Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap
Extreme Makeover
Time has been somewhat apathetic to Wonder Boy: the Dragon’s Trap. The game received favorable reviews when it first debuted back in 1989, but even then, it wasn’t destined for any halls of fame outside of the best Sega Master System games. In 2007, Dragon’s Curse (the TurboGrafx-16 version) arrived on the Wii’s Virtual Console where I first encountered it. Again, reviewers offered praise for the game, and I enjoyed it well-enough, but Dragon’s Curse was not a must-have, even among TurboGrafx-16 games. Ten years later, we see Lizardcube unearth the game once more, and the reception hasn’t changed one bit. The Dragon’s Trap is a solid game, but don’t expect it on any Top 10 lists.
You could almost call the Dragon’s Trap “timeless,” in that it is timelessly unremarkable but good. However, “timeless” very much ignores that the game has not aged well. In the 28 years since its release, this Wonder Boy has developed wrinkles, age spots, and its fair share of disabilities. Its saving grace has been its makeup artists. As it stands, the Dragon’s Trap is not a testament to the Wonder Boy series’ enduring appeal. Rather, it’s a tantalizing showing of Lizardcube’s potential as a developer.
What is it?
Like the Wonder Boy games before and after it, the Dragon’s Trap is a side-scrolling adventure game with light platforming, RPG, and Metroidvania elements. This entry in the series sets itself apart from the others by transforming the hero into a menagerie of different animals. Each transformation carries with it its own unique gimmicks. Lizard-Man breathes fires; Mouse-Man is tiny and can climb walls; Piranha-Man can swim. These transformations are earned over the course of the game after you defeat bosses, and each creature’s abilities allow you to access new areas (hence the Metroidvania flavorings).
There is not much more to the game. You move from point A to point B with little exploration. You jump, shield attacks, and utilize sub-weapons or your sword to mow down your enemies. These enemies will then drop gold, which can be used for better armor, shields, and swords. Memorizing enemy attack patterns is key to survival, but none of these patterns are too complex to bog you down too much. Kill the six dragon bosses and you win the game. All simple and straightforward.
What’s good?
Everything fantastic about this game comes from Lizardcube. The game, itself, is pleasant enough, and each playable character introduces an interesting twist to the gameplay, but this game would not be worth a purchase if it were not for Lizardcube. Thus, here are three ways the developer has slathered the game with the utmost love and care:
- The hand-drawn visuals are absolutely gorgeous and exude charm. Character movements are more detailed and fluid, recalling games like Wario Land: Shake It! Whereas the original game often used solid colors for backdrops, Lizardcube has created elaborate scenery, which goes a long way to reduce the samey feeling in the original.
- The soundtrack has received a similar overhaul, replacing the bleeps and bloops of the original with guitars, mandolins, piano, and all sorts of other instruments. The original soundtrack was pretty stellar, itself, and its modern recreation has made it that much more pleasant, especially when the songs inevitably loop.
- Lizardcube has added in so many special bells and whistles. At any point in the game, you can toggle between the retro and new graphics or soundtrack. A gallery mode allows you access to concept art, animation tests, and music videos. The original game’s password system has been maintained in case you want to continue your adventure the old-fashioned way or if you want to input your save files from back in the day. The developers even added the option to choose between a male and female human character from the start. None of these features deeply impact the game, but together, they make the remake feel justified.
What’s bad?
- Unlike the soundtrack and graphics, the general game feels monotonous. There are few enemy types, with the majority being palette swaps of the green/red/blue variety. Environment layouts are typically dull and featureless, requiring you to walk from one end to the other, stopping only occasionally to block an attack or smite an enemy. Bosses are simplistic, often following just one or two attack patterns. Even for a game from 1989, variety is relatively lacking.
- The game is short. Having played the game previously, my completion time may be a little quick, but it is hard to believe many players will need more than five hours to see all this game has to offer. Considering how much Lizardcube added to the Dragon’s Trap, it is disappointing that a new stage was not included.
- Hitboxes are finicky. Our hero has terrible reach, managing to thrust his sword only a little ways in front of him. This leads you to edge as close as possible to your enemies to strike them, and this frequently results in you taking damage if you miscalculate the distance. Even then, it sometimes seems that you have to bury your sword into an enemy’s head for them to take damage whereas your black-hole-of-a-body will register any attack that glances past you. This issue is most noticeable during boss fights where emerging unscathed seems downright impossible.
What’s the verdict?
For fans of the original, Lizardcube’s Wonder Boy: the Dragon’s Trap is a treat and worth a purchase. Those without nostalgia may find the gameplay less endearing, with it standing as a reminder that not all video games age with grace. Regardless of the limitations in the Dragon’s Trap, we should all be eager to see what Lizardcube will produce next. Although original content is certainly welcome, there are so many retro games deserving of the developer’s grade-A treatment.
Arbitrary Statistics:
- Score: 6.5
- Time Played: 3.25 hours
- Number of Players: 1
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