Unleashing Nostalgia: Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Reignites the Magic of a Legendary GBA Title

Highlights

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot's open-world RPG style has been highly successful, making a strong case for a remake of the Legacy of Goku GBA series.

The Legacy of Goku set a new standard at its time, while Kakarot took advantage of a wider audience by incorporating contemporary elements into the RPG formula and constructing a sprawling open world with stunning 3D graphics.

To enhance a potential Legacy of Goku remake, it would be advantageous to strike a harmonious balance between the lore and the depth of the game, allowing for customized gameplay experiences, and meticulously addressing difficulty levels, drawing inspiration from the proven success of Kakarot's approach.

Dragon Ball is a standout anime title, known for its captivating lore, exciting power-ups, and memorable side characters. Since its debut on the screen, the franchise has spawned numerous video game adaptations ranging from 2D puzzles to open-world RPGs. The immense popularity of the anime has turned these games into a lucrative opportunity for developers.

Out of the many titles centered around Goku's adventures, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, with its open-world RPG style, has achieved the most success in recent years. Its performance presents a compelling reason to revisit the legendary Legacy of Goku GBA series and consider a remake.

Rumors of a remake have circulated in the past, especially as nostalgia towards Legacy of Goku has been reignited by Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot's retelling of the franchise saga. This three-part series marked the franchise's first foray into RPG mechanics. While the first installment faced criticism for its simplistic animations in Goku's movements, the second entry greatly improved upon its predecessor. It introduced four playable characters and expanded the playable areas, resulting in a more satisfying experience. The third title, however, received mixed reviews.

In the years following the release of the last Legacy of Goku game, the franchise's popularity has soared. The positive reception of the recent 23rd World Tournament DLC for Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot clearly indicates that it is high time for a remake of the series.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Shares Similar Experiences with Legacy of Goku

One could argue that Legacy of Goku was ahead of its time, and Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot capitalized on an expanded anime audience by incorporating the best elements of the series and introducing modern improvements. By utilizing the processing power of cutting-edge consoles and PCs, CyberConnect2 created a vast open world with 3D graphics and action-packed combat, creating the perfect environment for anime mechanics to flourish. Legacy of Goku, especially its third installment (Buu's Fury), received praise for its graphical enhancements compared to its predecessors, as well as the addition of fusion and the Super Saiyan 3 transformation. Similarly, Kakarot brought its own set of enhancements to the table.

Taking on a traditional open-world RPG style, Kakarot allows players to explore the world in any order they choose, offering various modes of movement such as flying. The game populates the world with enemies and NPCs that provide engaging side quests, adding depth to the overall gameplay experience. Buu's Fury faced criticism for its extensive focus on Dragon Ball Z lore, making it feel like a game tailored specifically for die-hard fans of the series. A similar approach to Kakarot, which strikes a balance between lore and game depth, could potentially alleviate the storytelling challenges for a remake.

Content that needs to be

Skill tree development is another essential component of modern RPG gameplay, and Legacy of Goku 2 struggled with the dynamic, as its characters had limited unique attacks and stats. However, at the time of its release, the second mainline installment was up-to-date with gaming conventions, and there is no reason to think Legacy of Goku can't catch up with modern needs. The GBA series has a blueprint in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot's distinct stats and skill trees, emphasizing customized gameplay experiences for each character, and implementing the sister franchise's mechanics shouldn't be too difficult.

While concerns about the difficulty levels of a Legacy of Goku remake linger, Kakarot's experiences in this regard are encouraging for the potential project. Buu's Fury could feel like a leisure cruise during some playthroughs, and Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot can give off the same feeling, as levels gained from completing side quests and defeating enemies took the challenge out of some boss fights. Despite this shortcoming, Kakarot stormed headlines and is considered one of the best Dragon Ball games of all time, suggesting Legacy of Goku might catch a break even if it sports the same issues.

Rewritten content:

The development of skill trees is a crucial aspect in modern RPG gameplay, which Legacy of Goku 2 struggled with due to its limited unique attacks and stats for characters. However, when it was released, the second mainline installment was up-to-date with gaming conventions, leaving no doubt that Legacy of Goku can also meet modern requirements. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot's distinct stats and skill trees serve as a blueprint for the GBA series, highlighting the importance of customized gameplay experiences for each character, and incorporating similar mechanics from the sister franchise shouldn't pose significant difficulty.

Although concerns about the difficulty levels of a Legacy of Goku remake persist, the experience of Kakarot in this regard provides encouraging signs for the potential project. In some playthroughs, Buu's Fury could feel like a relaxed cruise, and Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot can evoke the same sensation as some boss fights become less challenging due to the levels gained from completing side quests and defeating enemies. Despite this flaw, Kakarot captured attention and is widely regarded as one of the best Dragon Ball games ever, implying that Legacy of Goku might also find success despite facing similar issues.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.