Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure delivers a tight, responsive control scheme that feels right at home on the Game Boy Advance. Players guide young Goku through a series of side-scrolling levels, combining platforming elements with beat-’em-up brawling. Basic actions—punch, kick and staff attack—are instantly accessible, yet the game layers in variety through power-ups, weapon swaps and environmental hazards that keep encounters fresh. Early stages ease you in with handfuls of low-level thugs, but as you progress you’ll face tougher foes whose attack patterns demand well-timed jumps and counters.

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Mid-game, Goku gains the Flying Nimbus, opening up vertical combat and adding a new dimension to level design. Air sections cleverly mix platforming with free-roaming battles, giving a taste of the high-flying martial arts flair the series is known for. Throw in destructible scenery and occasional mini-objectives—like collecting capsules or rescuing allies—and the pacing remains brisk. The challenge curve is steady, offering enough difficulty for series veterans without alienating younger or less experienced players.

A neat bonus is the traditional tournament and duel segments that emulate classic fighting games. Controls simplify combos into easy inputs, yet veterans will appreciate the spacing and timing required to land a decisive blow. Once the story mode wraps up, the title unlocks a full VS mode where you can spar as Goku’s friends and foes—Krillin, Yamcha and more. This one-on-one roster, along with several mini-games tucked away behind hidden requirements, gives the title a surprising amount of replay value.

Graphics

Visually, Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure captures the spirit of Akira Toriyama’s original manga with bold colors, clean linework and expressive character sprites. Each stage backdrop—from rural mountains to Pilaf’s fortress—boasts enough detail to feel distinct, yet never overwhelms the GBA’s limited resolution. Animations are fluid, with Goku’s acrobatic kicks and Nimbus-powered swoops popping off the screen, even when surrounded by multiple enemies.

Special effects such as energy blasts, impact flashes and temporary slow-downs during powerful hits add punch to combat. While the GBA hardware limits texture variety, the art direction cleverly uses contrast and color grading to make each zone memorable. Occasional sprite flicker can occur when too many enemies are on screen, but it rarely hampers gameplay or visual clarity. The UI is unobtrusive, relegating health bars and score counters to the top edges without sacrificing precious screen real estate.

Cutscenes and level-intro animations maintain the handheld charm with simple but well-executed story panels. Character portraits during dialogue scenes bring personality to the proceedings, using subtle shifts in expression to convey humor, surprise or tension. For a portable title of its era, Advanced Adventure punches well above its weight class, delivering a colorful and dynamic presentation that longtime Dragon Ball fans will instantly recognize.

Story

Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure faithfully adapts the early chapters of the original manga, chronicling Goku’s very first quest in search of the magical Dragon Balls. Players will revisit key moments—meeting Bulma, clashing with the Red Ribbon Army and battling the nefarious Emperor Pilaf—each reimagined as interactive set pieces. The narrative is lighthearted and whimsical, with just enough dramatic tension to drive the action between levels.

Dialogue is concise but effective, striking a balance between playful banter and moments of genuine peril. Fans will appreciate Easter eggs sprinkled throughout—Goku’s naive confidence, Master Roshi’s quirky guidance and Oolong’s comical schemes all make appearances. By preserving the original storyline’s tone, the game introduces new audiences to the franchise’s roots without rehashing material from Dragon Ball Z, making it accessible even to those unfamiliar with Goku’s origins.

Between chapters, brief animated sequences and on-screen prompts recap important plot points, ensuring players stay on track without lengthy cutscenes. The progression from one adventure to the next feels organic, with each boss encounter tying directly into the manga’s pivotal beats. The story’s straightforward nature suits a handheld action title, acting as both a nostalgic tour for veterans and an engaging introduction for newcomers.

Overall Experience

Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure strikes an admirable balance between faithful source material and engaging portable gameplay. Its fusion of classic platforming, beat-’em-up combat and simplified fighting segments creates a well-rounded package that never overstays its welcome. Sessions are bite-sized enough for on-the-go play yet deep enough to satisfy completionists seeking every hidden character and mini-game.

Replayability is a strong suit: unlocking new fighters, mastering VS mode and chasing high scores add longevity long after the main story ends. The game’s production values—sharp visuals, responsive controls and spirited audio cues—stand as a testament to the GBA’s capabilities at its peak. Minor hiccups like occasional sprite flicker are forgivable in light of the overall polish on display.

Whether you’re a die-hard Dragon Ball fan or simply in search of a lively, action-packed portable experience, Advanced Adventure delivers. It captures the charm and excitement of Goku’s origin tale while offering enough gameplay variety to remain engaging from start to finish. As a handheld tribute to the franchise’s beginnings, it remains a must-play for collectors and newcomers alike.

Retro Replay Score

7.8/10