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| OLD GAMES |
| REVIEW SITE |
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| WONDERBOY IN MONSTERLAND |
| Reviewed by Tom Clare |
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| Wonderboy In Monsterworld�s first incarnation was as a Mega-Drive title released back in the early days of the format, in 1987. It was magnificent; an enchanting, ambitious role-playing tale that was as absorbing and playable as anything that had appeared before it. Master-System owners would have to endure a six year wait, but eventually they would receive a conversion in 1993. |
| SEGA MASTER SYSTEM |
| In essence, this is the same game as the Mega-Drive version, though the test would obviously be to see how competently an 8-bit system could run a 16-bit game. Sega�s task was fairly considerable; by 1993 Wonderboy may have been among the older Mega-Drive titles, but it was still a lengthy adventure and had a number of neat tricks up its sleeve. so was the ageing Master-System up to the task? |
| Wonderboy In Monsterworld follows the exploits of Shion, a brave warrior, in his quest to rid the land of evil. Along the way he meets many villagers, battles a plethora of foes and even dabbles in a bit of magic too. It is a role-playing adventure, but unlike the early Final Fantasy�s and Zelda�s, it opts for a side-scrolling 2D view-point rather than overhead. This could easily have proved a major restriction, but ultimately it wouldn�t prove to be the case. |
Everything is highly impressive early on � the controls are swift and easy to master; with simple attack, jump and inventory commands that are all retained despite the Master-System only sporting two trigger buttons. In fact, in terms of gameplay, it matches the higher-spec Mega-Drive version almost screen for screen in the beginning. |
| The gameplay is pretty simple stuff. Wandering through themed sections (Beaches, woods, temples etc), disposing of any and every foe that crosses your path takes care of the action side of things. Whilst chatting to villagers, buying new equipment and solving the odd fiendish puzzle counts for the cerebral part. |
| Even years after the original release, Wonderboy In Monsterworld proves a charming and totally enthralling tale � despite its simplicity, the design of the towns and the ambitions of Monsterworld as a whole really captures the imagination. At one point for example, Shion acquires a Trident that allows him to travel underwater. Sega, against the odds, managed to recreate the superb under-the-sea section, with believable controls allowing the hero to paddle along, drift or float in the ocean, which is an extremely impressive achievement for the Master-System. |
| Graphically the game is very strong. The sprites are large, bold and well-animated � especially the various villagers who amble around, and the Shion character too. The backgrounds are also rather great; colourful, varied and with a decent amount of detail.
The soundtrack is solid, as though the Master-System isn�t known for its amazing audio quality, there are several jolly jingles in here that tend to suit the sections they are assigned to, and some fairly good sound effects within too. |
| It looked for awhile that Wonderboy would once again retain classic status, though what initially seems like a near-perfect conversion, and an epic adventure that could last for weeks on end, soon becomes merely an extended arcade-adventure that can be finished in a matter of days. Having matched the MD version almost to the screen in the early stages, it then proceeds to lose entire sections and sub-quests � the Vocano has disappeared completely and sadly, so has the brilliant quest for the Pygmi Gear, which would have added a fair bit to the overall lifespan. |
| Also of inconvenience is the lack of a save game feature, somewhat crucial to an RPG even back in the early nineties. That�s not to say you have to play through the entire quest in one sitting, but the password you are given at the Inn�s is huge!
I�d say that gamers of all ages can get something out of this � there are no age restrictions, and thanks to a nicely-judged learning curve, even beginners and young children can find there feet early on. |
| Ultimately, Wonderboy In Monsterworld is a playable and faithful reworking of a classic. It inevitably loses out on some of the better Mega-Drive features in conversion, most notably the battery save feature, but for sheer enjoyment, it is still one of the best Master-System adventures around. Excellent if you have never played the 16-bit game. |
| GRAPHICS: 9/10
PLAYABILITY: 9/10 LASTABILITY: 7/10 ------------------------- OVERALL: 8/10 |