The December 12, 2024 free update for DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO made every stage selectable in offline Player 1 vs. Player 2 battles and added a new movement action, High-Speed Dragon Dash. It also changed match setup, custom battles, combat and skills. These are the improvements behind the original update announcement; they are not the game’s latest changes, as further updates followed in 2025 and 2026.
What changed in the December 2024 update?
Bandai Namco’s December 12, 2024 update notice identifies the patch as version 2006.005.003.004.003. The publisher described its goals as improving performance and ease of use, alongside additions and adjustments across several parts of the game.
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Every stage became available in offline local versus
The clearest practical change was to offline Player 1 vs. Player 2 battles: players could choose any stage, rather than being restricted to a subset. Bandai Namco’s announcement framed this as local multiplayer on all maps. This concerns offline local battles; it does not mean that every online mode or match type received the same stage-selection change.
High-Speed Dragon Dash added a quick approach
The patch added High-Speed Dragon Dash, a movement action for closing distance toward an opponent quickly. Bandai Namco’s notice describes it as “The new quick movement action, ‘High-Speed Dragon Dash’, where you can move quickly towards your opponent, has been added.” Its purpose is movement, not a new character or game mode.
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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
Setup, custom battles and presentation also changed
The update adjusted character display and team-set handling, added the option to skip intro animations in ranked and player matches, and let players choose whether teams are hidden or revealed in player matches. Custom Battle text became alphabetized, and a closer battle-camera option was added. These changes affect how players configure and present matches, rather than expanding the roster.
Combat and skill balance received adjustments
The notice also lists changes to battle mechanics and skills. It presents the release as a broad tuning and usability patch, not solely a local-multiplayer fix. The official notes do not provide a measured player-satisfaction result or a quantified performance benchmark, so the claimed performance improvement should be understood as the publisher’s description rather than a published test result.
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
How the later updates compare
The December 2024 patch was followed by updates that introduced modes and features, revised combat, and addressed stability. The table distinguishes the dated free game updates documented in the official notices from the separately sold expansion. The September 2026 archive listing is included only as a dated notice because its itemized contents could not be verified.
| Date and release | Documented changes | What it means for players |
|---|---|---|
| December 12, 2024 — free update, version 2006.005.003.004.003 | All stages in offline P1-vs-P2; High-Speed Dragon Dash; match setup, camera, Custom Battle, combat and skill changes. PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Steam were listed in the notice. | More stage choice for local versus, plus movement, usability and balance adjustments. |
| January 20, 2025 — version 2008.007.003.005.004 | The notice lists limited-time Legendary Warrior Face-off, a Dragon Orb difficulty adjustment, more Custom Battle situations and effects, Quick Match changes, Quick Room Search, a ranked matchmaking wait after disconnects, character-control explanations, and a CPU-training guard option. It also lists changes to charge attacks, Rush Attack, Grand Slash, Ki Blasts, Perception, Super Counter, Speed Impact, Chase Change, Impact Recovery and several skills. | A mixture of online and training improvements, a temporary mode, and extensive combat tuning. |
| July 29, 2026 — version 3020.019.003.012.013 | The notice lists three stages, the BGM “ZERO,” more Custom Battle options and difficult Extra Battles, CPU behavior changes, additional Survival battles, rules for using trained Limit Breaker Journey characters, and new battle actions Linked Blast and Sparking! Boost. It also includes character and combat adjustments. | New battle options and content alongside balance and stability work. |
| August 7, 2026 — version 3021.020.003.012.014 | The notice lists fixes for some character-model display issues, a choice to keep or reroll a Battle Arts sub-skill after completing Limit Breaker Journey on Normal difficulty or higher, dialogue updates, and improved overall stability. PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC were listed. | A follow-up focused on fixes, a Limit Breaker Journey option and stability. |
| September 4, 2026 — update notice listed | Bandai Namco Europe’s news archive lists a notice dated September 3 for a September 4 update; itemized patch details are not stated in the accessible notice. | The archive confirms a notice, but does not establish its specific changes here. |
Is Super Limit-Breaking NEO part of the free update?
No. Super Limit-Breaking NEO is a separate expansion that became available July 30, 2026. Bandai Namco’s announcement describes 33 playable characters, four Episode Battles, new Extra Battles, four new stages and Limit Breaker Journey. The concurrent free update added Sparking! Boost and Chain Blast, as well as three variations of existing stages; those free-update additions should not be confused with the expansion’s content. The official Dragon Ball site likewise describes the DLC as adding characters, outfits, techniques, stages and a single-player training mode.
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- 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.
Which platforms are listed?
The publisher’s product and update pages list DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, and its product pages also list Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. Platform listings do not establish that every update or DLC is available on every platform at the same time. The December 2024 notice specifically listed PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Steam; the August 2026 notice listed PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The cited notices do not verify current retail stock, pricing, or the expansion’s availability on every listed platform.
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
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