Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap

If you like the original you will LOVE this. This is pure genius. With an Xbox controller on my computer I can instantly change from the new version to the classic and keep playing. Now I need them to do this for Turbo Grafix 16 Legenary Axe and Legendary Axe II.

My only previous experience with WonderBoy games was the first one, I wasn't a big fan. I bought this mainly for the artwork, and not only I wasn't dissapointed but I was amazed on how great the gameplay is. The game takes the mechanics from the old-school version and goes with it, just updating graphics and music (which you can switch to the old school mode just like the Monkey Island remakes). The gameplay appears forgiving at first, but it starts becoming more challenging quite fast. You can die often if you are not careful enough, you will lose all your items but not your money, but fret not, items are quite easy to come by since enemies drop them a lot. Remember to upgrade your equipment everytime you can, as it will make the game easier, or if you feel like you want a challenge, do a vanilla run and try not to die (it won't be easy). The artwork is stunning, whenever you switch with the retro mode you wonder how they did come up with these concepts from the original style, since most of the stages of the original seem to miss them. The remake has incredible backgrounds with very creative features. The animation is incredible, very fluid, it looks like a movie. The soundtrack is very pleasant, with quite an upbeat rhythm characteristic of old-school games and a wide range of instruments with a strong presence of wind instruments, there are hints of jazz here and there. Get it if you like: solid platformer mechanics, simple yet interesting items, stunning artwork, cute stuff.

I'm biased as I grew up with this game of the Sega Master System (SMS), but besides my subjective view, it is a great game. There has been so much love and attention to detail in this remake, which is excellent, because it shows the creators really wanted to remake it well; and they did that masterfully. Pros: * Amazing artwork that really encapsulates the wonderment of the original game; * Beautiful soundtrack that adds a peaceful feel; * Fluid gameplay with nice secrets; * The ability to play the original retro game (visuals) with the original soundtrack, or you can mix it up. * The ability to use your passwords from the original SMS version; * Bonus artworks; and * Minor tweaks and improvements to the menu and stores. Cons: * None; it can't be a five-star rating of there are cons :) If you have played the original, or you feel you want to experience a classic platformer with minor RPG elements, then I recommend this gem. Some may find it underwhelming as the visuals are basically a re-skin of the original game, but I really like Wonderboy III: The Dragon's Trap, so this is perfect for me. Obviously, it's not the greatest game of all time (that goes to Spellcaster, Psycho Fox, Deus Ex (or insert other old game here), but I feel this is a great game. I'm sure if you purchase it, then you'll have a lot of fun. Cheers!

This is simply a perfect remake of a great game. Brilliant work and is worth every penny.

First don't be fooled by the overhall cuteness of the game. It's not an easy game. But it's not crazy hard either. The hand drawn graphics are beautiful, it looks like a cartoon. The animation was made with care and it's very smooth. The remade soundtrack is also very good. It's thoses two elements that draw me into buying the game. Tbh the gameplay isn't revolutionary but it gets the job done. Would I pay the full price for it ? Not likely but on sales it's worth it.