Vegeta's Ape Frenzy Baffles Bandai Namco

DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO's early access release has unleashed a formidable foe: Great Ape Vegeta. This colossal ape is proving to be an incredibly challenging boss, leaving players frustrated and spawning countless memes.

Great Ape Vegeta: A Boss Battle of Epic Proportions (and Difficulty)

Boss battles are meant to be tough, but Great Ape Vegeta transcends "difficult," reaching legendary levels of challenge. His brutal attacks and seemingly uncounterable moves have players scrambling for survival. The situation is so dire that even Bandai Namco is joining the meme-fest, acknowledging the widespread struggle.

The infamous Galick Gun and a devastating grab attack are just the beginning. The fight feels less like a strategic battle and more like a desperate attempt to survive a relentless onslaught. Many players resort to restarting the moment they see the Galick Gun charging. The encounter's early appearance in Goku's Episode Battle further exacerbates the problem for newcomers to the Dragon Ball fighting game franchise, who may be overwhelmed by the immediate barrage of super moves.

Bandai Namco's Hilarious Response

Instead of a quick fix, Bandai Namco opted for humor, tweeting "This monke got hands" alongside a GIF of Great Ape Vegeta's devastating attack. This perfectly captures the sentiment of players worldwide. While challenging, this level of difficulty isn't entirely unprecedented in the Dragon Ball fighting game series; veteran players might recall similar struggles with Great Ape Vegeta in Budokai Tenkaichi.

Beyond Great Ape Vegeta: Other Challenges

The difficulty isn't limited to the ape. Even on Normal difficulty, CPU opponents unleash devastating combos, a problem amplified on Super difficulty where the AI seems almost unfairly advantageous. For many, the only option is to lower the difficulty to Easy.

A Triumphant Launch Despite the Difficulty

Despite the widespread frustration with Great Ape Vegeta, DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO has been a massive success on Steam. Within hours of early access, it reached a peak of 91,005 concurrent players, surpassing major fighting game titles like Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat. This success is likely due to the game's status as a long-awaited revival of the popular Budokai Tenkaichi subseries. Game8 awarded the game a 92/100 score, praising its extensive roster, stunning visuals, and engaging scenarios. For a deeper dive into our review, check out the linked article below!