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[PixyJunket]

Please check out HG101's article on the Wonder Boy/Monster World series if you need a series primer.

http://hg101.kontek.net/wonderboy/wonderboy.htm

When, Where and How Much?

So the series is getting a really odd release across all three platforms.

Wii's Virtual Console has had every North American released Wonder Boy and Monster World game for some time now, excluding the actual arcade versions of Wonder Boy and Monster Lair (although decent console ports of each are available). On May 10th, the two unreleased games (the vastly superior arcade version of Wonder Boy in Monster Land and Monster World IV) are being released in both North America and Europe with full English localizations. This is an unprecedented move on Sega's part due to the nature of going back to work on assembler level code from that era. Each game has their own price-point as per Nintendo's standard, with the two newly released games being 900 Wii Points.

On XBLA, three of the games (Monster Boy in Monster Land, Wonder Boy in Monster World and Monster World IV) have been released as a package for 800 Microsoft Points. This package includes twelve achievements for 200 Gamerscore Points.

Achievements:
http://www.xbox360achievements.org/game/svc-monster-world/achievements/

On PSN, the same three games have been released separately for $4.99 each. Each game has its own set of twelve trophies.

Trophies:
http://exophase.com/game/wonder-boy-in-monster-land/
http://exophase.com/game/wonder-boy-in-monster-world/trophies/
http://exophase.com/game/monster-world-iv/

Currently, Monster World II (aka Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap) will only be available on Virtual Console.

Virtual Console will be the only way you can have the complete Monster World series. It is also the only place you will be able to get the other two Wonder Boy games, Wonder Boy and Monster Lair (although via console ports, the arcade originals are not present). While not part of the actual Monster World series, all six games are definitely connected in some fashion. Virtual Console also has a few ports for psycho completionists sake; the Sega Master System version of Wonder Boy in Monster Land and TurboGrafx-16 versions of The Dragon's Trap (Dragon's Curse), Monster Lair and Wonder Boy in Monster Land (Dynastic Hero).

ALL VERSIONS ARE DEVELOPED THROUGH SUPERIOR M2 EMULATION. NO BACKBONE. I REPEAT: NO BACKBONE.

IN SUMMARY:

Wii Virtual Console: The Complete Series plus Related Games (and ports).

Xbox 360 XBLA: The Bargain Buy (three games for $10).

PlayStation 3 PSN: For the Achievement Hunter (thirty six versus twelve).

 

[charsace]

Yes! No Kid Chameleon?

 

[Eric C]

Yes! No Kid Chameleon?

That's already been on the Wii Virtual Console for years hasn't it?

But, FINALLY an English release for Monster World IV!

 

[PixyJunket]

Yes! No Kid Chameleon?

That has no relation to Wonder Boy or Monster World.

 

[@MUWANdo]

If Sega had their heads screwed on straight they'd release the Game Gear version of Dragon's Trap on the 3DS VC this week, but what can you do...

 

[Hours Left]

So excited for MWIV.

 

[Eusis]

What's the difference between the Genesis ARCADE and Master System versions of Wonder Boy in Monster Land? Already have the Master System version, but if the arcade one is more forgiving I may consider it at a later date.

 

[@MUWANdo]

^^It's not. If anything, it's even harder.

 

[Anuxinamoon]

holy crap Wonder boy in monster world was my favourite game of all time on my sega! I was sad when it wasn't included in my sega collection for ps3.

Time for epic music time.
Nightmare Castle
The last Dungeon

 

[Dash Kappei]

I still want arcade perfect's Wonderboy for Wii VC

 

[ULTROS!]

Please come out soon on the PS3. ;_;

 

[Jazzem]

This is one of those retro franchises I never played in its day but still really love, such charming fun games! Will definitely be buying the collection, it's awesome that they're translating Monster World 4 I wonder how much an original copy of that is these days...

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

Just to recap the VC releases by game for those who are confused:

Wonder Boy I
-Adventure Island [NES] Hudson
-Wonder Boy [SMS] Sega

Monster World I (Wonder Boy II)
-Wonder Boy in Monster Land [SMS] Sega
-Wonder Boy in Monster Land [VCA] Sega

Monster World II (Wonder Boy III)
-Dragon's Curse [TG16] Hudson
-Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap [SMS] Sega

Wonder Boy IV
-Monster Lair [TGCD] Hudson
-Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair [Gen] Sega

Monster World III (Wonder Boy V)
-Wonder Boy in Monster World [Gen] Sega
-The Dynastic Hero [TGCD] Hudson

Monster World IV
-Monster World IV [Gen] Sega

 

[charsace]

lol confused this with another SMS franchise. Still remember having this though.

 

[nincompoop]

Man, comparing the prices across the different platforms really drives the point home of how ridiculous Nintendo's Virtual Console pricing is.

 

[Tain]

Cannot wait for the M2 XBLA ports. This collection and all the rest. I'm waiting on them to play through some of these for the first time.

 

[nocturnedelight]

Never played any of these, except Adventure Island on Famicom. And after just realizing it's relation to the series, I'm a lot more interested now.

And if I understand correnctly by looking at lunchwithyuzo list, there's 6 games in the series and this collection on XBLA and PSN has 2, 5 and 6?

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

And if I understand correnctly by looking at lunchwithyuzo list, there's 6 games in the series and this collection on XBLA and PSN has 2, 5 and 6?

Sort of. It's really two series that intermigle (MW4 for example is not a WB game officially). And the Hudson versions aren't officially part of either series, they're literally the same games with different characters pasted on top.

The Monster World series specifically though are side scrolling action/adventure games. So more like Action RPGs like Zelda II, Ys III, Faxandu, Popful Mail, etc, than a strict platformer like WB1/Adventure Island. Weirdly later Adventure Island games (AI4 and Super AI2) moved to the same genre though. Confused yet?

 

[PixyJunket]

What's the difference between the Genesis ARCADE and Master System versions of Wonder Boy in Monster Land? Already have the Master System version, but if the arcade one is more forgiving I may consider it at a later date.

On the surface, it's pretty much the same game, I suppose. It's kind of like comparing the NES version of Ghosts and Goblins to the arcade version (or likely, many other home ports from the time). The arcade version is so much superior in every possible way. I consider the Master System version to be terrible, personally, and would never touch it again. Even if you ignore the better graphics and music from the arcade version, the SMS version just "feels" wrong. Something about the controls and how things react in the game is just off.

I still want arcade perfect's Wonderboy for Wii VC

Yes! And Monster Lair, just to make sure the definitive version of each game is available in English in one spot.

 

[RedBoot]

I love how utterly confusing and intermingled the Wonder Boy/Monster World series are (the best part is how one of the alternate versions of WB3/MW2 is called Adventure Island, looping back to the first).

All very solid games, especially if you like the action/platformer/RPG style of game. Planning on picking up all three on PSN, assuming they come out in a timely fashion.

 

[Celine]

Just to recap the VC releases by game for those who are confused:

Wonder Boy I
-Adventure Island [NES] Hudson
-Wonder Boy [SMS] Sega

Monster World I (Wonder Boy II)
-Wonder Boy in Monster Land [SMS] Sega
-Wonder Boy in Monster Land [VCA] Sega

Monster World II (Wonder Boy III)
-Dragon's Curse [TG16] Hudson
-Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap [SMS] Sega

Wonder Boy IV
-Monster Lair [TGCD] Hudson
-Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair [Gen] Sega

Monster World III (Wonder Boy V)
-Wonder Boy in Monster World [Gen] Sega
-The Dynastic Hero [TGCD] Hudson

Monster World IV
-Monster World IV [Gen] Sega

Superior version.

 

[Rlan]

I hope these collections do well enough that they end up doing something like this:

So Wonderboy, Wonderboy III: Dragon's Trap, and Wonderboy III: Monster's Lair, the last 3 titles.

 

[Eusis]

Man, comparing the prices across the different platforms really drives the point home of how ridiculous Nintendo's Virtual Console pricing is.

I actually sort of wonder about that. We could be looking at two extremes here (crazy bargain bundle versus price gouging on individual titles). Perhaps the best solution is simply to copy GOG (and Sony for that matter) for 16-bit and above titles: charge at $5.99, or higher for particularly meaty titles. $8 is relatively reasonable for the likes of FFVI or CT (or at least the value's good enough you have to be miserly to be REALLY angry about that), but a lot of the older platformers and the like shouldn't cost that much. They actually seem to be doing that with Genesis games in Japan actually, but the Genesis was more relevant here and in Europe than it ever was in Japan, so higher prices we get.

 

[PixyJunket]

Superior version.

Hmm. I think it's the second most interesting Hudson port of the Monster World games (and I'd be willing to bet very few [if any] people know of what I'd consider the first most interesting Hudson port), but the Genesis original is still the better package overall. I think super fans should check it out though for the cheesy intro song and animation, the CD music and the amusing alternate dialogue.

The world is sorely lacking in such an amusing TurboGrafx CD variant of Monster World IV.

 

[Zekes!]

I have The Dynastic Hero on VC as well.

 

[PixyJunket]

I have The Dynastic Hero on VC as well.

It's a must have on Virtual Console for the amusement that the retail version sells for $400 to $600.

 

[dave_d]

Well there is one big difference with Dynastic Hero, the last boss is much, much easier than the Genesis one.

 

[PixyJunket]

Well there is one big difference with Dynastic Hero, the last boss is much, much easier than the Genesis one.

The last boss was ramped up for the International release, actually (the buzz-saws and moving floors were added).

The Dynastic Hero's version matches that of the Japanese original.

 

[dave_d]

The last boss was ramped up for the International release, actually (the buzz-saws and moving floors were added).

The Dynastic Hero's version matches that of the Japanese original.

I should have guessed. Oh well for anybody that hasn't played it those additions make that boss actually tough. (The rest of the game isn't particularly hard but man is there a difficulty ramp at the end.)

 

[CadetMahoney]

Definitely getting XBLA version. They need to hurry shit up.

 

[Epcott]

I just want a Monster World IV for PSN.

I've wanted that game since I first laid eyes on it in Gamefan so many years ago.

 

[Crub]

Superior version.

No way! Gimped final boss fight, awful character redesigns and inferior music.

 

[Goody]

I've got 2000 Wii fun bucks just waiting for Thursday to complete my Monster World collection. I've been waiting for these for a while. I just got done doing a marathon of the first three Metroid games and I'm doing the same for Monster World. Lots of adventure platforming around these parts lately.

 

[polg]

there's no Arcade version of Wonder boy... you can't say those collections are complete.

 

[@MUWANdo]

No way! Gimped final boss fight, awful character redesigns and inferior music.

It's not really "gimped", it's the same as the Japanese version of Monster World. Sega tweaked the difficulty for the international release to make it less of a cakewalk, but Dynastic Hero came over as-is.

 

[Conrad Link]

Dragon's Curse is also the superior version of Dragon's Trap too. This coming from someone who grew up on the Master System.

Can't go wrong with either of them, but yea. Despite Trap being everything I knew in my younger days (PC Engine didn't come out here), I'd play Curse now-a-days.

Sega, stop wasting time on boring Sonic games (Labyrinth >_>) and get the GG version out on 3DS so I can have an official portable one again.

Anyway, I'm getting the Wii versions to complete my wonderful set on that! <3 And the Xbox one whenever that comes out just to give them more money. I feel they should be rewarded for actually treating the series so well as far as 'classic re-release' goes. Shit, might even get the PS3 one too just so I have records of them on my achievement/trophies lists. lol.

 

[PixyJunket]

there's no Arcade version of Wonder boy... you can't say those collections are complete.

The Monster World series will be "complete," on Wii, at least.

Though it would be nice to have the arcade versions of Wonder Boy and Monster Lair to go with that, I won't lie.

Dragon's Curse is also the superior version of Dragon's Trap too. This coming from someone who grew up on the Master System.

The TurboGrafx version's added color depth and actual save system certainly give it the edge, but TG16 games unfortunately have a softening filter on Virtual Console.

 

[Monsterland]

Stumbled upon this a few days ago and thought it was cool.

Wonderboy in Monsterland by Patricio Oliver click here for more of his artwork

 

[ULTROS!]

What's the most RPG-like WB/MW game? I'm under the impression Wonder Boy in Monster World is (and one of the best WB/MW games I gather).

 

[@MUWANdo]

What's the most RPG-like WB/MW game? I'm under the impression Wonder Boy in Monster World is (and one of the best WB/MW games I gather).

Wonder Boy and Monster Lair have no RPG elements whatsoever.

Monster Land is a linear arcade game with RPG/adventure elements in a Kid Icarus-like way; you can buy equipment, items and magic, and there are a ton of hidden/optional items, weapons and other secrets to find along the way.

Dragon's Trap is a metroidvania-style game that lets you acquire and switch between different forms in order to explore the environment; certain pieces of equipment can also have extra functions, magic is more useful/less clunky, and there's a new charisma stat that affects what can be bought from stores. There are lots of secrets but no real quests/dialogue to speak of--kill a boss, get a new form, access a new area, repeat until you beat the game.

Monster World is in a similar vein to Dragon's Trap, but more adventure-y in a Zelda sort of way; there's more dialogue/quest-type stuff, more NPCs to talk to, and dungeons generally contain light puzzle elements. Animal transformations are gone, but the world is gated in a similar sort of way with equipment and certain items required for progress. Probably the most RPG-like of the bunch.

Monster World IV drops most of the adventure aspects and dials the RPG-ness down a little--there's no magic, and equipment is reduced to a fairly small pool of swords/shields with different elemental affinities, critical hit rates, etc--but the action elements more refined, and there's plenty of puzzle-y stuff too.

 

[PixyJunket]

Stumbled upon this a few days ago and thought it was cool.

That's fantastic. The boss having a health jewel is an amazing little attention to detail.

Also, you have an exquisite username and avatar.

What's the most RPG-like WB/MW game?

None of them, really. They're action/adventure games. If you're looking for RPGs, you're looking at the wrong series.

I'm under the impression Wonder Boy in Monster World is (and one of the best WB/MW games I gather).

There's no agreed consensus on which Monster World game is the "best," because they're all REALLY good and they all have slight little differences to their formulas, as @MUWANdo pointed out. If you were to take a poll however, I am positive that The Dragon's Trap (Monster World II) (aka the game excluded in the XBLA/PSN releases) would have a slight edge in popularity.

 

[Jigsaw]

i've never played any of the games but can't wait for mw4,from the screens this is the most beautiful genesis game i've ever seen and i can think of only a handful snes games that look better

too bad the game wasn't on the store update yesterday : (

 

[PixyJunket]

Release day bump!

These should be up in a few hours!

 

[Syril]

They're on the shop now. Monster World IV has an English screenshot, but it's marked as an import and has a warning about foreign text.

 

[nincompoop]

They're on the shop now. Monster World IV has an English screenshot, but it's marked as an import and has a warning about foreign text.

Sin & Punishment has the same warning even though it's in English. I'm still not going to download this until somebody else downloads the VC version first to confirm that it's in English, though.

 

[Eusis]

Sin & Punishment has the same warning even though it's in English. I'm still not going to download this until somebody else downloads the VC version first to confirm that it's in English, though.

It's technically valid for Sin & Punishment, subtitles are still in Japanese afterall with no option to toggle to English.

But for anyone who didn't see my post in the Nintendo Downloads thread: Yes, it's in English. Screens were in English so I figured it was a fairly safe bet.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Looking forward to this. Might get the Wii version if I don't have to clean out the fridge.

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

Just downloaded. Is the Wii Shop speedier or is it just me?

 

[DXB-KNIGHT]

Will get today XD

 

[Rarutos]

I think I'll wait for the PSN versions! The fact that SEGA localized these definitely means they deserve the support!