A quality collection of misleadingly named series.
Recent memory is blessed with a treasure trove of classic game compilations. TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection not only compiled a near-complete history of “Heroes of the Half-Shell”, but also dumped his track-equivalent artwork, boxed an overview of his art, music, and animated series. I have. Regardless of how long you think the game has held up, Atari 50: The Anniversary Collection is the most comprehensive historical tale of the grandfather in gaming history, and is worth joining for that alone.Capcom Beat-Em-Up We’ve come a long way since the days of throwing away a handful of roms with Bundle. In that context, The Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection should be viewed.
The Wonder Boy Collection includes six titles across the series: Wonder Boy (Adventure Island for the US), Wonder Boy in Monster Land, Wonder Boy III: Monster’s Lair, Monster World II, and Monster World. III, Monster World IV. Adventure Island on the Nintendo Entertainment System was my only exposure to the series. Not knowing its arcade origins, I was struck by how crisp and detailed the animation was, how vibrant the music was in comparison, and, oddly enough, how forgiving it felt. The basic gameplay is very basic. Run across the screen, avoid holes and obstacles, throw tomahawks, and collect fruits along the way to keep your health from depleting over time. It’s rudimentary by today’s standards, but I’m glad I was able to revisit and explore his other five titles.
Other games have stayed true to the 2D action side-scroller formula, but with a distinct difference in direction. On the one hand, Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair feels like a direct continuation of his Wonder Boy, with side-scrolling platforming and combat, but with side-scrolling shooter levels and up to two players. is extended to There are multiple weapons, such as diffused fire and those that surround you like barriers that enemies drop and use as temporary power-ups. The level is a forced move, a little extra pressure, but never surpassable.It’s a Wonderboy refinement that feels natural and comfortable for fans of the original.
Then there’s the Monster World portion of the series, which leans more towards the 2D side-scrolling dungeon crawler of Zelda II: The Adventures of Link. It also shows the threadline to Monster World IV, which is colorful and fun. Monster Land’s Wonder Boy is cute, but painfully slow-paced and rigid in his movements and jumps, almost like he’s walking through mud. To its credit, the boss fights are fun enough, and there are upgrades via shop-purchasable items, but they’re still a bit rough around the edges.Monster World II (or Wonder Boy III) is an iterative improvement. Structurally it’s very similar, but with sharper animations, a smaller space-focused camera, and nice brisk movement. Monster World III (or Monster World’s Wonder Boy) feels like an odd middle tier. It retains the more vibrant and detailed look of Monster World II, but steps back by recommitting to its stiff, slow motion.Monster World IV is the clear winner of these games. The main character, Asha, is well-balanced, and while not as fast as Monster World II, her movements are fluid and satisfying. Visually, it’s the most vivid and expressive animation ever. If you go in expecting these to be a product of their time, most games are fun and worth checking out from a historical perspective.
Like any great collection, Wonder Boy Anniversary is packed with extra features and content. First there are several different language options. Each game includes released versions, from arcade to Sega Master System to Game Gear. Some versions don’t work well and serve more as fun curiosities than others, but they’re still nice features to include. I have. Some of these games are slow in places, so that’s a godsend. Fortunately, each game includes a level map that you can always access. For all fans of the series, the gallery includes concept his art, character sketches, menus, box art, and a soundtrack that you can play while perusing the game’s instructions.
The Wonderboy Anniversary Collection is the definitive way to experience the series, with all six titles wrapped up in a package that seems to see every way fans can explore the content. There are some games that are hard to go back to, but when they’re good, they’re really good. The worst thing I can say is that it doesn’t quite reach the heights of fanservice that some of the aforementioned collections do, but it might be a little unfair to compare Wonderboy to those standard bearers. Hmm. If you love 2D platformers, love the games in the series and want to explore more, or are interested in lesser-known classics, the Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection is worth checking out.
