Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap/Monster World II (SMS, 1989)
Graphics-9 Sound-9.5 Control-8 Challenge-7 Story-6
Level Design-7.5 Frustration-7 Fun-9 Originality-7
Overall Score-9
+
Non-linear Metroid/Zelda style gameplay
Transformations (access new locations, new abilities like flight (as Hawk Man, opens up some shortcuts; Joust-style) and walking on walls and the ceiling as Mouse Man)
Lots of equipment and spells
Secret rooms
Large and detailed dragon bosses
Great character design
Sequence breaking is possible (Lion Man skip)
Catch items with boomerangs
Create blocks in mid-air (this can actually get you stuck but only in one spot at the key shop) - Solomon's Key
Transform into any acquired form on the fly with the Tasmanian sword and a second controller (not needed on GG or in the remake)
There's a certain rhythm to sword swings (can't just mash the button)
Some fast travel back to town (return rooms with marked doors)
Can sometimes find gear as enemy drops
+/-
Somewhat randomized damage to enemies (typical for RPGs)
Ammo-based spells and sub weapons
Chests refill when loading a save
No mini-bosses
No quiz here
Charm stones could've been better implemented (reducing price instead of being a requirement for purchase)
No boots this time around (much faster default movement though)
A hidden town shop sells revival potions (they become more and more expensive for each one you buy, under the entrance to the desert - have to fly)
Different forms have different optimal gear (for example lion-man has higher attack with the muramasa blade than the legendary sword)
Can't carry more than 3 revival potions
-
Some less useful spells (it's more the case of boomerangs being OP)
Some grinding (need Charm stones to be able to buy better equipment - exploit save/load to help with this)
Mostly simple level design in dungeons (flat corridors, no ladders or moving platforms which the prequels had)
No bars (WBIML/MW1)
Long passwords and they don't save your ammo supply
No cloud walking (see the prequels)
Can’t move backwards to a previous section in dungeons
Some equipment is redundant because you have to grind/play for so long to be able to buy it and you'll probably have found the "next set" by then
You'll keep bouncing backwards if enemies move into you (there is some invincibility time though)
Can't adjust your jump height (rarely needed)
GG vs. SMS comparison:
+
Charm stones replaced by teleport stones on GG (can be used anywhere outside of boss fights and will take you back to town)
Cheaper gear overall (shogun and crystal gear for example, dragon mail is more expensive though but also gives better protection - makes samurai and crystal armor redundant?)
The tasmanian sword (called the kashmir sword here) lets you transform into any acquired form on the spot by jumping and attacking as you're falling downwards (easier to find by accident and to exploit in the final dungeon) - no need for a second controller
+/-
Different level design here and there (easier hawk man segment in the final dungeon, slightly harder mouse man puzzle in the final dungeon, you can buy cheap boomerangs in the cave area, a stone shop was put on top of the pyramid, some shops have different items in them (muramasa blade is renamed ninja blade and placed in a different spot (you can still get it before lion man) - its shop sells master shield and prince armor, tasmanian/kashmir sword and hades armor are dropped by enemies in the cave instead of being sold in a hidden shop and bought above the japanese castle respectively))
Can't buy the legendary shield (it's dropped by an enemy here)
Some hidden doors were moved (one is placed right before the forest area making that secret room easier to find)
Slightly smaller town and pyramid (before its dungeon)
Most rooms are 1-2 tiles less tall to fit the world onto the game gear screen better
No hospital in the pyramid or lava area or outside the ship dungeon (this last one is replaced by a sub weapon shop) but the one in the cave area is still there
The forest dungeon key is dropped by a green wall crawler enemy that falls into you as you climb the wall near the tower in the forest (after that it always gives you thunder ammo)
You can't reach the shop and heart chest below the forest dungeon until you've changed into piranha man
Slightly different menu interface (press A to cycle the equipment menus)
Instead of being replaced charm stones could've only affected shop prices or have been used to unlock new areas or bosses
Shogun shield is still a bad idea to get as mouse man and the ninja/muramasa blade makes the crystal sword redundant (?)
The tower key (at the end/easternmost screen of the islands area) can still be grabbed again and again after losing it - in fact you need it to re-enter the castle and later on the final dungeon
Crabs move away when you swing your sword towards them (not sure if this happened on SMS)
Revival potions seem a bit easier to find here
-
Lower resolution while the sprites are the same size means it's easier to accidentally run into faster enemies (you can usually avoid this with smart use of the sub weapons though) - also means that the blue samurai sometimes jump off screen and don't attack though
The lava area can't be entered until you get piranha man and the cave area can't be entered until you get lion man
Some hidden doors were removed
Nerfed thunder attack?
No glow effect underwater
Passwords still don't save your current ammo supply
No boss pattern changes (they're too easy overall)
Boomerangs are still OP
Can't access the inventory during boss fights
It seems like the final boss is a bit easier here (doing 12 damage as hawk man seems more common while doing 4 damage seems less common (generally you'll do 8 damage in both versions though))
No stereo effects
Notes:
1ywu zyv fj1e brp - End of game password for the GG game
Level Design-7.5 Frustration-7 Fun-9 Originality-7
Overall Score-9
+
Non-linear Metroid/Zelda style gameplay
Transformations (access new locations, new abilities like flight (as Hawk Man, opens up some shortcuts; Joust-style) and walking on walls and the ceiling as Mouse Man)
Lots of equipment and spells
Secret rooms
Large and detailed dragon bosses
Great character design
Sequence breaking is possible (Lion Man skip)
Catch items with boomerangs
Create blocks in mid-air (this can actually get you stuck but only in one spot at the key shop) - Solomon's Key
Transform into any acquired form on the fly with the Tasmanian sword and a second controller (not needed on GG or in the remake)
There's a certain rhythm to sword swings (can't just mash the button)
Some fast travel back to town (return rooms with marked doors)
Can sometimes find gear as enemy drops
+/-
Somewhat randomized damage to enemies (typical for RPGs)
Ammo-based spells and sub weapons
Chests refill when loading a save
No mini-bosses
No quiz here
Charm stones could've been better implemented (reducing price instead of being a requirement for purchase)
No boots this time around (much faster default movement though)
A hidden town shop sells revival potions (they become more and more expensive for each one you buy, under the entrance to the desert - have to fly)
Different forms have different optimal gear (for example lion-man has higher attack with the muramasa blade than the legendary sword)
Can't carry more than 3 revival potions
-
Some less useful spells (it's more the case of boomerangs being OP)
Some grinding (need Charm stones to be able to buy better equipment - exploit save/load to help with this)
Mostly simple level design in dungeons (flat corridors, no ladders or moving platforms which the prequels had)
No bars (WBIML/MW1)
Long passwords and they don't save your ammo supply
No cloud walking (see the prequels)
Can’t move backwards to a previous section in dungeons
Some equipment is redundant because you have to grind/play for so long to be able to buy it and you'll probably have found the "next set" by then
You'll keep bouncing backwards if enemies move into you (there is some invincibility time though)
Can't adjust your jump height (rarely needed)
GG vs. SMS comparison:
+
Charm stones replaced by teleport stones on GG (can be used anywhere outside of boss fights and will take you back to town)
Cheaper gear overall (shogun and crystal gear for example, dragon mail is more expensive though but also gives better protection - makes samurai and crystal armor redundant?)
The tasmanian sword (called the kashmir sword here) lets you transform into any acquired form on the spot by jumping and attacking as you're falling downwards (easier to find by accident and to exploit in the final dungeon) - no need for a second controller
+/-
Different level design here and there (easier hawk man segment in the final dungeon, slightly harder mouse man puzzle in the final dungeon, you can buy cheap boomerangs in the cave area, a stone shop was put on top of the pyramid, some shops have different items in them (muramasa blade is renamed ninja blade and placed in a different spot (you can still get it before lion man) - its shop sells master shield and prince armor, tasmanian/kashmir sword and hades armor are dropped by enemies in the cave instead of being sold in a hidden shop and bought above the japanese castle respectively))
Can't buy the legendary shield (it's dropped by an enemy here)
Some hidden doors were moved (one is placed right before the forest area making that secret room easier to find)
Slightly smaller town and pyramid (before its dungeon)
Most rooms are 1-2 tiles less tall to fit the world onto the game gear screen better
No hospital in the pyramid or lava area or outside the ship dungeon (this last one is replaced by a sub weapon shop) but the one in the cave area is still there
The forest dungeon key is dropped by a green wall crawler enemy that falls into you as you climb the wall near the tower in the forest (after that it always gives you thunder ammo)
You can't reach the shop and heart chest below the forest dungeon until you've changed into piranha man
Slightly different menu interface (press A to cycle the equipment menus)
Instead of being replaced charm stones could've only affected shop prices or have been used to unlock new areas or bosses
Shogun shield is still a bad idea to get as mouse man and the ninja/muramasa blade makes the crystal sword redundant (?)
The tower key (at the end/easternmost screen of the islands area) can still be grabbed again and again after losing it - in fact you need it to re-enter the castle and later on the final dungeon
Crabs move away when you swing your sword towards them (not sure if this happened on SMS)
Revival potions seem a bit easier to find here
-
Lower resolution while the sprites are the same size means it's easier to accidentally run into faster enemies (you can usually avoid this with smart use of the sub weapons though) - also means that the blue samurai sometimes jump off screen and don't attack though
The lava area can't be entered until you get piranha man and the cave area can't be entered until you get lion man
Some hidden doors were removed
Nerfed thunder attack?
No glow effect underwater
Passwords still don't save your current ammo supply
No boss pattern changes (they're too easy overall)
Boomerangs are still OP
Can't access the inventory during boss fights
It seems like the final boss is a bit easier here (doing 12 damage as hawk man seems more common while doing 4 damage seems less common (generally you'll do 8 damage in both versions though))
No stereo effects
Notes:
1ywu zyv fj1e brp - End of game password for the GG game