Sparking Zero: Downtime for 12/12 Update - Afterimage Nerf, Split-Screen Maps, & More
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero! is the newest title in the action-packed anime franchise, and three DLC packs have been confirmed for release in 2024. Although the expansion packs seem to be a world away, Bandai Namco has been releasing patches to fix gameplay problems in their newest game.
The explosive battles in Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero! are getting more fierce by the day, and the upcoming gameplay changes will bring players back into the third-person fighter. Although Sparking Zero! is considered by many to be the best Dragon Ball game in years, there are lots of little issues that need to be addressed. We're going to walk you through when the 12/12 update will drop onto Planet Namek and when maintenance is set to begin tomorrow.
When Does Downtime Start?
The long-awaited patch is set to deliver major improvements to the combat systems in Sparking Zero! However, you'll need to know when maintenance is going to start before you can jump back into your favorite Dragon Ball game.
Related Article: Dragon Ball Sparking Zero: Patch Notes for December 12th Update
Downtime for maintenance will start at 3 AM Eastern Time on December 12th and it ends at 5 AM, which is only a few short hours. Luckily for those in the United States or Canada, the downtime will happen early in the morning, so it likely won't affect your ability to play Sparking Zero! tonight or tomorrow. Here's every time zone so that you can prepare to jump right into the Super Saiyan fun at light speed.
Time Zone | Downtime |
|---|---|
PDT | 12 AM |
EDT | 3 AM |
UTC | 8 AM |
CET | 9 AM |
What's Coming in the 12/12 Update?
There are dozens of exciting changes coming in the 12/12 update, most of which contain fixes for powerful combat abilities. However, that's not all that's coming in tomorrow's update. Here are the highlights from the official patch notes, including a nerf to Afterimage Strike.
Nerfs to Afterimage Strike and InstaSparking
Afterimage Strike and InstaSparking are two skills that various characters can use in DBSZ. Both are incredibly powerful, and many in the community believe that they're overpowered and lack counters. The most notable of the two changes is the reduction in length to Afterimage Strike, which has been reduced to 10 seconds, down from 15.
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Afterimage Strike will now also cease if an enemy player uses Perception to counter your attack. While most players have been using Afterimage Strike to play offensively, it will now become a more defensive skill instead. This ability allows you to immediately dodge incoming attacks of most types, so it's incredibly powerful if you know how to use it, and it will surely remain in use even after the patch.
InstaSparking is another beast altogether. You can use a skill like this to instantly enter Sparking mode without having to charge Ki, and it typically only costs 3 skill points to use. Following the update, InstaSparking will require more skill points. Bandai didn't directly mention how many points it will cost for each character, but the price will likely increase from 3 to 5 soon, preventing players from spamming it back-to-back.
Changes to Core Combat Mechanics
The nerfs to Afterimage Strike and InstaSparking will change the landscape of battles forever, but the explosive combat system is receiving other changes too. For example, Ki Blast Rushes now have a longer cooldown, which prevents characters from spamming the little balls of light. Ki Blasts were previously one of the only ways to counter Afterimage Strike, as they would still hit characters using the skill, but they won't be as much of a necessity following the patch.
Another notable change is that the health recovered by benched characters in DP Battles is now much lower, which may prevent players from constantly swapping out characters. All of these little changes will forge a new future for Sparking Zero!, but we'll have to wait until tomorrow to see if the action-packed fighting game truly changed for the better.
Updated Split-Screen Multiplayer
As what will likely be the biggest addition to Sparking Zero! tomorrow, Bandai will now allow you to use any map in the local multiplayer mode. While fighting your nearby friends and family, locations like Namek and Land Of The Kais will be selectable. Many split-screen players were unhappy with the limited map selection at launch, so this update should excite many fans, even if it's a little late.
New Character Menu Options
The character select menu is one of the biggest issues in Sparking Zero! As such, Bandai is now allowing you to select a different way to sort through your favorite heroes and villains. We don't have any screenshots to share of the new system, but it seems that the character display menu will be adjustable in the 12/12 update, so hopefully, we'll be able to get rid of the 20 versions of Goku that are cluttering up the character select menu.
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As many characters have over a dozen transformations and variants, it isn't easy to sort through them all, especially since Bardock, Turles, and Goku Black look so similar to the power-packed protagonist. Vegeta and Gohan also have this issue, along with villains that have multiple forms, like Frieza. Although it's currently unclear if the updated menu will be adequate for the Dragon Ball fan base, it will surely improve ease of access while selecting your favorite fighter.
Official Patch Notes
We've compiled every piece of the official patch notes into a separate article. Below is a list of all the features expected to drop in tomorrow's action-packed update.
Michael Caruso is a journalist of five years who works to share his passion for gaming with the world. Throughout his career, Michael has written for various video game and news publications, focusing his writing on entertainment and the well-being of the environment. When Michael isn't writing, he can be found playing his guitar or immersed in a virtual world.