Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World Reviews
Overall, there are parts of Asha in Monster World that are a little rusty, and the end product could've used more than just the tweaking we ended up getting. While fans of the Mega Drive game may enjoy revisiting it, they may also be disappointed that there's not a whole lot that's new. Still, the elements that made it such a classic in the first place - the endearing protagonist, the delightful game world - are still present, and all of that still holds up brilliantly even after nearly thirty years.
Wonder Boy - Asha In Monster World is a polished port.
Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World does its job as a platformer, and nothing more. That is to its detriment but also to its benefit. Unimaginative platforming is balanced by the rousing puzzles. Being a faithful remake, you can feel the age.
Though some mechanics haven't aged gracefully, Wonder Boy is still a lively and charming remake.
The Wonder Boy renaissance continues with Asha in Monster World, a full remake of Monster World IV that brings our heroine and her platforming abilities to a new audience. This time around, it seems as though even copious amounts of style and charm can't make up for long hallways and minimal direction.
Unlike many remakes glutting the market, the existence of Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World makes complete sense. After all, many gamers in the west never got to delight in what is likely the best entry in the Wonder Boy/Monster World series. How does this fancy remake play? Imagine for a second that Zelda II: Return of Link was good. That'll get you pretty close.
Wonder Boy Asha in Monster World is almost a 1:1 modern version of classic title from 1994, and this works in its favor and against it. It's short, with a simple level design and maybe a little too linear, but also funny, fast paced and with a great soundtrack.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World improves upon Monster World IV in every way.
At the end of the day Wonder Boy Asha in Monster World is a no-frills remake that at times feels a little rough around the edges but ultimately does a well enough job in modernizing the 1994 classic.
Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is an enjoyable reimagining of an underappreciated 1994 classic that leaves some room for improvement.
Wonder Boy Asha in Monster World is a fun action-platforming adventure, but very much feels like a game of the 90s with a splash of paint.
Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is a wonderful remake that still manages to keep the charm of the original. It might not be the biggest release this year but it's one that's worth checking out, especially if you are a fan of the series, the original or the genre.
Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is a decent remake of Monster World IV. It won’t replace it, since it doesn’t do everything better, but it does enough to improve on the foundation. The new features added make for a more enjoyable experience, but the developers could have gone further to make Asha’s adventure more than the sum of its parts.
Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is fine. The core game mechanics may feel outdated for new players, but those who have played the original entry on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive will appreciate how the game hasn't deviated from that blueprint. The presentation is fine in parts, but the game offers no incentives to keep playing once you finish it. Those with a fondness for the original will love this, but those with no memories of the game will find this to be lacking compared to the remake of Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap and the last sequel, Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom.
Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World remasters a classic game for a new generation to experience and it’s a great one to check out. The visuals and soundtrack are wonderful and Asha and her companion Pepelogoo are very charming. It can come across as a little simple if you’re well experienced with platformers and some of the puzzle design is outdated and annoying. Despite those things I recommend it to fans of side-scrolling platformers as I think you’ll have a good time with it.
New graphics, quality of life improvements and humour make Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World an enjoyable platformer. Its level of challenge depends upon player experience in the genre. It is unfortunately let down by the final level which had little challenge and numerous small issues that should have been easy to fix. It is a sound title on Nintendo Switch that could do with some tweaking to make it shine at its best, but for those who love the graphic style and just want to have fun there is plenty to enjoy.
Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is an odd one. It’s so faithful to the original that those used to newer games will find it too simplistic, but the change in visuals won’t really appeal to fans of the original version either. If you know what you’re getting with Asha in Monster World, then there’s still some fun to be had, though it’s hard to really recommend it over other more interesting platformers.
The remake could've done much more to the original experience, the faithfulness to the original formula makes it hard to enjoy the game with its limited and very simple combat and outdated game design.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is a rather short, at times archaic, but incredibly enjoyable adventure, which for many may turn out to be a nostalgic return to the past. If you're no stranger to games like Klonoa, Tombi and Brave Fencer Musashi, you can try it.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Whether or not you’ve played the original, Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World is an adventure worth going on. Its gameplay might be old-fashioned, but it’s just as engaging as ever, offering a nice little distraction from the latest AAA blockbuster. Are better side-scrolling adventure games out there? Absolutely. But that doesn’t make this any less worth your time.