Sega's Wonder Boy series - produced with the now defunct Westone - is one of those classic 8 and 16-bit franchises which tragically never made the transition to 3D, and as a result has faded into memory in recent times.
However, things are looking up for fans. While we're not exactly getting a new Wonder Boy game - that brand belongs to Sega - it looks like we could be gifted with the next best thing. FDG Entertainment has just announced that it is working alongside The Game Atelier to create Monster Boy And The Wizard Of Booze, a spiritual sequel to the classic series produced with the input of Ryuichi Nishizawa, the brains behind Wonder Boy.
Monster Boy isn't an entirely new project - The Game Atelier is taking the cancelled (and Wonder Boy-inspired) Flying Hamster 2 and modifying it to suit the new lead character - but there's plenty to be excited about. As well as having Nishizawa on board, legendary composer Michiru Yamane (Castlevania: Symphony of the Night) will be contributing tracks to the game. Those who backed Flying Hamster 2 will get a free copy of Monster Boy when it is eventually released.
The game is confirmed for the PlayStation 4, PC and "more" formats. We contacted FDG's Thomas Kern for clarification, and he confirmed that the team would love to bring Monster Boy to Nintendo fans, but it's still very early days:
It's a pretty exciting day as we didn't expect such an overwhelming positive response from the Internet. After all, there hasn't been any news about the series for years.
We love the Wii U but for the moment I can't confirm anything. It's definitely considered as we believe Nintendo fans would appreciate the game.
To celebrate the news, FDG and The Game Atelier have commissioned YouTube star Banjo Guy Ollie to produce this video, which contains screenshots of the game:
[source monsterboy.com, via kickstarter.com]
Comments 55
This would be a day one purchase if it were to be released on the Wii U!
"we believe Nintendo fans would appreciate the game"
You are correct,probably a lot more so than those who only play on one of the other 2 consoles.Fingers crossed they bring it over as I'm definitely interested.They could do with changing the name though,as Wizard of Booze just sounds daft.
one of my favorite things about monster world IV was the female hero i wish this game at least gave you an option
Wonder Boy was a very influential game for me. On holiday as a 7 year old there was a Wonder Boy arcade cabinet I must have played everyday. This would definitely be a must have.
PS3 version would be good, must be a lot a lot of retro SEGA fans in Europe, so hope to see a broader console release. Wonder Boy 3 The Dragons Trap is one of my favourite 8-bit games ever.
Oh, yes please !
Those platformer / RPG hybrids are awesome !
Hmm, technically Monster World has a successor in Shantae, but more of these Metroidvania style games certainly wouldn't hurt! I am concerned however of how many would see it and simply disregard it as a rip off of Shantae, even though Wonder Boy and Monster World predate Shantae by nearly a decade.
I will buy it for sure, but I would prefer buying it for Wii U.
I prefer playing games on Wii U so much, that I would even pay more for a Wii U version.
Well, I would like to see this in 3D too.
Wonder boy III; TDT is the greatest game ever created on the planet Earth. This news blew my mind. Nishizawa is a god amongst men!!
I got all the six Wonder Boy games on Wii Virtual Console.
Real classics, to me the best platformer/adventure series on Master System and Mega Drive/Genesis, and therefore I always seen Wonder Boy as a better SEGA mascot than Sonic or Alex Kidd.
The soundtrack in the Wonder Boy/Monster World games is always fantastic too, so having someone as knowledgable as the Symphony of the Night composer is great for a spiritual successor that needs to convince fans in every department.
No question about it, I'll get this if it hits the Wii U.
Id get it most likely
Gotta say, the Flying Hamster version of this project looked better, and I certainly prefer the hamster sprite design over this blue-haired boy whose design doesn't look very good to me.
This game looks pretty interesting me to me so I'd definitely consider giving it a shot. I love the pictures shown above, so if the rest of the game looks like that I'll be one happy gamer. Hope they create some nice catchy music to go with it too.
Wonder Boy games were quite popular in Brazil, because they were localized as Turma da Mônica (probably the most successful children comic books of all time in the country) games instead. I spent hours and hours on the two Master System games that we got in the series, and even finished one of the Mega Drive ones, which is kind of a rarity for me as I never owned that console.
Which is to say: yeah, I'm definitely keeping my eye on this one. I love that sort of gameplay.
Wonder Boy in Monster World for Genesis was my second favorite game next to Sonic 2 when I was little. If it comes out for Wii U, I'd buy this twice!
@OnionOverlord Shantae doesn't have the input of the creator of Wonder Boy, though.
@Damo
I...Am well aware of this. What's the point you're trying to make? A spiritual successor doesn't have to have the consent or support of the original creator. It just means that it retains the SPIRIT of the said game, which in this case, it's difficult to deny the similarities between Shantae and Wonder Boy/Monster World.
Obviously the fact that the original creator/Westone is helping with this is a big deal but it really doesn't change the fact that Monster World has had a spiritual successor/sequel for a while now.
@Damo
Doesn't matter, Shantae 2 and 3 (amazing game btw) play very much like Wonder Boy in MW and Monster World IV. I consider the Shantae series a spiritual successor to Monster World IV based on its setting alone.
Really looking forward to Monster Boy and will be getting the PC version.
Make it so !
YES!!!!! This is as big a deal as inafune making mighty no.9
I would be interested in this! SEGA has yet to release Wonder Boy Game Gear games on the 3DS.
Looks like a must-play, I'll be keeping my eyes on this.
Absolutely extatic about this, that music is either from dragons trap or monster world, love it.
@ TurboTEF
This, basically. Don't forge the ability to transform from Dragon's Trap is very similar to Shantae's transformation dances!
Also when you think about it... Monster World has a spiritual successor in Shantae, but now Monster World and Wonderboy are being released as spiritual sequels to Flying Hamster 2. It'll be interesting to see how this game goes over with players. On one hand, lots of people will want to experience a spiritual successor to Monster World, while the Flying Hamster 2 crowd will be going to it for it being a spiritual sequel to Flying Hamster. Then, there's the crowd that would be trying it just because it looks interesting. If it doesn't have the bad controls of Wonder Boy in MW, then we've probably got a winner here. (Controls were fine for the most part but Shion liked to slip and slide around a lot.)
Either way I'm hyped for this. If this comes to 3DS or Wii U, I'm hooking my claws into it first chance I get.
Oh wait, this is replacing Flying Hamster II? Aw, I liked the cute Hamster sprite. Oh well, if the creator is involved, maybe there's more hope for this one. I LOVED Monster World II-IV, so more stuff like that is very welcome.
Wonderboy in Monsterland on the Master System was amazing miss that game.
This game looks right up my alley and though I have never played any of the Wonder Boy games I would welcome this game should it come to Wii U!
@XyVoX you miss it? Download it on your wii u, job done.
Drool... Yes please! Wonderboy III is the most underrated game of all time - an absolute masterpiece. I still beat it once a year and it is perfect.
Hopefully the 3DS version is still coming out too. I would even be happy to see it on the Vita.
@OnionOverlord To be fair, it seems you forgot the word "spiritual" in your first post. Bit of confusion there, is all.
"Monster Boy and The Wizard of Booze"
That title alone makes me want to buy this.
Yeah, I'd love to see more stuff like this... a Tomba successor, for example...
No complaints about the visuals for sure. keeping an eye on it
@DESS-M-8 Nah i dont play 50hz Vc junk ruins the experience.
@XyVoX
PFFFFFT! Look at this elitist. Too cool for Virtual Console, huh? Bah!
Anyway we need moar Monster World stuffs! Whatever happened to Asha and Pepelegoo? I demand a Monster World V! ASAP! I will hold a puppy hostage until we get MWV. You think I'm joking? I'll send pictures of a puppy tied and gagged to a chair with a note in his paws that says "Send halp!"
@Snugglebutt you must be from NA cause in Europe we get stuck with 50hz slow speed junk gameplay compared to you NTSC full speed brothers (as the game was intended to be played) i love Vc but even on Wii i didn't buy a game that stuck in 50hz its an abomination if you'v played it on a 60hz system.
Yus I'm in the NA region, but I am aware of the 50hz PAL games. I just assumed you guys either didn't notice or didn't care! Never played 50hz so I dunno, is it really that much different? Doesn't seem like it'd be that big of a deal.
@Snugglebutt It's really bad. REALLY, REALLY bad. You have to experience it to believe the hype. Or the anti-hype, as it were. Nintendo screwed the pooch on EU Virtual Console.
@XyVoX don't really get what you're wanting from anybody then? That's the same game you'd have played as a kid? Now your memories and a 100% conversion isn't good enough? Some people are hard to please. Had it on my wii I since 2013 and it was most welcome
Love this series! hmm, do I play an rpg or a platformer tonight? I know, Wonderboy!
You see sega?? Since you won't get off your ass and publish vc titles the voids will simply be filled by other developers in due time!! I think you're losing $$$ by not doing it!! Cmon!!!
I don't currently have a system that can play this (my laptop is rubbish), but if it gets released on Wii U, I'll buy a Wii U JUST for this game (and the Virtual Console stuff. Oh and NES Remix.)
@OorWullie
Why would Nintendo fans appreciate it more than the owners of the other consoles? The game doesn't star Mario.
@joey302
This is not a VC title. It isn't even the actual Wonder Boy.
Dunno about gameplay but that art style is great!
@Quorthon of course it isn't but it's as close to a wonder boy game on vc that we will probably never ever get!👍
@joey302
Wonder Boy is already on the Wii VC, and therefore, already on the Wii U. If you want it, there it is.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Virtual_Console_games_for_Wii_%28North_America%29#Sega_Master_System
@Quorthon yes have them all already thanks along with 250 others cause tired of waiting on NOA to get it in gear!! But At some point I would expect the wii shop to be shut down and for those that don't have these great classics then what?? The wii u vc should have everything wii has plus a whole lot of new ones like earthbound, demons crest etc etc!
@joey302
I agree that the Wii VC and Wii Ware games should already be in the Wii U eShop, but if you already have the Wii version, you'll be able to continue to play it on the Wii Channel. The Wii shop will likely close at some point, but the games you already bought will still be playable.
Would love to see wonderboy get the Classics 3D treatment on 3DS. I love the Wonderboy series. Some good platforming/RPG right there!
@TRON is that my buddy from PCEfx?
@Quorthon -I know I know
I just thought when wii u came out that the vc service was gonna be sooo much better than wii was but it's actually worse!! Ugh!! Other problem is wii points cards very hard to find these days!
@CanisWolfred
I hadn't realized that, I may have to go over and correct that when I stop being lazy. Thanks for the heads up.
@OnionOverlord Don't worry about it, this article's been thoroughly buried, anyways.
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