Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap Reviews
The Dragon's Trap's HD sheen belies the simplistic gameplay of its era, but there's undeniable charm in that simplicity.
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.
One of the best retro remakes there's ever been, and although the gameplay sometimes shows its age the graphics are amongst the best of the year.
Short but sweet, this superb remake reintroduces an overlooked classic in style.
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is a faithful remaster of a classic that a lot of folks missed. Developer LizardCube has kept the original gameplay completely intact and laid some amazing 2D art and great remastered soundtrack over top of it. It's a faithful preservation of a classic, retaining any of the gameplay pitfalls the original had, but it's surprising how great Wonder Boy III is with some visual and aural polish.
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. Lizardcube and DotEmu have done a lot of work to bring The Dragon's Trap up to today's standards, and the new version plays as good as it looks. It's plain to see how much effort went into making this into the best possible version of a game that deserves to be a classic, and it's absolutely worth your 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.
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.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
There's lots of little things about the game that are surprising. In Mario if you fall as you move across a level, you'll fall to your death. Here, however, you'll fall into a water level. It's just such a quirky, different game than many of its more famous counterparts.
Wonder Boy: The Dragons Trap is a shining example of a remake done right. This is both a love letter to the original and a way to bring in the present an undervalued gem.
Review in Italian | Read full review
It's still relevant now just as it was all those years ago, and getting a beautiful art style helps to keep Wonder Boy fresh and enjoyable.
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.
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is an absolutely perfect remake of a classic game that predates many of today's gamers. Lizardcube and DotEmu not only brought The Dragon's Trap back for a new generation to appreciate, they also lavished it with utterly incredible artwork and newly performed music.
As an introduction to the Wonder Boy franchise, you can't go wrong here. As a blast from the past, it will hit all of the right buttons.
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is a great opportunity to look at one of the early games of the genre with a new hand-drawn graphics and a great soundtrack. If not for the lack of convenient maps and shortcuts next to the bosses and primitive by modern standards combat system, the game could claim the title of best remake of 2017.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Wonder Boy: Dragon’s Trap is a really short experience, but an amazing one. This is, hands down, the most genuine and touching tribute to one of the greatest classics. Play it, love it.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is a fun, nostalgic romp that brings some of its legacy issues along for the ride. For those that can adapt to that, it is a great game. I am all for bringing back lesser-known titles, especially from consoles such as the Master System, as long as the same love and care is poured into them.
Much more than a fresh coat of paint, Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is a new classic nearly thirty years in the making and truly a project of passion for Lizardcube.
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is 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.