gaining early access to the new fighter 72 hours earlier on June 23. As an original character developed as the protagonist for the 2018 free-to-play mobile game Dragon Ball Legends, Shallot's addition to Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero marks his first appearance in another Dragon Ball property outside of Japan.
Developed by Spike Chunsoft and released in 2024, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero featured a hefty roster of over 180 playable characters from various Dragon Ball series entries at launch. With the release of multiple DLC packs for Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, the fighting game's roster has blown past the 200 mark. The Japanese publisher has shown few signs of slowing down, with a Daima DLC expansion pack still on the way and surprise reveals like Shallot's ensuring players never find themselves wanting.
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero's Success Puts the Ball in Naruto's Court
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero set a new standard for anime fighting games, highlighting the lack of a modern equivalent for Naruto fans.
Dragon Ball Legends protagonist Shallot is coming to Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero on June 26, with Season Pass owners gaining early access to the Saiyan warrior on June 23. A price for the new character has not been revealed, and without a precedent set for single-character DLCs for Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, it’s difficult to guess how much the Extra DLC – Shallot will cost players at launch. The closest approximation available is the Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Pre-Order Pack, which includes the exclusive character Goku (Mini) and unlocks a number of playable characters early. The first Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Daima Character Pack, which added 11 new characters, is priced at $9.99.
Saiyan Shallot Joins Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero in Surprise DLC
Shallot makes a strong impression in his Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero trailer debut, going head-to-head with four of Dragon Ball Z's most fearsome villains: Nappa, Captain Ginyu, Freiza, and Broly. Notably, the trailer does not show off any iconic Saiyan transformations for the new character, which leaves some of Shallot's capabilities a mystery. For players itching to test out the new character, picking up the Season Pass grants early access to all future Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero DLC, including Shallot.
Having received positive reviews from players and critics alike, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero has proven itself to be a worthy successor to the classic Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series of tournament fighters. The game has been a commercial smash hit as well, with Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero selling over five million copies just four months after its launch and solidifying itself as the third-highest-selling Bandai Namco game ever.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 86%
- Released
- October 11, 2024
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Spike Chunsoft
- Publisher(s)
- Namco Bandai
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 can 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.
- Engine
- proprietary engine
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Dragon Ball
- Genre(s)
- Fighting, Action
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- How Long To Beat
- 11 hours
