Some players found Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO frustratingly difficult, especially when CPU counters disrupted their attacks or Episode Battle objectives demanded precise timing. Those complaints are real examples of individual reactions, not evidence that most players struggled. Since the game’s October 2024 launch, Bandai Namco has added options and adjusted difficulty in several updates—but none of those changes establishes that every difficult fight has been fixed.
Why did players call Sparking! ZERO “way too hard”?
Launch-period discussions included players frustrated by CPU defense, counter timing, and Episode Battle fights. One Reddit post was titled “This game is absolutely way too hard,” while another asked, “How hard is the game actually?” These are examples of individual player phrasing, not a survey or a measure of how widespread the complaint was.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO PS5 | $39.88 | Buy on Amazon |
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Dragon Ball Sparking Zero - Compatible for PS5 - UK PAL | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, 1 PS5-Blu-ray Disc | $48.48 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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DRAGON BALL Z: Kakarot - PlayStation 5 | $21.92 | Buy on Amazon |
Other players in those discussions argued that learning the combat mechanics and practicing in Training helped. The disagreement points to an important distinction: a fight can feel punishing while a player is learning its timing, but that does not show that every player—or every mode—has the same difficulty experience. The complaints describe perceived CPU behavior; the available official information does not establish that the game’s AI reads inputs.
What difficulty options and updates are available?
Difficulty depends on the mode, the selected CPU setting, the objective, and the game version. Bandai Namco’s updates have changed some of those options over time:
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#1 Best Overall
- Engage in heart-pounding, high-speed 3D battles that stay true to the anime and video game series
- This game contains breathtaking visuals and authentic combat moves like beam clashes, rush attacks, and movements too quick for the eyes to see
- Step into an arena that reacts to your every action including planet-razing ultimate attacks
- Watch the environment respond with stunning realism, and leave a trail of destruction in your wake as you battle to your heart’s content
| Update | Change relevant to difficulty | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| January 20, 2025, version 2008.007.003.005.004 | Episode Battle difficulty can be changed even when using a Dragon Orb. Training gained a CPU “Guarding After Attacks” option. | Official update notes also describe changes to battle mechanics; the listed options do not guarantee that a particular fight or objective will be easy. |
| January 2026 | Versus gained an Ultra CPU setting above Super. The Custom Battle editor’s maximum CPU level increased to 21. | The Ultra setting is a higher challenge option, not an easier setting. |
| April 21, 2026, version 2019.018.003.011.012 | CPU behavior at Ultra difficulty was adjusted; Survival Mode was added. | The notice lists PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam. |
| May 26, 2026 | Difficulty was adjusted for some Episode Battle stages following battle-system changes. | The update was for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. It does not say that every hard stage was changed. |
How to make a difficult fight more manageable
For Episode Battle
- Check whether the challenge is simply winning the fight or meeting a timing condition to reach an alternate outcome. A timed branch can be a different hurdle from completing the main story path.
- Use the Episode Battle difficulty option when needed. Bandai Namco’s January 2025 update says difficulty can be changed even when using a Dragon Orb.
- If a stage still feels unusually punishing, check whether the installed game includes later updates. The May 2026 Switch and Switch 2 update adjusted difficulty for some stages, not all of them.
For CPU practice or Versus
- Use Training’s “Guarding After Attacks” CPU option to practice against a defensive response after your strikes. It is a practice aid, not a promise that every CPU behavior is reproduced.
- Choose a CPU difficulty suited to your goal. Ultra sits above Super in Versus, and its behavior was adjusted in the April 2026 update.
- Practice the specific exchange that is stopping you—such as responding after an attack is guarded—instead of treating every lost exchange as proof that the whole game is too difficult.
Does the latest version make the game easy?
No official update establishes a universal difficulty fix. The January 2025 notes added a way to change Episode Battle difficulty while using a Dragon Orb and a Training option; later notices added a harder Versus CPU tier, adjusted Ultra CPU behavior, and changed difficulty for some Episode Battle stages on Switch and Switch 2. Those changes address particular modes or situations, not every complaint.
The game is listed for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2, but the cited updates do not apply identically to every platform or date. For example, the April 21, 2026 notice names PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam, while the May 26, 2026 notice covers Switch and Switch 2. Check the update notes for your platform when comparing what your installed version includes.
Rank #2
- UK PSN Account Requirement: UK PSN account may be required for any online features
- Legendary Budokai Tenkaichi Gameplay: Experience the iconic gameplay of the Budokai Tenkaichi series elevated to new heights with enhanced mechanics and controls
- Extensive Character Roster: Learn and master an incredible roster of playable characters, each with signature abilities, transformations, and techniques
- Authentic Dragon Ball Combat: Harness the destructive power of the strongest fighters ever to appear in DRAGON BALL with faithful recreations of their abilities
- Regional Compatibility: Physical game disc compatible with PlayStation 5 consoles in UK PAL regions
What the sales figure does—and does not—show
Bandai Namco Holdings reported that the game sold more than three million units in its first 24 hours after its October 2024 release. That is a sales milestone, not evidence about difficulty, player satisfaction, or how many people agreed with the launch-period complaints.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Experience the story of DRAGON BALL Z from epic events to light-hearted side quests, including never-before-seen story moments that answer some burning questions of Dragon Ball lore for the first time
- Play through iconic DRAGON BALL Z battles on a scale unlike any other
- Fight across vast battlefields with destructible environments and experience epic boss battles that will test the limits of your combat abilities
- Increase your power level and rise to the challenge
- Don’t just fi ght as Goku - Live as Goku. Fish, fly, eat, train, and battle your way through the DRAGON BALL Z sagas, making friends and building relationships with a massive cast of DRAGON BALL characters
Rank #3
- Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero takes the legendary gameplay of the Budokai Tenkaichi series to a whole new level.
- Use the destructive power of the strongest fighters ever competed in Dragon Ball!
- Learn and master an incredible group of playable characters, each with individual skills, transformations and techniques.
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