Dragon Ball FighterZ already has about a thousand full-sized Gokus, but the latest character to join the cast is the more diminutive version seen in the controversial (and now non-canon) Dragon Ball GT. Being shrunk by a magical wish doesn’t make Kid Goku any less formidable in this game, and he brings some neat tools to the table that help him stand out from the ever-growing Dragon Ball FighterZ roster.
Kid Goku is all about mobility. Sure, Dragon Ball FighterZ is a fast-paced game that combines the most frantic elements of Marvel vs. Capcom with airdashing fighters like Guilty Gear and BlazBlue, but Kid Goku feels significantly more mobile, even among his fellow superdashing and teleporting combatants. A lot of this has to do with two moves: his crouching special, which pole vaults Kid Goku towards the opponent with his iconic Power Pole:
…and his Reverse Kamehameha, which he uses to propel himself through the air like a jet engine. Kid Goku can activate it three times in a row to change direction and even cancel it into a powerful airborne Kamehameha, giving him some truly remarkable movement options. These moves, combined with his short stature, are sure to make Kid Goku a difficult character to pin down in competition.
Players will also be able to get a lot of mileage out of his Super Ultra Spirit Bomb. While it’s obviously useful in combos, the way this slow, enormous projectile travels across the screen should make it a useful tool in locking down an erratic opponent or even to set up circumstances where enemies have to guess which way to block as they wake up from a knockdown.
Kid Goku gets stronger as the match continues thanks to a unique power-up that he gains once his teammates have been defeated. This translates to additional damage on his supers as well as an extended animation on his Dragon Fist Explosion that shows Kid Goku transforming into Super Saiyan 4 and dishing out some extra pain.
It’s only been a short time since Kid Goku’s release, but one thing that’s already become clear is that he’s a monster damage-wise, despite his small size. That’s demonstrated here by UK competitor and tournament organizer Edwin “TalesOfMrE” Chuah.
Lab monster Alioune Camara of France has also been experimenting with Kid Goku, and he’s found some cool uses for the slow-moving Spirit Bomb super.
In addition to that, Alioune has shown that Kid Goku can also be a formidable back-up character when it comes to extending combos and squeezing out just a bit more damage.
One of the world’s best Dragon Ball FighterZ players, Evo 2018 runner-up Goichi “GO1” Kishida, is also hard at work testing strategies and combos with Kid Goku. The video below shows how the new fighter can use his airborne staff attack to set up some hard-to-block situations for use against a downed opponent.
While there haven’t been any major tournaments since Kid Goku’s release earlier this week, fighting game players’ practice streams have shown him to be a versatile addition to numerous Dragon Ball FighterZ teams. Only time will tell if Kid Goku can stand up against characters that have been explored and developed over the last year or so, but with the tools we’ve seen so far and his slight frame giving him some extra protection, it’s entirely possible that this tiny ball of death will go far in high-level competition.
Ian Walker loves fighting games and loves writing about them even more. You can find him on Twitter at @iantothemax.