Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap Reviews

Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is ranked in the 79th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Eurogamer
Top Critic
Recommended
Apr 18, 2017

The Dragon's Trap's HD sheen belies the simplistic gameplay of its era, but there's undeniable charm in that simplicity.

Read full review

IGN
Top Critic
7.1 / 10.0
Apr 18, 2017

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.

Read full review

Apr 21, 2017
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap - Easy Allies Review video thumbnail
Metro GameCentral
GameCentral
Top Critic
7 / 10
Apr 19, 2017

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.

Read full review

GameSpot
Top Critic
8 / 10
Apr 19, 2017

Short but sweet, this superb remake reintroduces an overlooked classic in style.

Read full review

Apr 18, 2017

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.

Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Apr 17, 2017

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.

Read full review

8 / 10
May 2, 2017

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.

Read full review

84 / 100
Apr 19, 2017

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

Erik Kain
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Apr 18, 2017

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.

Read full review

9 / 10.0
Apr 18, 2017

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

8 / 10.0
Apr 18, 2017

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.

Read full review

65 / 100
Apr 18, 2017

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.

Read full review

Apr 26, 2017

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.

Read full review

May 1, 2017

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.

Read full review

GameMAG
ACE
Top Critic
7 / 10
May 7, 2017

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

The Games Machine
Danilo Dellafrana
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Apr 24, 2017

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

Ken McKown
Top Critic
7.5 / 10.0
Apr 21, 2017

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.

Read full review

Wccftech
Top Critic
8.2 / 10.0
Apr 19, 2017

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.

Read full review

8.8 / 10.0
Apr 18, 2017

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.

Read full review