Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection Review

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Fast Facts

A World of Wonder

The Wonder Boy series – a.k.a. Monster World – began way back in 1986 with the original Wonder Boy arcade game. This first entry spawned multiple sequels that were released across arcades, the Sega Master System and the Sega Mega Drive / Sega Genesis.

The series started off as pretty simplistic 2D action platformers where you only needed to reach the end of each level. Later, they evolved to a more RPG-esque experience with a Metroidvania approach. This is particularly true of the Monster World sub-series. A fun anecdote: keen-eyed gamers might recognise early Wonder Boy games as the games that inspired the Adventure Island series.

The Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection is a bundle comprised of the following games: Wonder Boy (Arcade, Sega Master System and Game Gear versions); Wonder Boy in Monster Land (Arcade and Sega Master System versions); Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap (Sega Master System and Game Gear versions), Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair (Arcade and Sega Mega Drive / Sega Genesis versions), Wonder Boy in Monster World (Sega Mega Drive / Sega Genesis and Sega Master System versions); Monster World IV (Sega Mega Drive / Sega Genesis version). This brings the total number of ports in this nifty little package to 21.

While most collections of a single series have similar gameplay in all included games, the Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection offers surprising gameplay variety. As mentioned above, the earlier titles are mostly 2D action platformers where your health acts as a timer. Later instalments are deep, RPG-oriented experiences. The Monster World sub-series adds a further layer of depth by introducing the ability to change into different monsters to play through the games as.

Lots of bang for your buck

The earlier 2D action games are pretty straightforward. These require you to kill enemies, avoid obstacles and all the while make sure to pick up fruit in order to keep your health up. As annoying as it is, your health meter acts as the level’s timer, so if you run out, you lose a life. You’re able to pick up additional weaponry and tools – such as an axe or a skateboard – to help you navigate through levels easier and faster.

In the later, more RPG-oriented games however, as you might expect, players are expected to explore dungeons, visit towns and take out bosses in order to progress.

As with similar collections, there are a few nice quality of life improvements in the Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection. These include being able to rewind in-game events to avoid damage or a death, the ability to make use of save states, adjustable aspect ratios / display sizes, customisable controls and visual filters (to name just a few). This gives players the freedom to experience these classics based on their preferences.

This collection also features a bevy of nice little tidbits about the series. Players can explore the box art covers, artbooks and soundtracks / music players from all the games in the bundle. This can be a great nostalgia act for older gamers who grew up on the series.

The games in the Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection do look great visually, as they are faithful to the original games. This bundle isn’t a remaster of any sort. Players will have the joys of discovering (or re-discovering) these classic platformers and RPG lite games from a by-gone era. You can also see the graphics switch and evolve as you tackle each game from its respective console generation and era. The soundtracks for each game – much like the visuals – do seem a bit dated now, albeit still of their time.

Lost in translation

The biggest problem with the Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection is that many of the included ports are only available in Japanese. While I do understand it saves time and resources, not everyone is fluent in Japanese. Yes, some of the games are pretty straightforward – requiring you to simply go from start to finish in each level – but when it comes to the RPG-esque games, it gets a bit more tricky.

This is because you need to do some menu navigation and converse with NPCs. Thus, unless you’ve studied a bit of Japanese in your time, you won’t be able to understand them. Also, trying to do platforming while skateboarding? Not the easiest gaming skill to grasp.

On the whole, the Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection is a great collection. It allows players young and old to get a fresh look at what once was. It features lots of bang for your buck, but the language barrier in some of the ports may pose a problem. If you don’t understand Japanese, the deeper RPG oriented games with their native text may be difficult to play.

If you’re a fan of old school games, this collection is worth the investment. However, for those players looking for a seamless experience, unfortunately you won’t get the most out of this. It also feels like a bit of a slap in the face to anyone who bought the Wonder Boy Collection a few months prior.

3 out of 5

3

The Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection can be purchased on the Nintendo eShop.