In the console days of yore, roleplayers seeking to avoid turn-based combat made do swinging blades and scrounging for coin in sidescrolling epics. Monster World turns back the clock and compiles three of these action-RPGs.
Wonder Boy in Monster Land (Arcade, 1987) offers an inauspicious start, and not just because you begin your quest to slay a dragon clad only in underpants. You’ll carve up dull monsters, wiggle your thumbstick to shake hidden sacks of gold out of backgrounds, and slowly save enough cash to buy proper protection. It’s all mildly amusing, but the nagging presence of a rapidly draining hourglass that steals chunks of health whenever it flips turns every screen into a race against frustration.
The pedestrian save-the-princess routine of Wonder Boy in Monster World (Genesis, 1991) is a bit better, and optional image-smoothing ups its cartoony appeal, which helps distract from its obvious Zelda-like trappings. But it's really just a warm-up for the main event: the charming journey of green-haired Asha through Monster World IV (Mega Drive, 1994).
The exploits of this nimble pony-tailed heroine were previously available only in Japan, and today they're a revelation of smooth animation and colorful 16-bit style. Monster World IV might be the easiest of the three, but it's also the longest and most gratifying, with creep-infested mazes, appealing boss battles, and nutty supporting characters. Only diehard fans will spend more than a couple hours with the Wonder Boys, but Monster World IV is worth a look all by itself.
PUBLISHER: Sega • DEVELOPER: M2 • ESRB: Everyone 10+ • MULTIPLAYER: None • ACHIEVEMENTS: Moderate (and 200G total) • COST: 800 Microsoft Points ($10) • RELEASE DATE: May 23, 2012
+ Previously Japanese-only Monster World IV is an endearing and rewarding RPG-lite romp.
+ Useful ancillary features like image-smoothing and the ability to save anywhere.
- The two tougher (and rougher-looking) Wonder Boy titles haven't aged nearly as well.
? Why are oversized sentient mushrooms always bad guys?
