Released in 2005, "2 Games in 1 - Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku I & II" arrived on the Game Boy Advance as a value compilation bundling two previously separate action-RPG titles onto a single cartridge. By 2005, the GBA was well into its commercial maturity, with the Nintendo DS having launched in late 2004, yet the handheld still commanded a massive install base and continued to receive quality releases. The Legacy of Goku I had originally launched in 2002 to a mixed reception, criticized for its short length, repetitive combat, and sparse content. Its sequel, The Legacy of Goku II, released in 2003, addressed nearly every complaint: it expanded the roster to include playable characters such as Gohan, Piccolo, Vegeta, and Trunks alongside Goku, deepened the RPG mechanics, and covered the Cell Saga storyline from the Dragon Ball Z anime. Packaging both games together gave players a chance to experience the full arc from the Saiyan Saga through the Cell Games at a budget price point.
Gameplay across both titles is presented from a top-down perspective with real-time combat. Players move their character across overworld maps and enter combat zones where they attack enemies directly using a basic melee strike, a charged energy blast, and signature special moves such as the Kamehameha. The first game's mechanics are notably simpler: Goku is the sole playable character, enemy variety is limited, and the experience-point progression system is shallow. The sequel refines this considerably — characters level up individually, each possessing unique stats and special abilities, and the game introduces a flight mechanic that allows characters to traverse certain areas more quickly and reach hidden items. Exploration is a meaningful part of both games; capsules and items are scattered throughout environments, and talking to NPCs advances the story and occasionally unlocks side content. The Legacy of Goku II also features a transformations system, allowing Goku and Gohan to power up into Super Saiyan forms once specific level thresholds are met, which dramatically increases their combat effectiveness.
Controls are straightforward for the GBA's button layout: the A button handles standard attacks, B is used for movement-related actions or secondary functions, and the shoulder buttons cycle through special moves. The interface for managing items and checking character stats is accessible through the Start menu and is serviceable, if basic by RPG standards. Save points are distributed throughout the maps, and the games are designed for relatively short play sessions, fitting the portable format.
In their original individual releases, the first game drew criticism for feeling rushed and underdelivering on the Dragon Ball Z license, while the sequel earned considerably warmer responses for its improved scope and faithfulness to the anime's tone and story beats. As a compilation in 2005, the package offered clear value, letting newcomers start from the beginning of the Z saga and progress naturally into the more polished sequel. The games were developed by Webfoot Technologies and published under the Funimation label, leveraging the Dragon Ball Z brand at the height of its North American popularity driven by the Cartoon Network broadcast of the anime series.
