Wonder Boy Collection – Review
Our Score: 8/10
The Wonder Boy Collection features a series that has been running since 1986 and has recently had a rebirth. This set includes four games. Wonder Boy, Wonder Boy in Monster Land, Wonder Boy in Monster World, and Monster World 4.
Wonder Boy Coming Together
The first game in the Wonder Boy Collection is Wonder Boy. Fans of Adventure Island will know it immediately because it is essentially the NES version of Wonder Boy. Collecting fruit while your hunger meter slowly depletes is an interesting concept. And avoiding hazards of all types while carefully using your momentum to bounce across moving platforms is a tough and rewarding game. The second arcade inclusion is Wonder Boy in Monster Land, which hasn’t aged as well as its sequels owing to its fussy gameplay. But the added RPG aspects make it stand out. Now that I think about it, if you have a Switch, you’d be better off with the Sega Ages edition of Wonder Boy in Monster Land, which is far more feature-rich.
Wonder Boy in Monster World resurrected the series by expanding on Monster Land’s premise. While providing immediately rewarding gameplay and a very memorable and entertaining to explore the gaming world. However, there is one annoying issue: you must play the ocarina at particular points. Not only is it difficult to enter the notes accurately, but Wonder Boy Collection displays the original Genesis face buttons, which you must interpret in your brain before playing the notes.
A Whole New World
Monster World IV, the collection’s last entry, is the crowning achievement. It was exorbitantly priced on the Mega Drive aftermarket due to its Japan-only release, but it also emerged completely translated on the Wii Virtual Console. Westone got creative here, substituting an Arabian-inspired fictional realm for the typical fantasy world of devils and dragons. Here, Asha, a green-haired girl on a mission to rescue the planet, moves with speed and purpose, hopping, leaping, and cutting across brilliantly depicted landscapes that are brimming with colour, movement, and character.
The dungeons and puzzles are interesting due to the innovative introduction of her companion, a little blue beast known as ‘Pepelogoo,’ which assists her in overcoming barriers and bridging gaps with ever-evolving traits. While it adheres to the fundamental framework of its action role-playing forefathers, there is a degree of pastel-hued charm that surpasses what came before. Its soundtrack, magnificent graphics, massive bosses, and meticulous stage design make it a delight to play.
Modern Wonder
The Wonder Boy Collection includes various contemporary quality of life situations. For example, I appreciate how simple it is to save and resume your progress later, owing to a small number of save slots. You may also change the aspect ratio and sharpness, as well as add a CRT filter. The ability to configure the controls, replete with rewind and fast forward buttons, is the most welcome feature.
Final Verdict
Wonder Boy Collection is packed with nostalgia but has enough modern improvements to keep it fun. If you’re a fan of old-school games or played these, you’re going to love this collection.
