Everyone wants to know: is Beast Gohan in Sparking Zero? Honestly, it was the first thing I checked when the roster leaks started hitting the internet months ago. You can’t blame the hype. Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero changed the power scaling forever, and seeing Gohan’s silver-haired, red-eyed transformation in a modern engine like Unreal Engine 5 is basically a dream for any fan who grew up mashing buttons on the PS2.
The short answer is yes. He’s there. But it’s not exactly how some people expected it to be at launch.
If you’ve played the previous Budokai Tenkaichi games, you know the drill. Usually, you’d expect every form of a character to be available on the disc from day one. However, the gaming industry in 2026 looks a lot different than it did in 2007. Bandai Namco and Spike Chunsoft had a massive task with this roster, and Beast Gohan represents a specific era of the franchise that required a slightly different rollout strategy.
The Reality of Beast Gohan in the Roster
So, here’s the deal. When Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO hit the shelves, the base roster was already massive—sitting at 182 characters. That’s an absurd number. Yet, if you scrolled through the Gohan variants on release day, you saw Kid Gohan, Teen Gohan (with the iconic SSJ2), Adult Gohan, and even Great Saiyaman. But Beast? He was the "missing" piece for a few weeks.
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Bandai Namco confirmed early on that characters from Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero and Dragon Ball DAIMA would be part of the Season Pass. Is Beast Gohan in Sparking Zero as a base game unlockable? No. He is part of the DLC 1 pack. This pack specifically focuses on the movie that introduced Gohan’s most powerful form to date.
It’s a bit of a polarizing move. Some fans felt he should have been "on disc" considering the movie came out years ago. Others argue that the level of detail put into his "Special Beam Cannon" ultimate move justified the extra development time as premium content. Regardless of where you stand, if you want to play as Beast Gohan, you’re looking at getting the Season Pass or purchasing the Super Hero DLC pack individually.
Why the Beast Transformation is Game-Changing
Playing as Beast Gohan feels... heavy. In a good way. The developers clearly spent time making sure he didn't just feel like a reskinned Ultimate Gohan. When you trigger the transformation—or select him directly—the aura is haunting. It’s that jagged, white-hot electricity we saw in the film.
Mechanically, he’s a beast. Literally.
His stats in Sparking! ZERO are tuned toward high-speed counters and massive Ki blasts. His "Light of Justice" style strike maneuvers allow him to close gaps faster than almost anyone in the game, including Ultra Instinct Goku. It creates this interesting meta where Gohan is no longer the "defensive" or "potential" character; he is a raw, aggressive powerhouse.
The Ultimate: Special Beam Cannon
The cinematic for his ultimate is a 1:1 recreation of the finish against Cell Max. The camera zooms in on his eye—that piercing red glow—and the world goes silent for a split second before the beam fires. It’s easily one of the top five most visually impressive ultimates in the entire game. If you’re playing on a high-end PC or a PS5 Pro, the particle effects on the drill-like beam are genuinely stunning.
Comparing Beast Gohan to the Rest of the Roster
How does he stack up? It’s a valid question. In the old games, certain characters were just objectively better due to their speed or move priority. In Sparking! ZERO, there’s a bit more balance, but Beast Gohan definitely sits in that "God Tier" bracket alongside the likes of Beerus, Whis, and Gogeta Blue.
One thing that surprises people is his synergy. In Team Battles, pairing Beast Gohan with Orange Piccolo (also in the DLC) gives you access to unique tag-team dialogue and specific "Combi" attacks that you won't see with other pairings. It’s that attention to detail that makes the DLC feel worth it for die-hard fans.
- Speed: Insane. His vanish distance is slightly further than standard characters.
- Power: His smash attacks break guards more frequently.
- Ki Management: He builds Ki surprisingly fast when taking damage, reflecting his "rage" mechanic from the series.
Is he "broken"? Maybe a little. In online ranked matches, you’ll see him everywhere. His reach with his kicks is deceptive, and his recovery frames are tight, making him very hard to punish if the player knows how to use the "Sonic Sway" mechanic effectively.
Addressing the "Missing" Forms and DLC Controversy
I’ve seen a lot of chatter on Reddit and Twitter about why we have to pay for Beast Gohan. "He's the main character's son!" they say. "He should be free!"
I get it. But looking at the sheer scope of Sparking! ZERO, the developers had to draw a line somewhere for the "base" story mode. The base game covers Dragon Ball Z through the end of the Tournament of Power in Dragon Ball Super. Since Super Hero takes place after the Granolah and Moro arcs (which aren't even fully animated yet), it makes sense from a chronological production standpoint that he was handled as an expansion.
Plus, the DLC doesn't just give you Gohan. You get the whole Super Hero package:
- Orange Piccolo (and his Giant form!)
- Gamma 1 and Gamma 2
- Cell Max (as a boss/playable giant)
- Pan (Super Hero version)
When you look at it as a bundle, the value proposition changes. It’s not just a character unlock; it’s an era unlock.
How to Unlock Him Right Now
If you're sitting there with the game open, wondering why you can't find him, here is the roadmap.
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First, check your store. If you bought the Ultimate Edition of Sparking! ZERO, you already own him. You just need to ensure the DLC pack is actually downloaded and installed. Sometimes the licenses don't sync automatically on the PlayStation Store or Xbox Marketplace.
Second, if you have the Standard Edition, you’ll need to head to the shop and look for the Super Hero DLC. Once purchased, he won't be locked behind a "Challenge" or a "Wish." He will appear directly in your character selection screen under the Gohan (Adult) sub-menu.
Interestingly, you can fight against him in certain Episode Battles even if you don't own him, which is a nice "try before you buy" feature Spike Chunsoft included. It gives you a taste of his moveset and just how much of a nightmare he is to defend against.
What This Means for Future Content
The inclusion of Beast Gohan set a precedent. Because his model is so high-quality, it’s clear that Bandai Namco is looking at Sparking! ZERO as a platform that will live for years. We’re already hearing rumors about "Ultra Ego" Vegeta or characters from the manga-only arcs potentially coming down the line.
If Beast Gohan is the benchmark for DLC quality, the future of this game is bright. The way his hair physics react to the wind of his own aura—it's something that just wasn't possible in the Xenoverse engine or the older Tenkaichi titles.
Final Verdict on the Beast
If you’re a Gohan fan, he’s mandatory. There's no way around it. The transformation sequence alone is worth the price of admission for many. He represents the peak of Gohan’s journey, moving out of his father's shadow and reclaiming his spot as the strongest mortal in the universe (arguably).
The game does a great job of making you feel that power. When you're in the "Sparking!" state as Beast Gohan, the screen shakes, the music shifts, and you feel genuinely unstoppable. It’s peak Dragon Ball.
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Step-by-Step Action Plan for Players
If you want to maximize your experience with Beast Gohan, don't just jump into ranked matches immediately. You'll get washed by players who have mastered the new mechanics. Instead, do this:
- Verify your version: Check if you have the Season Pass. If not, go to the digital storefront of your platform.
- Master the "Special Beam Cannon": Go into Training Mode. This move has a unique charge mechanic. Learning the timing of when to release it to bypass guards is crucial for high-level play.
- Explore Team Synergy: Put Beast Gohan and Orange Piccolo on the same team. Experiment with their "Switch-In" attacks. The animations are unique and provide a massive tactical advantage in 5v5 battles.
- Customization: Don't forget to head to the "Customize" menu. You can equip specific "Z-Items" (Capsules) that further boost his Ki recovery or attack power, making him even more formidable.
- Replay the Movie: If you haven't watched Super Hero lately, give it a re-watch. Seeing the moves on screen and then performing them in the game adds a layer of satisfaction that's hard to beat.
Stop waiting and get into the lab. Beast Gohan is waiting, and he’s every bit as broken as he should be.