Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap

A fun and challenging game that I’m glad to see got a remake complete with optional retro assets. For those who, like me, never had a Sega Master System back in the day, this is a great opportunity to check out the game as well as the series in general. Plus if you have your old passwords from the SMS version and never finished the game, now’s your chance.

This may be the most beautiful hand-drawn 2D game I've ever played, and I'd frequently stop while playing just to marvel at the mastery of how each scene was reworked. [Issue #28 – July/August 2017, p. 20]

After you get used to some crudeness related to the fact that the original is 28 years old, you’ll notice that is hasn’t aged that much. What’s more, visuals were revamped so skillfully that The Dragon’s Trap is one of the prettiest games released this year. [06/2017, p.54]

Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap is a dream come true for all the fans of the original Master System classic, Lizard Cube gave us a new standard for how to make classic game remakes.

Even though the Master System was an also-ran next to the NES's dominance, there were some real gems created for it, and Wonder Boy 3 just might have been the best game released on the platform.

It not only proves that the original was solid enough to endure modern expectations, but even refreshes it with style and affection. If you are a retro and platforming junkie, go get it.

Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap doesn't always put enough distance between itself and its Master System roots to fully appeal as a modern platformer, but it's so brimming with charming, challenging discoveries that dated design choices don't infuriate anywhere near as often as they reward.

A beautiful lick of paint and superb execution mean that Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap is not only well worth your money, but it also feels perfectly at home on the handheld mode of Nintendo’s Switch. This love-letter to the past proves a great game forever remains a great game.

Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is a fantastic remake that clearly shows how much the developer Lizardcube loved the original. However, as fun and well made it is, we are talking about a Master System game you can clear in a couple hours or so: it's somewhat overpriced at the moment.

Quotation forthcoming.

Lizardcube has both made The Dragon’s Trap more vibrant and set a fascinating standard for game remakes.

Through all those old-school problems, The Dragon’s Trap is still a strong and engaging Metroid-esque platformer that features a pleasant interconnected world filled with areas packed with secrets and grand old-fashioned platforming. It’s well worth overcoming the outmoded aspects to experience a fresher take on a great game.

Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is a remarkable remake of a classic from '89, with an outsanding artistic direction and a clever re-arrangement of the original OST.

It's clear that the team at Lizardcube are massive fans of the original Wonder Boy III, and that affection translates into what is without a shadow of a doubt the definitive version of a game which has previously been ported to the Game Gear and PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16. The new visuals are sumptuous and the soundtrack - which uses traditional instrumentation rather than computer-generated audio - proves just how catchy the original tunes were. Despite the passing of the years The Dragon's Trap remains a perfectly-pitched non-linear action adventure which must surely rank as one of the best of the 8-bit era. Its biggest failing is the fact that like the Master System original, it can be completed in the space of an evening. Still, that evening will be one of the most enjoyable you can possibly spend with your Switch, making this a recommended purchase regardless.

While its antiquated roots cause some minor frustration with unreliable hitboxes and unnecessary grinding, the foundational combat and exploration is still engaging and fun after 30 years. From long-time Wonder Boy fans to platformer enthusiasts who’ve never heard of it until now, you’ll likely be able to find whimsical fun and a neat bit of genre history in this charming adventure.

Wonderboy: The Dragon's Trap is a perfect example of a remake by preserving a timeless classic which includes a few additions that increase its value and playability.

Though the graphics and soundtrack showcase the superb effort to update the original game for hardcore series fans, frustrating gameplay mechanics and archaic design keep Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap from rising above anything but average.