Not all games have two lives, but for many, the second begins when a modder inserts Goku into them. This universal truth, a concept previously asserted, highlights the enduring drive to see the iconic anime character in unexpected digital arenas. A writer has taken up the task of documenting this phenomenon by searching Nexus Mods for the least probable Goku, a mission undertaken live.
The evaluation of these mods relies on a "Saiyan Singularity Judgment" (SSJ) score, calculated from three criteria: Gokuitude, which assesses if the character is recognizably Goku in appearance and animation; Limit Breakability, measuring how unexpectedly Goku fits within its host game; and Wish Grantology, a subjective rating of how well the mod fulfills the fantasy of playing as Goku in that specific title.
Early Contenders
One of the first mods examined is the "DragonBall Z Overhaul Project" for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. While this mod adds Dragon Ball sound effects and spells like ki blasts and Kamehameha, the reviewer notes that a Nord character in Goku's attire doesn't quite make a true Goku. It received a Gokuitude score of 4, Limit Breakability of 5, and Wish Grantology of 4, resulting in an SSJ score of 4.3.
A baseline example of a conventional Goku mod was found in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 with the "Hey its me Goku" mod. This mod replaces Ryu with Goku, a straightforward model swap. While it's considered a sensible and simple integration, the lack of significant moveset changes to embody the Goku fantasy limited its Wish Grantology score. This mod achieved a Gokuitude of 8, Limit Breakability of 2, and Wish Grantology of 2.5, giving it an SSJ score of 4.17.
The search for the most improbable Goku is ongoing, with the writer documenting the process from the Nexus Mods interface itself. The endeavor aims to explore the creative and sometimes bizarre lengths modders go to integrate Goku into a vast array of games, pushing the boundaries of what's considered probable within game modding.