Sparking! ZERO’s Great Ape Vegeta is So Difficult, Bandai Namco Memes About It

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 a wave of 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." His brutal attacks and seemingly uncounterable moves have players struggling for survival. The situation has become so widespread that even Bandai Namco is joining the meme-fest, acknowledging the widespread difficulty.

Anyone familiar with Vegeta's Great Ape transformation in Dragon Ball Z knows the potential for destruction. Sparking! ZERO amplifies this legendary form to an almost insurmountable level. His onslaught of beam attacks, including the devastating Galick Gun, and a health-draining grab attack make the fight feel less like a battle and more like a desperate struggle for survival. The sheer intensity often leads players to immediately restart upon seeing the Galick Gun charge.

Adding to the challenge, players encounter Great Ape Vegeta early in Goku's Episode Battle, presenting a significant hurdle for newcomers to the Dragon Ball fighting game franchise. The fight can begin with an immediate barrage of super moves, catching unprepared players off guard.

Bandai Namco's Hilarious Response

Instead of a quick fix, Bandai Namco's UK Twitter (X) account playfully responded to the player outcry with a meme featuring a GIF of Great Ape Vegeta overwhelming Goku, simply stating, "This monke got hands."

A Historically Difficult Foe

It's worth noting that Great Ape Vegeta has always been a notoriously difficult opponent in Dragon Ball fighting games. Veterans might recall similar struggles in the original Budokai Tenkaichi, where the fight was essentially a test of endurance.

Other Challenges in Sparking! ZERO

Great Ape Vegeta isn't the only difficulty spike. Even on Normal difficulty, CPU opponents unleash devastating combos that are hard to counter. Super difficulty amplifies this, with the AI seemingly possessing an unfair advantage, consistently landing lengthy attack strings. This often leaves players with one option: lowering the difficulty to Easy.

A Triumphant Launch Despite the Difficulty

Despite the widespread frustration with Great Ape Vegeta's "monke hands," DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO has enjoyed a hugely successful early access launch on Steam. Within hours, it peaked at 91,005 concurrent players, surpassing major fighting game titles like Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat.

This success isn't unexpected. Sparking! ZERO represents a highly anticipated revival of the Budokai Tenkaichi subseries, a fact that has fueled years of fan anticipation. Game8 awarded the game a 92/100 score, praising its vast roster, impressive visuals, and engaging scenarios. For a more in-depth review, check out our full article.