Wonder Boy in Monster Land – Sega Master System (1988)
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Monster Land is the direct sequel to the mediocre arcade game Wonder Boy. Released in 1986, Wonder Boy in Monster Land was originally developed for the arcades. The following year it was released for the Sega Master System, and roughly a year or so later, it was ported to virtually every other non-Nintendo gaming system. By 1988, Nintendo had already released two well-received Legend of Zelda titles for its Nintendo Entertainment System, which meant that if Sega were trying to compete in the RPG adventure market, this port of Monster Land would have to be pretty fucking special.
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The most immediately obvious difference between the Master System port and the original arcade version is its visual presentation. Due to the Master System’s limited graphics memory, the sprites are much smaller and environments lack the same level of detail. On the positive side, the GUI which limited your visibility in the arcade version (and most other versions) has been replaced with a status screen which is accessible via the pause button. I particularly like the Master System’s bright and bold colour palette; yes, it’s not the most detailed game of all time, but the simple, cartoon-like graphics work well.
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The animation for the most part is a little on the simplistic side. When Wonder Boy walks forward, for example, it’s only his feet (rather than his whole body) that are actually animated. Many of the enemies move unnaturally due to their lack of animation sprites. Perhaps this is a harsh criticism for a game that’s over 20-years-old, however, The Dragon’s Trap was released the following year for the same system, and the animation in that game was vastly superior.
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Monster Land might not push the Master System to its technological limits, but for a game that’s over 20 years old, I think we can forgive Sega on this occasion.
One of my favourite aspects of Wonder Boy in Monster Land is its superb musical score. It might not feature as many tracks as the arcade version, but most of the best music remains. Interestingly, the Master System music sounds like it’s played at a higher bitrate; the arcade version often sounded ‘crackly’ for one of a better word. I’m slightly disappointed that this version of the game doesn’t feature the iconic cave BGM which was used in The Dragon’s Trap. If you hadn’t played the arcade version of the Monster Land, this obvious nod to the previous game would be completely lost on you.
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Left: Wonder Boy has no trouble breathing under water. Right: Conveyer belts are a typical feature of Monster Land castles… for some reason.
I haven’t touched on the sound effects yet because, well, there’s not really much point. Monster Land seems to share the same sound effects with pretty much every other Master System game of 1988. It certainly doesn’t have as realistic SFX as the arcade version, but it’s no better or worse than any other Master System game of this era.
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Above: Wow, I’ve never seen a pyramid level in a Master System game before!
If I had to guess the reason why Wonder Boy in Monster Land (or Super Wonder Boy) was ported to so many systems, I’d say that it was due to its addictive gameplay. I mentioned The Legend of Zelda earlier as a series to rival Wonder Boy: this was due to both games sharing a similar setting (medieval fantasy world) and featuring both side quests and character development. Arguably, this game has more in common with the legendary platformer Super Mario Bros.. Unlike a Legend of Zelda title where you need to solve puzzles and collect special items in order to progress, Monster Land simply requires you to run and jump over obstacles before the timer runs out. Okay, so there are a few boss battles along the way, but the point I’m trying to make is that the sort of skills a player needs to complete Wonder Boy in Monster Land are not to dissimilar to the button manipulation required to beat Super Mario Bros..
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I’m not overly sure I like Westone’s attempt at amalgamating an arcade style platformer with an RPG adventure game. As a consequence of the timer, there’s very little time to stop and explore the environments. During my playthrough for this review, I was in such a rush to complete the levels (to avoid running out of time), that I ended up missing the entire sidequest. Unless you know exactly where you’re going, and where each hidden door is, the timer just adds a needless challenge. Perhaps to add replay value, Sega could have implemented an optional timed mode for the more discerning gamer; but for a first playthrough, without any guide, it forces you to complete the game in about half an hour… and that’s not good value for money.
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Above: There are secret doors throughout Monster Land – press the up button frequently.
Having said all this, Monster Land’s gameplay remains a powerfully-addictive force. I might have completed this game in just 40 minutes, but within an hour or so, I felt like I wanted to do it all over again, perhaps adjusting my strategy for a more efficient playthrough. It’s not an easy game by any stretch of the imagination, and the value in this game comes in the form of the player wanting to hone their sword skills (through replaying the game) in order to make their next adventure less brutal. The controls are very precise which makes the fighting and platforming element all the more enjoyable.
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Above: Hidden boss rooms contain sword upgrades.
An important part of Monster Land is character development. Throughout your adventure you’ll come across shops and inns which sell equipment and energy replenishment. Shields and armour obviously improve your defence, whilst better boots allow for quicker movement and longer jumping. There is definitely a strategy dictating the right time to purchase certain equipment. For example, buying quality boots early on allows you to jump to platforms which contain hidden gold, thus allowing you to purchase the more expensive items. Of course, searching for gold takes time, and it’s likely you’ll end up sacrificing energy (as that’s what happens when the hourglass runs out) for cash. If you can’t afford additional equipment, enemies will sometimes drop items such as gauntlets or helmets which can temporarily improve your attack/defence.
Wonder Boy in Monster Land is an important landmark in the series, representing the transition from the pure arcade platforming style of the original, to the more adventure/RPG orientated Dragon’s Trap. However, I don’t suppose many modern gamers will appreciate this title. Nowadays, very few gamers would have the patience to play a game like Monster Land. It’s not like Skyrim where you can simply level up until you’re strong enough to overcome a dungeon; Monster Land requires you to hone your existing skills until you can avoid every fire ball, or jump onto every platform. Today’s gamers have it too easy; or at least, the vast majority of them do (Dark Souls wasn’t a huge commercial hit you see).
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Above: The Mecha Dragon looks shite in this game.
Anyway, the point I’m (possibly) trying to make, (although I’m not overly sure anymore) is that Monster Land hasn’t aged as well as The Dragon’s Trap – a game which did away with all the arcade elements of its predecessor. If you were born after 1990, I wouldn’t recommend you purchasing this game; you just won’t get it. Monster Land, for me, remains the most charming game in the series; it’s certainly not the best Wonder Boy adventure, but its nostalgic appeal is unparalleled.
Score: 6/10
RH
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