- May 30, 2019
- Dotemu
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap
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.
Platforms
iPhone
Nintendo Switch
PC
Phone
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Android
Mobile Platform
PlayStation
Tablet
Xbox
iPad
About
"Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap" is a reimagined version of the classic game, featuring hand-drawn animations and a re-orchestrated soundtrack. As the cursed Hu-Man or Hu-Girl, players traverse interconnected locations, battling monsters and dragons to find a cure. With adjustable difficulty levels and the option to switch between modern and 8-bit graphics/audio, this game offers a blend of exploration, action, and adventure for all players.
- The game features beautiful graphics and a fantastic art style, successfully capturing the nostalgia of the original.
- Gameplay is engaging and faithful to the classic, with the option to switch between retro and modern visuals enhancing the experience.
- Controller support is generally good, making it enjoyable for players who prefer physical controls over touch screen.
- The touch controls are often unresponsive and can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences, making it difficult to progress.
- The game frequently crashes, especially when using external controllers, which significantly detracts from the overall experience.
- There are various bugs and glitches, including issues with screen ratios and audio problems, which hinder gameplay.
graphics41 mentions Positive Neutral NegativeThe graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beautiful art style, modern visuals, and nostalgic retro options, showcasing a successful blend of old and new aesthetics. However, some users have reported issues such as lag, glitches when switching between graphic styles, and occasional screen display problems, which detract from the overall experience. Despite these concerns, the game's visual presentation is generally considered a highlight, with many appreciating the attention to detail and artistic quality.
“A lot to love, care, and attention has gone into making this game, and it shows. Great shout out to the retro era and a total refreshment of gameplay, sound, and graphics, making it a modern game which you can switch between the two in a second. Works fantastic with an Xbox One controller.”
“The art style is amazing, and the animations are adorable.”
“A great classic revamped with beautiful graphics and sound.”
“There seems to be a glitch when pressing on the inventory sometimes that it makes a slice of the screen in retro graphics, which doesn't affect gameplay but is distracting - have to open options and turn retro graphics on/off to remove.”
“Unexpected random crashes, a quarter of the screen displaying the Master System retro graphics and the other three quarters displaying modern graphics among other bugs.”
“Lagging bad whether retro style or updated graphics.”
Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap Review
Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap Review
80%Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap Review
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.
80%Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap Review
The Dragon’s Trap: Wonder Boy is an excellent remake of a beloved classic. The enhanced visuals and superb audio really bring the game into the modern age complementing the excellent design of the original. Unfortunately, inherited design flaws such as some obscure puzzles, imprecise hit detection, and the lack of a hints system do hold the game back. However, these issues do not detract too much from the overall experience. This modern version of a classic game will appeal to a new generation of gamers and also remind longtime fans why they fell in love with the original.
80%
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