Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap
Rating Summary
Based on 78 critic reviews
OpenCritic Rating
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Top Critic
I had just as much fun during my six- or seven-hour playthrough of Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap as I have with many of its contemporary counterparts. 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.
Top Critic
The Dragon's Trap's HD sheen belies the simplistic gameplay of its era, but there's undeniable charm in that simplicity.
Top Critic
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.
Top Critic
Top Critic
Short but sweet, this superb remake reintroduces an overlooked classic in style.
Top Critic
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.
Top Critic
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.
Top Critic
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
Top Critic
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.
Top Critic
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.
