Difference between revisions of "Wonder Boy in Monster World"
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| − | + | {{Video Game | |
| + | | Title = Wonder Boy in Monster World | ||
| + | | Image = Wonder Boy in Monster World - GEN - USA.jpg | ||
| + | | ImageDescription = Genesis - USA - 1st edition. | ||
| + | | Developer = {{VideoGameDeveloper|Westone}} | ||
| + | | Publisher = {{VideoGamePublisher|Sega}} | ||
| + | | PublishedYear = 1991 | ||
| + | | PublishedMonth = 10 | ||
| + | | PublishedDay = 25 | ||
| + | | Platforms = {{Platform|Genesis}}, {{Platform|Master System}}, {{Platform|TurboGrafx-CD}} | ||
| + | | Genres = {{VideoGameGenre|Action adventure|Action adventure}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Metroidvania|Metroidvania}}, {{VideoGameGenre|Platformer|Platformer}} | ||
| + | | Themes = {{MediaTheme|Action}}, {{MediaTheme|Adventure}}, {{MediaTheme|Cartoon}}, {{MediaTheme|Fantasy}} | ||
| + | | Series = ''[[Wonder Boy (universe)|Wonder Boy]]'' | ||
| + | | Distributions = {{VideoGameDistribution|Commercial}} | ||
| + | }} | ||
| − | '''''Wonder Boy | + | '''''Wonder Boy in Monster World''''' is a platform action adventure game developed by [[Westone]] and published by [[Sega]] on 1991-10-25 for the [[Genesis]]. It is the fifth game in the [[Wonder Boy (Universe)|''Wonder Boy'' series]] and a very well-made [[Metroidvania]]. |
The game exists in four fairly different versions. The original Mega Drive/Genesis release, a [[Master System]] port which had various aspects cut to fit into a smaller ROM, a TurboGrafx-CD port which replaced the soundtrack and a lot of the graphics, and a special Brazil port which redid the graphics to fit a Brazilian children's comic strip. | The game exists in four fairly different versions. The original Mega Drive/Genesis release, a [[Master System]] port which had various aspects cut to fit into a smaller ROM, a TurboGrafx-CD port which replaced the soundtrack and a lot of the graphics, and a special Brazil port which redid the graphics to fit a Brazilian children's comic strip. | ||
| − | + | ==Personal== | |
| + | {{VideoGameStatus | ||
| + | | Own = Yes. US Genesis cartridge and box. | ||
| + | | CantOwn = | ||
| + | | Won = Yes. | ||
| + | | CantWin = | ||
| + | | Finished = 2018-12-10. | ||
| + | }} | ||
| − | + | I discovered this game while looking for older Metroidvania games I missed out on in the earlier days of the genre. After playing it, I found it to be quite amazing, one of the best of the era. | |
| − | I | ||
==Review== | ==Review== | ||
| − | + | {{Video Game Review|8|7|9|5|7|Genesis}} | |
| − | + | ||
| + | {{Spoilers}} | ||
===Good=== | ===Good=== | ||
| − | * The cartoon artwork and detailed background graphics are | + | * The cartoon artwork and detailed background graphics are phenomenal. The game makes really good use of parallax scrolling. |
| − | * The character design and animation is | + | * The character design and animation is fantastic. I especially love the death animation for monsters and the large attractive boss sprites. |
| − | * The game has a lot of hidden chests to | + | * The game has a lot of hidden chests to find for those players who search long enough. |
| − | * Although I'm not a huge fan of the soundtrack, I recognize that it | + | * Although I'm not a huge fan of the soundtrack, I recognize that [[Shinichi Sakamoto]] composed it to nicely fit the game. |
| + | * There are lots of little graphic quirks that add to the game. Your player sprite updates as you equip better weapons and shields, heat emanates from fireplaces, the menus are well drawn, etc. | ||
* The indoor cut-aways are a good design. | * The indoor cut-aways are a good design. | ||
| − | |||
* The sidekicks are a fun addition. They're mostly useless, but Priscilla's animation where she smacks enemies with her wand is hilarious. | * The sidekicks are a fun addition. They're mostly useless, but Priscilla's animation where she smacks enemies with her wand is hilarious. | ||
| − | * | + | * The ending sequence recap is quite nice. |
===Bad=== | ===Bad=== | ||
| − | * Unless you spend a lot of time searching for the hidden power-ups, the game will be really hard | + | * Unless you spend a lot of time searching for the hidden power-ups, the game will be really hard, and several of the hidden treasures are hidden really well. |
| − | * Most of the bosses are really easy to beat. In my first play-through of the game, I | + | * Most of the bosses are really easy to beat. In my first play-through of the game, I was usually really low on hit points by the time I reached the bosses, but still ended up winning. |
| − | * The dialog saying how much gold you picked up covers up a lot of the screen | + | * The dialog saying how much gold you picked up covers up a lot of the screen and could have been replaced by a less-obtrusive sprite. |
* I don't like being told, every time I want to buy something, that I "have a discerning eye." | * I don't like being told, every time I want to buy something, that I "have a discerning eye." | ||
| − | * | + | * All of the game's documentation is pretty bad. The box art is horrible for pretty much every region and port. The game's manual, though it gives very detailed instructions on how to play, is very dry and has only a couple paragraphs of story and almost no art. The title is also stupid. I wonder how many more units could have been sold with better marketing. |
| + | * Near the end of the game you get tons of gold with nothing to spend it on (unless you want the charm stone upgrade, but, by this time, it's pretty useless). | ||
| + | * The game doesn't let you change your equipped items when you're moving, but if you're stuck in a corner taking damage from a monster, you don't stop moving, so you can never change items or use them. | ||
| + | * The final boss is annoyingly difficult. It's not just that he's hard to defeat, but he's unfairly hard. In his second form, there are so many things on the screen, it become extremely difficult to even avoid getting hit, let alone make precision attacks. | ||
===Ugly=== | ===Ugly=== | ||
| − | * The moving platform puzzle above the dragon room in the Dark Castle is really annoying. It would have been annoying even if you | + | * The moving platform puzzle above the dragon room in the Dark Castle is really annoying. It would have been annoying even if you didn't have to defeat the dragon every time. |
==Media== | ==Media== | ||
| Line 38: | Line 62: | ||
<gallery> | <gallery> | ||
Wonder Boy In Monster World - GEN - Japan.jpg|The original Japanese box uses chibi art of Shion and his side-kicks. It fits the in-game style, but looks pretty childish. It's my favorite cover, but I still don't like it much. | Wonder Boy In Monster World - GEN - Japan.jpg|The original Japanese box uses chibi art of Shion and his side-kicks. It fits the in-game style, but looks pretty childish. It's my favorite cover, but I still don't like it much. | ||
| − | Wonder Boy | + | Wonder Boy in Monster World - GEN - USA.jpg|This box was used for North America. Europe used the same art with a slightly different graphic layout. Although the art does a decent job or portraying the game, it's so awful I'm sure it affected sales. But don't judge a book by its terrible cover. |
Wonder Boy In Monster World - SMS - USA.jpg|The Master System port, although a bit different from the Genesis game, uses the same art. | Wonder Boy In Monster World - SMS - USA.jpg|The Master System port, although a bit different from the Genesis game, uses the same art. | ||
Wonder Boy In Monster World - TGCD - Japan.jpg|The PC Engine Super CD-ROM2 System port changed the game's graphics and the odd cover art reflects that. | Wonder Boy In Monster World - TGCD - Japan.jpg|The PC Engine Super CD-ROM2 System port changed the game's graphics and the odd cover art reflects that. | ||
| Line 82: | Line 106: | ||
===Videos=== | ===Videos=== | ||
| − | + | {{YouTube|8VDaPFiLbAM|Longplay.}} | |
| + | |||
| + | ==Play Online== | ||
| + | {{PlayOnline|https://www.retrogames.cc/mastersystem-games/wonder-boy-in-monster-world-europe.html|Master System}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Play Online== | ||
| + | {{PlayOnline|https://www.retrogames.cc/genesis-games/wonder-boy-in-monster-world-usa-europe.html|Genesis}}, {{PlayOnline|https://www.retrogames.cc/genesis-games/wonder-boy-v-monster-world-iii-japan.html|Master System}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Representation== | ||
| + | {{Representation | ||
| + | | Media = Video games | ||
| + | | StrongFemaleCharacterStatus = Fail | ||
| + | | StrongFemaleCharacterNotes = Queen Eleanora and Priscilla is a loyal sidekick, and there are many female NPCs, but they're sidekicks and quest givers, none are important. | ||
| + | | BechdelTestStatus = Fail | ||
| + | | BechdelTestNotes = No women ever talk to each other. | ||
| + | | StrongPOCCharacterStatus = Pass | ||
| + | | StrongPOCCharacterNotes = The game uses a cartoon style, but everyone appears to be whiteish. | ||
| + | | QueerCharacterStatus = Fail | ||
| + | | QueerCharacterNotes = There are no queer characters. | ||
| + | }} | ||
==Titles== | ==Titles== | ||
| Line 88: | Line 131: | ||
! Language !! Native !! Transliteration !! Translation | ! Language !! Native !! Transliteration !! Translation | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | English || Wonder Boy | + | | English || Wonder Boy in Monster World || || |
|- | |- | ||
| Japanese (Mega Drive) || ワンダーボーイⅤ モンスターワールドⅢ || Wanda Boi V Monsuta Warudo III || Wonder Boy V: Monster World III | | Japanese (Mega Drive) || ワンダーボーイⅤ モンスターワールドⅢ || Wanda Boi V Monsuta Warudo III || Wonder Boy V: Monster World III | ||
| Line 96: | Line 139: | ||
==Links== | ==Links== | ||
| − | + | {{Link|MobyGames|https://www.mobygames.com/game/wonder-boy-in-monster-world}} | |
| − | + | {{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonder_Boy_in_Monster_World}} | |
| + | {{Link|SegaRetro|https://segaretro.org/Wonder_Boy_in_Monster_World}} | ||
| − | + | [[Category: Video Game Prime Order - Adventure, Action, Strategy]] | |
| − | [[Category: Video | + | [[Category: Game Mechanic - Boss Rush]] |
| − | + | [[Category: Trope - Damsel In Distress]] | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | [[Category: | ||
| − | [[Category: | ||
[[Category: Favorite]] | [[Category: Favorite]] | ||
[[Category: Favorite Games]] | [[Category: Favorite Games]] | ||
Latest revision as of 17:57, 7 March 2024
| Wonder Boy in Monster World | ||||||||||||||||
|
Genesis - USA - 1st edition. |
||||||||||||||||
|
Wonder Boy in Monster World is a platform action adventure game developed by Westone and published by Sega on 1991-10-25 for the Genesis. It is the fifth game in the Wonder Boy series and a very well-made Metroidvania.
The game exists in four fairly different versions. The original Mega Drive/Genesis release, a Master System port which had various aspects cut to fit into a smaller ROM, a TurboGrafx-CD port which replaced the soundtrack and a lot of the graphics, and a special Brazil port which redid the graphics to fit a Brazilian children's comic strip.
Contents
Personal
| Own? | Yes. US Genesis cartridge and box. |
|---|---|
| Won? | Yes. |
| Finished | 2018-12-10. |
I discovered this game while looking for older Metroidvania games I missed out on in the earlier days of the genre. After playing it, I found it to be quite amazing, one of the best of the era.
Review
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| 8 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 7 |
Best Version: Genesis
— This section contains spoilers! —
Good
- The cartoon artwork and detailed background graphics are phenomenal. The game makes really good use of parallax scrolling.
- The character design and animation is fantastic. I especially love the death animation for monsters and the large attractive boss sprites.
- The game has a lot of hidden chests to find for those players who search long enough.
- Although I'm not a huge fan of the soundtrack, I recognize that Shinichi Sakamoto composed it to nicely fit the game.
- There are lots of little graphic quirks that add to the game. Your player sprite updates as you equip better weapons and shields, heat emanates from fireplaces, the menus are well drawn, etc.
- The indoor cut-aways are a good design.
- The sidekicks are a fun addition. They're mostly useless, but Priscilla's animation where she smacks enemies with her wand is hilarious.
- The ending sequence recap is quite nice.
Bad
- Unless you spend a lot of time searching for the hidden power-ups, the game will be really hard, and several of the hidden treasures are hidden really well.
- Most of the bosses are really easy to beat. In my first play-through of the game, I was usually really low on hit points by the time I reached the bosses, but still ended up winning.
- The dialog saying how much gold you picked up covers up a lot of the screen and could have been replaced by a less-obtrusive sprite.
- I don't like being told, every time I want to buy something, that I "have a discerning eye."
- All of the game's documentation is pretty bad. The box art is horrible for pretty much every region and port. The game's manual, though it gives very detailed instructions on how to play, is very dry and has only a couple paragraphs of story and almost no art. The title is also stupid. I wonder how many more units could have been sold with better marketing.
- Near the end of the game you get tons of gold with nothing to spend it on (unless you want the charm stone upgrade, but, by this time, it's pretty useless).
- The game doesn't let you change your equipped items when you're moving, but if you're stuck in a corner taking damage from a monster, you don't stop moving, so you can never change items or use them.
- The final boss is annoyingly difficult. It's not just that he's hard to defeat, but he's unfairly hard. In his second form, there are so many things on the screen, it become extremely difficult to even avoid getting hit, let alone make precision attacks.
Ugly
- The moving platform puzzle above the dragon room in the Dark Castle is really annoying. It would have been annoying even if you didn't have to defeat the dragon every time.
Media
Boxes
The original Japanese box uses chibi art of Shion and his side-kicks. It fits the in-game style, but looks pretty childish. It's my favorite cover, but I still don't like it much.
This box was used for North America. Europe used the same art with a slightly different graphic layout. Although the art does a decent job or portraying the game, it's so awful I'm sure it affected sales. But don't judge a book by its terrible cover.
The Master System port, although a bit different from the Genesis game, uses the same art.
The PC Engine Super CD-ROM2 System port changed the game's graphics and the odd cover art reflects that.
The North American TurboGrafx-CD uses the same art as the Japanese port, only with a different title and a worse layout.
Wonder Boy games released in Brazil were reworked to the Monica's Gang comic strip and the poorly-drawn cartoon cover reflects that.
Documentation
Genesis manual.
Maps
Genesis - Alsedo Ocean.
Genesis - Alsedo.
Genesis - Purapril Sewers.
Genesis - Purapril.
Genesis - Lilypad.
Genesis - Jungle Temple.
Genesis - Poseidon Ocean.
Genesis - Poseidon Temple.
Genesis - Maugham Desert.
Genesis - Pyramid.
Genesis - Begonia.
Genesis - Childam.
Genesis - Ice Palace.
Genesis - Volcano.
Genesis - Dark Castle.
Genesis - Final Battle.
Master System - Way to Alsedo, Alsedo Cave.
Master System - The Large Tree.
Master System - Purapril Purapril Castle, Maugham Desert.
Master System - Lilypad the Dwarf Village.
Master System - Lilypad Temple.
Master System - Poseidon.
Master System - The Pyramid.
Master System - Begonia the Dragon Village.
Master System - Ice World.
Master System - Sky Over Purapril Castle.
Master System - Space.
Videos
Play Online
Play Online
Representation
| Strong female character? | Fail | Queen Eleanora and Priscilla is a loyal sidekick, and there are many female NPCs, but they're sidekicks and quest givers, none are important. |
|---|---|---|
| Bechdel test? | Fail | No women ever talk to each other. |
| Strong person of color character? | Pass | The game uses a cartoon style, but everyone appears to be whiteish. |
| Queer character? | Fail | There are no queer characters. |
Titles
| Language | Native | Transliteration | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Wonder Boy in Monster World | ||
| Japanese (Mega Drive) | ワンダーボーイⅤ モンスターワールドⅢ | Wanda Boi V Monsuta Warudo III | Wonder Boy V: Monster World III |
| Japanese (PC Engine CD) | 超英雄伝説ダイナスティックヒーロー | Cho Hideo Densetsu Dainasutikku Hiro | Super Hero Legend: Dynastic hero |
Links
Categories:
- Video Games
- 1991 Video Games
- Video games developed by Westone
- Video games published by Sega
- Genesis Games
- Master System Games
- TurboGrafx-CD Games
- Video Game Genre - Action adventure
- Video Game Genre - Metroidvania
- Video Game Genre - Platformer
- Media Theme - Action
- Media Theme - Adventure
- Media Theme - Cartoon
- Media Theme - Fantasy
- Software Distribution Model - Commercial
- Video Games I Own
- Video Games I've Beaten
- Video Game Rating - 8
- Video Game Graphics Rating - 9
- Video Game Sound Rating - 5
- Video games which can be played online
- Video games without a strong female character
- Video games that fail the Bechdel test
- Video games with a strong person of color character
- Video games without a queer character
- Video Game Prime Order - Adventure, Action, Strategy
- Game Mechanic - Boss Rush
- Trope - Damsel In Distress
- Favorite
- Favorite Games
