The Sega Master System may have lost out to the NES in terms of pure commercial success and depth of software, but it nevertheless had its fair share of amazing games - and 1989's Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap must surely rank at the top of the list. A massively influential and innovative title, it combined platform action with a non-linear structure and very slight RPG overtones, foreshadowing the "Metroidvania" sub-genre which would be popularised by the likes of Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night years later.
The Dragon's Trap is recalled with such fondness today that its popularity arguably eclipses the two subsequent 16-bit sequels, Wonder Boy in Monster World and Monster World IV. It has now been reimagined by French studio Lizardcube, a team made up of developers who unashamedly label themselves as hardcore fans of the original. The core game is identical but the visuals and audio have been comprehensively upgraded and a smattering of creature comforts have been included to bring things up to modern standards. This is a remake handled with the care and attention of true fans, and it shows.
The Dragon's Trap initially feels like a typical action platform title, with the player jumping and attacking their way through a fantasy landscape in the game's opening section, which takes place immediately after the events of its forerunner, Wonder Boy in Monster Land. Upon defeating the Mecha / Meka Dragon a curse is placed on the protagonist, turning them into the fire-breathing Lizard Man. The aim from this point on is to explore the massive, sprawling game world to track down the remaining dragons to unlock Wonder Boy's other transformations, which include Mouse Man, Piranha Man and Hawk-Man. The ultimate objective is the acquisition of the Salamander Cross, the only item which can lift the shape-shifting curse.
Defeating enemies grants coins, secondary weapons (such as arrows for hitting airborne enemies and a boomerang which can be caught once thrown) and occasionally life-replenishing items such as hearts and potions, the latter of which automatically refill your energy gauge when it is reduced to zero. Coins are used to purchase weapons, armour and shields from the various vendors dotted around the game world, and these boost your offensive and defensive capabilities. Exploration also yields extra heart containers to increase the amount of damage you can take, as well as special items which allow you to overcome certain obstacles - such as a ring which grants the power to destroy special blocks.
This "gear-gating" approach may seem like old news in 2017, but back in 1989 it felt truly revolutionary - and the fact that each transformation has special abilities which allow it to reach certain areas made the concept even more interesting. Mouse-Man can scale certain surfaces for example, while Hawk-Man has the power of flight and Piranha-Man can swim. Switching between these forms is only possible at certain locations in the game world, so while there's a lot of back-tracking involved, the way in which the various locations are stitched together makes the whole game feel like a finely-tuned puzzle - and one which has lost none of its capacity to amaze and entertain, even after all these years.
While Lizardcube has wisely kept the basics the same, the changes it has made elsewhere enhance the experience massively. The gorgeous hand-drawn visuals are a joy to behold, boasting silky-smooth and highly expressive animation as well as rich, detailed backgrounds. In many ways this facelift fills in the gaps that were a consequence of the original game running on modest 8-bit hardware; sprites which were once just a few pixels high are now stunning rendered in crisp high definition and are bursting with emotion and character, while the locations which left so much to the imagination in 1989 and often featured entirely blank backgrounds are packed with new imagery and environmental details. The same can be said for the music; Lizardcube has painstakingly recreated Shinichi Sakamoto's original soundtrack using instruments such as the violin, guitar, oboe and mandolin, and the results are utterly incredible (and lovingly documented via a series of behind-the-scenes video clips in the game's gallery mode).
Should you be such a purist that you feel the need to experience the original game without such embellishments, then fear not - with a tap of the ZR trigger you can revert to 8-bit graphics, albeit in a widescreen format running at a smooth 60fps; it's also possible to apply CRT-style scanlines for a truly authentic feel. Pushing down the right analogue stick switches on the original sound effects and music, allowing you to alternate in order to suit your own personal taste - you can play with 8-bit visuals and remastered audio, or vice versa.
Lizardcube has retained the game's password system - a throwback to the days when battery backup save data wasn't always the norm - and your original passwords will work just as they did on the 8-bit version. However, the game has an auto-save (and three save slots per user) so you don't have to search for a pen and paper every time you want to have a rest. Death removes your secondary items but allows you to retain your gear and coins, which means even when you die deep within enemy territory, you get to keep the cash you've amassed so furtive explorations aren't totally without reward. Furthermore, it's now easier to switch between your secondary weapons than it was in the 8-bit original - you simply tap either the L or R button to cycle through them.
It's amazing how well The Dragon's Trap stands up when set against modern takes on the same non-linear format; while it lacks the deep NPC interaction seen in later Wonder Boy games and doesn't have as much variety in its environments, it's a much tighter experience all-round. The biggest problem is the brevity of the challenge; while there are plenty of secrets to find dotted around Monster Land, completing the game doesn't take all that long - even a player who has no knowledge of the Master System original should comfortably finish The Dragon's Trap in around five to six hours. Once you've battled your way through the game once and acquired all of the possible gear there's little reason to do it a second time, unless of course you want to see what everything looks like in its original 8-bit form (or play as Wonder Girl, newly introduced for this remake).
Conclusion
It's clear that the team at Lizardcube are massive fans of the original Wonder Boy III, and that affection translates into what is without a shadow of a doubt the definitive version of a game which has previously been ported to the Game Gear and PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16. The new visuals are sumptuous and the soundtrack - which uses traditional instrumentation rather than computer-generated audio - proves just how catchy the original tunes were. Despite the passing of the years The Dragon's Trap remains a perfectly-pitched non-linear action adventure which must surely rank as one of the best of the 8-bit era. Its biggest failing is the fact that like the Master System original, it can be completed in the space of an evening. Still, that evening will be one of the most enjoyable you can possibly spend with your Switch, making this a recommended purchase regardless.
Comments 124
Downloading right now. Been looking forward to this, even though I never played the original.
This sounds like a true passion project. New hand drawn art, a redone soundtrack that sticks to the original but with real instruments, and the ability to see the original game, in its original form, with the push of a button.
A sure buy! If only all remakes were done this way!
Bravo les gars!
@PLATINUM7
Me too! But this is too good to pass up,
This has been my most anticipated game for 2017 and I cannot wait to dive in tomorrow! I hope this game is a massive success, we need more like it!
I never finish these games quickly lol .
When does the NA eShop updates on Tuesday? I know it updates on 12 PM EST on Thursdays.
I can only applaud the thought and love gone in to this game! I have no words, it is just so glaringly obvious Seriously, there are bucket loads of 8-bit gems that are begging for this kind of attention.
Nice. Sure will download it when the time is right.
Never played the original. This sounds awesome.
Added to my "if I ever get a Switch" list.
Hoping to add BG&E2 soon as well.....
That looks soooo good. Yep going to get a eshop card tonight. Might finally pick up Voez as well.
Great stuff.It was one of my favourite games back in the day.I was around 12 year old when I last played it.I don't think I ever completed it.27 years later I'll finally get the chance to.
About to download and play out of this classic again!
@Sonicfan11589
12 pm EST no matter the day
Sounds good. I want that physical version
@Wolf thanks
When I get the chance I will download this!
I can finish Metroid: Zero Mission in an evening. It's also one of my all-time favorite games. Still, I get your point: unlike Metroid, there's little reason to return to this. Still, this sounds lovely, and even though I was going to wait on this, I'll probably end up getting this tomorrow.
No worries that this can be completed in an evening as it still sounds like it is exactly the way all remakes should be handled. An instant purchase to be certain!
Looking forward to making this my second game in my switch library. @Damian thanks for the review!
This was the game that made all the Nintendo-owning kids jealous of my Sega Master System all those years ago.
Take. My. Money.
@KidRad Really? This is some of the best hand drawn visuals I've ever seen for a game that isn't pixel art.
I'm really interested in this game but I'm going to hold off for a bit just to see if a physical copy might be on the horizon.
@Ralizah I've never played Zero Mission but I soon will. Took advantage of the MyNintendo discount last week, just haven't got round to purchasing it yet. Can't wait to play it, Fusion was superb.
But I just grabbed Binding of Isaac and Shovel Knight Treasure Trove this past weekend.... I thought the Switch wasn't suppose to have any good games after Breath of the Wild ><
Can't wait to play this.
Just 3 more hours....
Been waiting patiently for this one. In my top games I've been waiting for on Switch. It's been handle with so much care that it should be a delight beginning to end. I think I'll play through with 8-bit sound and graphs first then give the remade version some love.
I always find myself 30hrs into a game that lasts 'around 5 to 6 hours' wondering what I'm doing wrong. ☺️
Just waiting for the US eShop to finally let us buy/download it!
Been waiting for the review of this since they announced it was finished. I like what they did with this. It's clear they cared very much about this particular game. I commend them for providing all the options they did. The new art looks very good to me, but I'd insist on playing it with sprites at least once too. The fact that they included scanlines shows how awesome they are.
I'll wait to see more reviews etc...This site is very generous with any titles that come onto the Switch.
@OorWullie It's amazing. A perfection of Super Metroid's formula, imo, with a VERY unique twist near the end of the game.
Between this and Blaster Master Zero, I'd say the Switch has got all the games it needs now to make it a must own system.
@Ralizah Cheers,can't wait.I played Super Metroid and Fusion back to back a few months ago and I'm torn between which one I prefer.I first played Super Metroid when it came out on Wii VC and have played it a few more times in the years since but Fusion was new to me,I absolutely loved everything about it.I'm playing through Axiom Verge just now and while I'm enjoying it,I find the level design to be a bit of a mess.Good game but doesn't come close to the games that inspired it.
This looks awesome! The SMS is one of very few systems I haven't owned so I'd love to give it a go. Has there been any word on whether this will get a physical release? I'd prefer to play it on the Switch but if Limited Run releases it for PS4 I'll be going that direction.
Will be picking this up tonight, had my eye on it for some time.
@OorWullie Few games come close to matching classic Metroid. I definitely prefer Axiom Verge to certain Metroid-influenced Castlevania games, though.
Have you played Metroid Prime? Another absolute classic. It's amazing how well the Metroid 'feel' translates to what is ostensibly a first person shooter.
Very happy to see this review well! If I'm honest the text in the review sounded more like a 9/10, but I assume the length held it back slightly? Regardless, I'll be snagging this one tomorrow! Sold some Wii U games to finance this one, Tumbleseed, and maybe Minecraft if the world size is bigger than Wii U!
I'm also extremely excited because this title helped me find the Genesis sequel, which I'm almost completely certain is a long-lost game from my youth! I hope others in the franchise get this same love and treatment! Great work like this will hopefully make these folks a leading name in loving updates of old classics.
@Fandabidozi So true. If they say it's a "5 or 6 hour game" I know it will give me a good three weeks of backtracking for that door I must have missed somewhere, trying to avoid boss attacks until I accidentally happen to figure out the attack that defeats them, repeating sublevels because I forgot about that trapdoor, and destroying hundreds of innocent blocks because gosh darnit that third star HAS to be hidden somewhere around here.
This is not a bad thing, because to be honest I can't afford to buy that many games that I'll finish in five hours.
@JasmineDragon
Lol yup when I started BotW I thought, I'll still be playing this year's from now. 😁
Totally forgot this game was released on the odd day of around now. When usually releases are on Thursday-Saturday (depending on time zone).
Downloading it now. Can't wait to play it. Wanted a physical copy. But since it's less than 1GB, I guess I don't need to worry about it.
Is it me or does the monster boy remake coming out sometime look a LOT better? I mean from a game play standpoint.. not taking away any of the care that looks like they nailed this remake.. just doesn't look all that fun to me.. watched a video and was very meh on it..
I LOVE this art style, so it's a definite purchase for me
@KidRad Too each his own and there's no accounting for taste, but that is some lovingly crafted artwork with far more care and attention than the original graphics (nothing against the original graphics). I don't understand "cheap" in this context either. It's an art style that pays exceptional attention to line weight, color, and suggested detail. It looks painstakingly created to my eye and retains a sense of movement from the act of illustration.
I mean, if it doesn't appeal to you, fine, but in my estimation, that's more about your taste than anything missing from the work.
Will be picking this up when it goes live at 2PM, but any reason why the switch version is more expensive?
Also no go on the physical? Would of been much better choice. Game looks so much fun though! Will make the wait for MK8 worthwhile.
Downloaded it and loved it as soon as I heard the familiar music. But as much as I like Dragons Trap, you know what I would love more then this? A remake of Wonderboy In Monsterland, my favourite game in the series.
1 question: does the cheat still work?
All I needed to know from this review is that the game isn't broken. The original is the most fondly remembered game of my childhood. Can't wait to play through it again.
The original is one of the best 8 bit games ever, like BionicDodo said if it's not broken the improvements make it a dream come true. I think an 8 out of 10 is low tbh, for it's time and what it's trying to be it's a near perfect game in my books. Not that an 8 is bad or unfair either.
Them graphics look gorgeous. I'm sold.
My cousin and I both had a Master System when I was a kid, and he had this game. Later on I inherited his collection, so now it's regularly sitting in our Master System at the office. Looking forward to playing yet again.
Will get this right when it shows up on the EU eShop. Mr. Shifty was the perfect diversion over the weekend to make the waiting easier.
@Nomad I would also kill for a Wonder Boy in Monster Land remake. First game I owned on the Master System and still play it today. As a child I always used to get to those damn moving steps on level 12 and then repeatedly fall off them until I died!
I would love them to remaster Monster Land and then release the pair in a physical double pack.
@Shane76 are you downloading on the Switch or another platform? Says it's not out yet for me 😒
@BionicDodo Yeah I had it on Master System too and it was probably the best game on the system. Those steps up the tower where quite tricky weren't they, lol. I'll tell you what, if they did a remake of Monsterland and put it on a cart I reckon I'd be the first in line.
So now after one open world Zelda "gear gating" is bad or old fashioned?
Nitpicking aside this was probably my favourite game on the Master System and is the type of game I'd want on Switch. Unfortunately until Nintendo give me an option so that I can have a dpad I'll have to buy these for my PS4 instead
@SanderEvers then I'm playing on the TV anyway so why not use my existing PS4? If there was an option for a left joycon with a dpad that'd solve my only problem with it
I'm quite interested in this. It's constantly surprising that games are releasing before the "eShop updates" on Thursday as we've been so used to with Wii U and 3DS. Though this is a good thing, I think.
So, it did turn out ...Wonderfully, then? What a ...Wonder to behold. ...Yeah, I'll stop now.
I'll also be downloading this tonight, and I hope it does well so other gems get the same treatment. I had a Master System as a kid (well I had a NES, my sister had it) yet I still had never heard of this game until the remake.
Nice review and nice score. Played it on Wii vc, but the graphics of this remake look very nice. Might download it someday, when I have a Switch.
Why so little screenshots of the updated graphics, though? At first I thought this was just the vc version!
Aw so glad this has turned out so well, gotta pick this up sometime soon!
Does anyone know if this has an in-game map? I tend to get easily lost in Metroid-style games (which is why I've never finished the first two) so I'm not sure if I want to give this a try without that.
This game is getting "bad" reviews for its length, but wait a minute: it's a remake of a game that was already short and anyway it was considered a masterpiece!
The same goes for Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion for 3DS: it's short, but it's a retro hommage, it's supposed to be short.
I guess I'll get this game, because its visuals are gorgeous, although I already own the Master System original, but count me in when its price drops... and for that it must be on Xbox One.
Well, in comparison to Donkey Kong Country how much is long? Half?
Because if it's too much short I'm not going to buy it.
Someone can make a comparison?
Vote seems fair, can't pretend an higher one with a low budget indie. Still looks ok.
It is now available on the eShop in the UK. Downloading now!
@BulkSlash The world isn't that big and each area is very distinctive, so I very much doubt that will be a problem.
Downloading now If only they did monster world from genesis too...
@Zingo You dont need to, Dragons Trap was a classic even before this makeover, now its even better. I'd suggest an 8 is actually a little harsh when you consider the time this game belonged to, from what I've played i'd have given it a 9
@Morph I hate to be 'that guy' (because I generally hate it when people suggest that other people have ulterior motives for their reviews, likes or dislikes), but I can't help but feel like this would get better reviews (both in original and remastered form) if it had been a fondly remembered NES game rather than a Master System one.
@SanderEvers yeah but it's much more comfortable than the separate buttons on Switch, I've tried with Bomberman but I just don't like the feel of it
@BionicDodo from I'm pretty sure the reviewer in this instance is a long time sega fan so I don't think thats the issue here. It might be the case on other sites though.
As for the score its neither here nor there really, just in my opinion marking a game down for its length when its had this level of care given to it seems a tad harsh.
What I would say is the price is a bit steep at £17.99 as I was expecting about £12.99. So if the score was given with the price in mind I can sort of agree. Its probably the first and only time I'll spend that much on a game without waiting for a sale.
@Morph I agree that the price is a little high (I still downloaded it day 1 though as I love it).
As for the Nintendo bias issue, I'm not saying it is a big thing, just that I feel like sometimes anything old with 'Mario' on it gets any flaws (such as length) ignored where other games (especially non-Nintendo ones) get treated more like a new game/IP would.
OK, sold! I hope Lizardcube remakes Wonder Boy in Monster World (my favourite) and Monster World IV (which I've never played) as well.
On Push Square the PS4 review it got a 7 out of 10.
Good review! Can't wait to download this today!
@Ralizah I just noticed I forgot to tag you in my reply to your question.Here's my comment again.
I have,it was one of the first games I bought for my Gamecube and I absolutely loved it,blew me away.It was my first experience with a Metroid game.I played all 3 Prime games before finally playing Super Metroid on Wii VC.I had a Megadrive so I never got to play it back in the day although I was aware of how good it was supposed to be.I loved it when I first played it but my last play through a few months ago,I actually enjoyed it even more.Soon as I finished it I bought Fusion and possibly enjoyed that even more haha. Incredible games.
I really love the style they went for here. Kind of an 80s Disney animation feel. I never played the original, so I really want this.
I was eager to pick this up but £17.99 is a bit much at the moment. I'm sure it's a great experience but I can't bring myself to spend the best part of 20 quid on such a short game. Hopefully there'll be a physical release down the line.
@carlos82 I would be onboard immediately for a D-Pad Joy-Con. That would be an amazing add-on in my opinion. I only have Nintendo consoles, so I'll probably end up playing with a pro controller, but I completely see your point about just getting it on PS4. I hope we see some official Joy-Con from Nintendo with alternate layouts.
@OorWullie I'm also a latecomer to the SNES, having owned a Sega Genesis in my youth. I don't regret it, considering Sega's console had some amazing games (including the greatest local coop game ever, Toejam and Earl), but I really did miss out on a huge number of utter masterpieces. I didn't play Super Metroid until recently, but I could immediately recognize the genius in its design, even if exposure to subsequent SM-inspired titles took away some of the initial impressiveness of the design.
I never knew this Wonder Boy game existed, or that it was essentially Shantae over a decade before that franchise was even a thing. Its design sounds astonishingly ahead of its time.
A video went up on its page on the Switch eshop, and it says available now, but I can't purchase it yet?
Edit: It's up now, downloading
just me or is this way overpriced
@zionich Hahaha, agreed - the Switch already has more compelling games than I have time or money to play! I just picked up Shovel Knight and Snake Pass, but Wonder Boy will join the ranks of Snipperclips, Blaster Master Zero, and Fast Racing RMX as the next games on my wishlist.
@Anguspuss Perhaps slightly expensive, but the attention to detail here is pretty great. The art and music is outstanding.
On a semi-related note, if I didn't know better, I would have thought they overhauled the game engine too. Playing with the updated graphics/visuals makes the game feel much more fluid and responsive. I know that's not the case, since you can switch to the old style on the fly, but the new style sure tricks my brain into thinking it "feels" better. I don't really know how else to explain it, as it's the first time I've experienced something like this. Very impressed with this remake.
8?!! Well another game to my collection.
@Ryu_Niiyama Amazon sells e-cash. It is secure and easy to buy/add at eshop. Just so you know.
"traditional instrumentation rather than computer-generated audio"
There's a large and vast world of sound between traditional instrumentation and computer-generated audio bro.
@Jessica286 lol, yeah I use them often for cards, but my budget...my poor, poor budget.
I posed this question at Push square and never got an answer: why does your review box at the top say "scroll down" where the score should be? Are you planning on changing the format in the future and just want people to scroll down further to get a number in the hopes they might change their mind and actually read the whole review?
@Anguspuss
I think it's a bit high, yes. That said, I'm going to get it anyway because these people really put their heart and soul into it. I think they deserve the extra couple bucks.
@SanderEvers I tried shovel knight using joycons and it was horrible. My thumb kept hitting left when trying to just hit down. The PS4 dpad is one solid piece, there's just a cover over the center of it, and it honestly is one of the most accurate and comfortable dpads available.
@XenoShaun More expensive? In the US it's $19.99 on all platforms. Is it priced differently in other regions?
@MoonKnight7 I loved the original & agree they have put the work in but I do think not only this title but overall the switch e shop titles are a bit on the high price side. I understand why with new system low install base at present etc. (Well except I am Setsuna that is a bit of a joke price). I do wish as well that they would put the DL size next to the price as well.
@Anguspuss
I think part of the reason is because Nintendo is being very selective about who gets on the eshop right now. The eshop on the Wii U and 3DS, was a bit more of a free-for-all, and got a very wide net of great games or trash. So far, all we've gotten is high profile indie games, so I think that's where the high price derives from. However, I am Setsuna is definitely way overpriced, for sure.
@MoonKnight7 would love to see the continue with a selective eshop as Sony & Xbox ones are full of garbage. & ive given up with Steam.
This is my first play through i missed the original as my gaming days started with the mega drive and I've got to say I'm having a blast with it. Literally been playing it all day its quite a challenge even on easy mode so be careful what difficulty you pick at the start. I don't often buy eshop games but this has been a great purchase of £18 for me. To play 8 bit mode and have the 8 bit sounds is also a fun addition.
9/10 for me
I'm sure you will all be thrilled to hear I shall be purchasing this game.
KIRO Has Spoken.
@Ryu_Niiyama I feel ya! I also had a hard time following up all these indie games money wise.
I remember playing original at mates house... on my to buy list once i have finished zelda
@MarioPhD Switch in UK is priced £17.99 and PS4 is £15.99.
@XenoShaun That is very peculiar. Would it be cheaper to buy it from the North American eShop, then?
I've been playing this since it came out. The artwork is beautiful and the realtime switching between retro and new art is super cool.
@RedMageLanakyn About the 'scroll down for review score',when the site was updated a few months ago it originally did have the score there.Quite a few people complained then th score was removed and replaced with a smiley face.Not sure why it's still there now though.
@KidRad I grew up with the NES too. Amazing system. Still own 40 or so games for it, even though my collection has been whittled down over the years.
A lot of people seem to have nostalgia for the N64, but it's easily my least of the post-NES video game systems I've owned. Small library, and the controller was weird, whereas the PS1 had a massive, diverse, and super-impressive library. It's easily the best console for JRPGs.
I owned a Dreamcast and PS2 when they were still alive, but didn't get a Gamecube until it was near the end of its life cycle, which is too bad, because it's easily the best of Nintendo's 3D consoles, and has some of my favorite games from that gen (REmake, Eternal Darkness, Metroid Prime, and The Wind Waker, in particular, are amazing). All of my systems were good that gen, though: PS2 had an amazing library of games, and the Dreamcast had some really unique experiences (and those amazing VMUs!)
Purchased this game last night, and wow I was surprised how great it looked and sounded on the Switch. Really sharp colourful visuals that really shine on the Switch's screen. Graphics look awesome too with three or four layers of parallax scrolling going on, with lovely shadow and particle details present. The music is a joy to play along too and the game has bags of personality. A really fun and enjoyable title to have on the system. A must buy for the system at this stage - well yes. x
Great art! Reminds me of warioland 5 shake dimension
I had this on the Master System and definitely didn't complete it anywhere near within six hours! True, once you'd completed it once and knew what to do, you could then speed through it (isn't that true of all games from that era? How long does it take to complete Golden Axe? R-Type? Even The Legend of Zelda?), but the initial playthrough involved a good amount of exploration, trial and error and dying without autosaves (resulting in restarting from the village base).
That's a couple of games now that I've been willing to buy then seen price on the eShop and had a change of heart.
High prices and lack of content are souring an otherwise positive first couple of months with a Switch.
@carlos82 I'm playing it now and this game works good with the dpad on the joy cons. N64 had the c buttons that did the same thing for some games and it worked well on most of them except fighting games. I think something like street fighter that requires an instant combo will be what gives players a difficult time.
You know, as fond as we Nintendo fans are of saying "graphics don't matter", this game is kind of proof that graphics can make a game that plays kind of mediocre feel kind of special.
Been looking forward to it and gave it a buy. It's pretty fun and the studio's work is excellent, THAT is how indie should be done. And I realize the game is a Sega classic under the skin. But when I turn on the 8 bit visuals it strikes me just how basic, simple, and uninteresting the core gamplay actually is, with enemies effectively waiting in lines in very short screens. When I turn the modern graphics back on it suddenly feels like a fun and creative platformer. Back to 8 bit, and it feels very bland. Since the inputs are 1:1 identical, it proves it's the graphics making the game more than the game. EA and Ubi might not have the wrong idea after all.
Now, that's the perspective of someone who never played the original. For someone reliving the memory of it the reaction will be different.
The Valhalla type visuals though are excellent, and the basic mechanics are excellent (even if level design is simply boring), and I'm really loving the game as a handheld platformer treat so far, though the price is a bit high for what you get. They added lots of charm to what might be a little lifeless today. But it almost makes me sad they chose to remake a classic than make it their own game. There are aspects of the game and level design that are simply outdated (metroidvania is fine, but randomly entering different areas with no idea why you're there or where you're trying to go to stumble into a dead end and then backtrack out....or having to follow the "right" exits in order at the very start) that while I can see in the 80's where that was revolutionary, and I'd have loved it, imagine what this team could have done with an all new game not constrained by that!
I'd feel better about it at $12.99, or MAYBE $14.99. But $19.99 feels overpriced for the content. That's 1/3 the price of BotW, Horizon, Persona5, Disgaea 5, and Mario odyssey for a remake of a Master System game. They did great work...but they're kind of overcharging.
Shion and Asha are screaming "us next, please!"
@NEStalgia i do agree 100% that this is a $15 game and they are 'gouging' a bit--in fact, I had assumed it was $15 until I went to buy it and was like "wait, what? $20??".
This game looks and feels stunning. I must get my hands on this gorgeous looking game.
With this and Monster Boy it looks like the series is having a strong comeback. I hope these guys get to remaking the next games as well.
agreed re price, should be retailing for £12.99
Got it, love it and the care taken with it, but god I forgot how awful I found the controls on this, plus it looks like you can't reassign buttons on it wish they'd updated the movement to make it easier to do things (with a retro option for old times sake)
@ECMIM Yeah. The more I play the more I'm losing interest. It has neat elements but the retro design still has some pretty big holes that don't hold up well today even with a gorgeous coat of paint. $20 is a "new content" kind of price....not retro pricing.
@NEStalgia
Agree completely. I beat this game, completely blind, in under four hours. It uses all of the cheap Castlevania-style platform and enemy placement tricks that were used to pad games back in the day, and the bosses were absurdly easy. This is a game with $10 worth of content that's been hawked for double. Unless one is a massive fan of the Monster World, or 8-bit platformers generally, there's not much value generally.
@KidRad Just looks kind of generic. Like this art style could have been applied to any indie platformer. I like the cover art, but it doesn't seem to standout all that much in game. Character lines are too thin. The colors and background renders should look more hand painted or something.
I see they took the 3 away from the title "Wonder Boy 3: The Dragon's Trap" which is ok because the original numbering was a bit messy kinda like the Final Fantasy series... Leave those dumb numbers away and give them just a great subtitle, like the Zelda series.
This seems to be a great audiovisual remake of one of the best Master System games (definately my top favourite one).
I played the original and thought it was more colorful and detailed than many games I played on the NES. I could easily see how this game is better than similar Nintendo classics of that era like Metroid, Zelda II, Kid Icarus. It's just more comfortable to play. Even the second Wonder Boy game (this is a remake of the third game) was already on par with those classics, so this and the fourth Wonder Boy game have perfected the formula, well, until Super Metroid reinvented it.
I got all 6 (or was it 7?) Wonder Boy games on Wii Virtual Console, but for this I wait for the retail version. I never had a retail version of any Wonder Boy game other than for C64.
I'm also excited for the other, new Wonder Boy game, "Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingom" on Switch.
I even hope that the third new Wonder Boy game, "Wonder Boy Returns" will also get a release on Switch. From what I've seen it's not just an audiovisual enhancement (like this remake) but it also has new levels and stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hv0LYQ90-0
Yes, Wonder Boy was originally a straight forward platformer before it turned into an action-adventure, so fans are divided on those games. But I like the roots of Wonder Boy very much too. There was actually another Wonder Boy game going back that action platformer roots, "Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair" and adding to it with shmup sections and giving the series the first and only 2 player co-op mode. Yes, there are 2 "Wonder Boy 3" games. Who ever named the titles was a bit messy there back at Sega.
These are the Wonder Boy games available on Wii and Wii U:
1. Wonder Boy (MS)
2. Wonder Boy II - Wonder Boy in Monster Land (Monster World) (MS & ARC) - there are two siginficantly different versions of this on Wii VC: Master System and Arcade.
3. Wonder Boy III - The Dragon's Trap (Monster World II) (MS)
4. Wonder Boy III - Monster Lair (MD/GENESIS)
5. Wonder Boy IV - Wonder Boy in Monster World (Monster World III) (MD/GENESIS)
6. Monster World IV (MD/GENESIS) - this was only released in Japan and later translated and re-released for Wii Virtual Console. In Japan the action-adventure Wonder Boy games are called Monster World. And since you play exclusively as "Wonder Girl" in the final classic entry of the saga, they thought calling it Wonder Boy V in the west might be inappropriate or something, so they just took the Japanese name.
Many of the good Wonder Boy clones and ports are also available on Wii VC, like Adventure Island (NES), Dragon's Curse (TG), Monster Lair (TG), and The Dynastic Hero (TG).
Still overpriced but this game is growing on me a lot. Once you get used to it system of die-farm cash, die-farm cash that wasn't in the original, it feels a little Roguelke. I think once you get Pirhana-man the game opens up into feeling a lot more refined. Enemy placement with stupid fireballs grazing your feet and no clear idea of what lies where still feel out of date, but it doesn't feel as "stiff" once you get the later animal unlocks. I'd definitely be in for more of the series. Hopefully at a more reasonable price.
Finished the game a while back. I'm not overly fond with some of the archaic game design elements, but WOW, you simply have to admire the love and care that went into re-mastering the graphics and sound.
This game is on sale right now in the US eShop. Getting now for sure!
I just got it physically through Amazon France, for 20 euros, it came with a CD of the soundtrack, a keychain and a little book that explains the controls, love the package!!
Just got this, and BOY what a gem!
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