8/10
For those who love Dragon Ball and are open to playing GBA titles without prejudice, The Legacy of Goku holds the potential to be something truly special. And I’m not saying this out of nostalgia for 2003 — I’m saying it as someone who played this game for the very first time in 2025.
Of course, the fact that I played it during a period when my passion for Dragon Ball was at its peak definitely adds to my experience, but I actually think that’s how these kinds of franchise games should be played — in moments when you’re already deeply connected to their world. The stronger your bond with the series, the more the game gives back.
As someone who enjoys fighting games, I have to admit that The Legacy of Goku offers a unique kind of experience. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot was also a very special game for me — it served as a kind of personal “safe zone,” a comfort space I could always return to. But Legacy of Goku manages to deliver something similar decades earlier, under much more limited conditions. Realizing that makes you appreciate just how ahead of its time it was.
Of course, it’s not without flaws. Even if you look past the limitations of its era and hardware, its weak combat mechanics prevent it from reaching a level of quality that stands on its own beyond the franchise. Still, the way it captures some of the series’ most iconic story arcs and translates them to a tiny GBA screen — without losing any of their emotional weight — is genuinely impressive.
Its semi-open world, varied NPC dialogues, and the subtle changes in reactions between characters all help create an experience that feels surprisingly rich. The game invites you to wander, explore, and lose track of time in a world that feels alive despite its size.
In the end, The Legacy of Goku earned my respect not through nostalgia, but through the simple joy of discovery. It’s a game that tried — and often succeeded — to do what Kakarot would achieve years later. Carrying such a massive story on such a small screen is no easy task, yet it pulls it off beautifully. Even in 2025, it remains absolutely worth playing — and more than that, it reminds you why you fell in love with Dragon Ball in the first place.