GOKU WHO?

IT’S FAIR TO SAY THAT SOME VESTIGES OF THE PLAN TO CREATE A DRAGON BALL GAME REMAIN IN ALEX KIDD IN MIRACLE WORLD – JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THESE COMPARISONS

TELEPATHY BALL

In the Dragon Ball series, the titular items enable those who possess them to make wishes. The orange balls come in sets of seven, each bearing up to seven red stars. The telepathy ball in Alex Kidd In Miracle World is visually similar, being blue rather than orange, and grants Alex the ability to see his opponent’s janken moves.

BEAR THIEF

In the third episode of Dragon Ball, Goku faces off against a large bear armed with a massive sword. The major enemy at the end of the Blakwood in Alex Kidd In Miracle World is very similarly designed, with enough changes to its colour and costume to be distinct, while still bearing obvious signs of its inspiration.

JANKEN

As well as being a popular game in Japan, janken – or rock paper scissors – is the basis of one of Goku’s signature attacks, though they’re more directly applied. For example, scissors becomes a poke in the eyes. Alex Kidd’s use of the game is more conventional, with no contact made between players.

JANKEN THE GREAT

Speaking of janken, this one’s a little loose but it seems the game’s villain evolved from the Dragon Ball baddie Emperor Pilaf. Janken is taller but his silhouette is pretty similar, with those pointy ears and angled eyes. His clothing isn’t identical, but you can definitely note the resemblance in his hat and the circular motif on his top.

BIG EATER

Both Goku and Alex have major appetites, and don’t mind the odd onigiri. Goku’s diet is a bit more diverse, but to be fair he wasn’t limited to 128KB of ROM space. Other tales use this trope, too – the Japanese manga and anime series Saiyuki, also inspired by Journey To

The West, also depicts Son Goku as a voracious eater.