Developer: AlfaSystem Publisher: Hudson Soft Release: 1993 Genre: Action RPG
One day, one day I will untangle the messy history and lineage of the Wonder Boy series. Wonder Boy in Monster World was one of my favorite early Genesis titles as I love action RPGs. The pickings were slim in those initial years and trust me bro, I would rather watch paint dry than play Super Hydlide. I have always preferred the Monster World sub-series when it comes to Wonder Boy and they are all generally excellent. Monster World would hit the Turbo Duo under the name the Dynastic Hero and outside of some changes is still the same great game.
Bear with me. Wonder Boy in Monster World is the fifth title in the series. In Japan it is Wonder Boy V: Monster World III as it is the third in that specific sub-series following Wonder Boy in Monster Land and the Dragon’s Trap. As Sega owns the rights to the Wonder Boy name the various ports to other platforms went by different names. On the Turbo Grafx it is known as the Dynastic Hero. But it is more than just a name change. The Dynastic Hero has a new localization to go along with the various other graphical changes throughout the game. Many of its towns and NPCs now have a bug theme and the most bosses have been redesigned to match. It is weird but outside of that however it is still the same great game.
There are gameplay changes, some major and some minor. Shion can wield two weapons. Spears sacrifice defense for longer reach. The spin move kind of makes up for it and looks cool as well. Swords are melee range but you can equip a shield that can deflect almost every projectile. Many of the gameplay features from the Dragon’s Trap have either been removed or changed. The various animal forms are no more. In their place are items that grant many of the same abilities like the Trident and micro armor. In place of the animal forms are four NPCs who accompany you at set points and have helpful abilities. Knut can dig for gold and break walls to reveal hidden items while Crik assists in attacking enemies. Magic is learned rather than being items you find. While a lot is different it is still largely the same.
The map design has undergone a massive upgrade. The game is truly an action RPG with Metroid undertones. The overall world is much larger with multiple towns and full-fledged dungeons. Speaking of dungeons they are labyrinthine in their design rather than the strictly linear paths of the previous game. Each dungeon is not very large but has plenty of secrets to come back for once you gain new abilities. I do not know how they manage it but the game is compact yet feels expansive. As new shortcuts open up the entire map becomes connected. Yet there is little backtracking; the game is good about warping you to exits or close to where you need to go. Despite its brevity it feels like the appropriate length. Bravo for knowing when to wrap things up.
Another area I have to give the developers credit is the game’s balancing. It is almost perfect. Heart containers are easy to find and are frequent. In short order your life bar is generously long. Enemies inflict little damage until close to the end game, including the bosses. They also respawn quickly, allowing you to grind for gold. That is not necessary as equipment and items have reasonable prices and I was almost always flush with cash. This one is a smooth ride from start to finish, something more games should shoot for.
While the gameplay is identical the one disappointment would be the presentation. As a CD title you would expect some kind of enhancement over the cartridge version and there is a few. The overall color palette is more vibrant so that is a plus. There is a brief anime intro with a vocal theme song which was rare to see in the US at the time. But there are noticeable drawbacks over the Sega Genesis version. All parallax scrolling is gone and the game looks flat as a result. The music is a downgrade which is surprising considering this is a CD game. The change in art direction is hit or miss but by and large the game still looks great overall.
In Closing
Same game, different name. The Dynastic Hero is an excellent and compact action RPG and a great version of a fun game. Naming shenanigans aside you cannot go wrong with this one. RPGs were rare on the Duo and this is a great one. Unfortunately it is inhumanely expensive as it was one of the last releases for the system in the US. You might be better off settling for the Sega edition unless you really like bugs.
