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Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap
A modern version of cult classic Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap! A close collaboration between Lizardcube, DotEmu and legendary series creator Ryuichi Nishizawa, based on Westone Bit Entertainment's original masterpiece. How many more transformations can one hopeful body survive as it turns into a Lizard, a Mouse, a Piranha, a Lion, and a Hawk... T...
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Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap Reviews
Professional reviews from gaming critics
Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap is by far the best representation to why certain retro games deserve a makeover. Not just because they can, but developers such as Lizardcube have taken careful thought and conducted lots of research, love and time into this game. Should DotEmu and Lizardcube decide they want to take aim at another retro game *coughs* Shinobi… I wouldn’t mind at all.
A good curse makes a good game (or so they say)! turned into a half-human, half-lizard monstrosity by the Meka-Dragon, a lonesome adventurer is facing the challenge of a lifetime!
I am so happy that The Dragon’s Trap was rereleased in this way. Its visual style appeals to a whole new generation, and the love and attention given to the game as a whole will make fans of the 1989 original smile from ear to ear. From the hand-drawn visuals to the instrumental soundtrack, everything about The Dragon’s Trap remake shows how remakes should be done. This isn’t a mere cash-in for nostalgia’s sake, this is a remake that has been targeted for all audience, a rare gem for sure.
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap sets a new standard for what remakes should include, and I hope future ones can follow in these footsteps with projects that are just as passionate. While it can't escape a few of the original title's annoyances, it is still an engaging and enjoyable experience for 2D-platformer and series fans, and will most likely garner the franchise some new fans, who will come into contact with the series for the first time with this game like I did. I never owned the Sega Master System, but I am elated that I got to experience this all-but-forgotten gem.
The Wonder Boy/Monster World series from Westone is a unique adventure series that frequently tries to blend some of the Zelda conventions with platforming, depending on which series they’re playing. To make things as confusing as possible, The Dragon’s Trap is a fresh remake based upon a title that was originally known as Wonder Boy III: Monster World II, or Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap. As the first title to be released by the newly established Parisian studio, Lizardcube, does this remake of a nearly thirty-year-old SEGA adventure stand the test of time?
Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap is a perfect example of a remake that’s been done for reasons beyond simple material gain. Lizardcube have clearly put everything they have into making it unerringly respectful of the original – for good and bad – but this has all the look of a gorgeous modern indie platformer, while retaining the old-school gameplay that made it so memorable the first time around.
Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap sets the bar incredibly high for future recreations of classic games. Not only does it pay reverence to the source material in nearly every conceivable way, it also manages to modernise the original game through an astounding level of quality in presentation. The Dragon’s Trap is gorgeous, charming and challenging, and while some outdated design elements and disappointing bosses are sure to irk players, there’s no denying that it’s still a hell of a lot of fun after all these years.
Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap is a monster of a remake. It gives a fairly forgotten gem a profound buff to let its inherent charm shine through even brighter with gorgeous artwork and music. Its animal-altering mechanic and hoards of enemies guarantee that you’re in for a good, fun challenge, and while its platforming and boss fights may not have the same impact, it’s no wonder why the developer saw Wonder Boy fit to return.
A classic is reborn with new visuals and sound. Read our Wonder Boy PS4 review to find out how it fares 28 years later.
Although there were two Wonder Boy III games, The Dragon's Trap is definitely the most memorable. Now, the classic Metroidvania has been remade for modern consoles so let's see how it holds up in high-definition.
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap was first released in 1989 on the SEGA Master System. In today's generation of gamers, it's hard to get some people to understan
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is quite the looker, but the gameplay definitely shows its age. Fans of open-world platformers may enjoy scouring its world for secrets, but those weaned on modern-day titles might get frustrated with its controls and design.