Jump to content
IGNORED

REVISED WITH HUGE NEWS! Wonder Boy Collection coming! Physical edition has ALL arcade and Sega home ports!!


jgkspsx

Recommended Posts

EDIT: SCROLL DOWN. You won’t regret it, but your wallet will.
 

So I saw this headline cross my news feed: Wonder Boy Collection Is Coming to Switch This Year

 

Full of excitement and joy, I clicked. Finally, the arcade version of Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair would be available on Switch!

 

... but it isn't. The included games:

 

Wonder Boy (arcade)

Wonder Boy in Monster Land (arcade)

Wonder Boy in Monster World (Genesis/Mega Drive)

Monster World IV (Genesis/Mega Drive)

 

That's right: no Monster Lair, no Dragon's Trap (!!!!), no comparative versions (say, SG-1000 Wonder Boy, PCE Monster Lair, Game Gear Dragon's Trap, Master System Monster World), just a barebones set of roms of the easiest to find games slapped in a Switch wrapper.

 

 

In short, this is exactly the same as the ancient Xbox Live Arcade Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World from, what, 2012? Edit: no, they added arcade Wonder Boy. Otherwise, yes, it's exactly the same. I don't know if I will even buy this. What a lazy, disappointing collection.

 

EDIT 2: well, I am sheepishly elated to announce that Strictly Limited Games (hold the tomatoes) is releasing a physical edition with ALL THE GAMES. (Except Turbografx/PC Engine, sadly.)

 

1BF57719-EC1A-4195-BCB5-452C3971B204.thumb.png.e448baecd18f9b6ee8e5c83c83040a11.png

The list!

 

Wonder Boy:

Int: Arcade (SYSTEM 1), Master System / Sega MARK III, Game Gear
JP: SG-1000, Master System / Sega MARK III, Game Gear

 

Wonder Boy in Monster Land:

Int: Arcade (SYSTEM 2), Master System
JP: Arcade (SYSTEM 2), Master System / Sega MARK III

 

Wonder Boy The Dragons Trap:

Int: Game Gear, Master System
JP: Master System / Sega MARK III, Game Gear

 

Wonder Boy III Monster Lair:

Arcade (SYSTEM 16), Mega Drive / Genesis

 

Wonder Boy in Monster World:

Int: Master System / Sega MARK III, Mega Drive / Genesis
JP: Mega Drive / Genesis

 

Monster World IV:

Int: Mega Drive / Genesis
JP: Mega Drive / Genesis

 

Holy crap that’s a lot of games!! And a lot of versions of games!!!! This even goes above and beyond the old JP-only PS2 compilation!

 

As usual, there is a limited edition with way too much junk:

 

FE01911F-D7D8-45C6-8D71-1EBD83EA7A80.thumb.jpeg.7da3b3249911af2ddc973c00109cd247.jpeg

 

There is a stripped down collector’s edition too this time. If it includes CD soundtracks I may go for it… (Edit: a single disc best of with the medium edition and 6 discs with extra large. Ugh…)

 

Preorders here, opens on Saturday at midnight Central European Time (I think). 

https://store.strictlylimitedgames.com/search?x=0&y=0&q=Wonder+Boy+Anniversary+Collection

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unless this is also M2 developed, Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World on Xbox 360 is technically a different collection and likely superior beyond the game lineup. It's also backwards compatible with XB1 and Series systems, as well as available on PS3.

 

Nice still to see arcade Wonder Boy here. That saw an Arcade Archives release early in the program, but only on the PS4 in Japan. If this collection is well emulated and isn't killed by input lag, it's worthwhile just for the original if the price is right.

Edited by Atariboy
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd agree with that, with that arcade game added and if it doesn't have some actual technical damning flaws as long as the price is reasonable what's the problem?

 

I saw the same complaining about the Switch only (for now?) release of the Valis Collection using the superior PCE releases, translated into english no less if you got in on the LRG run(I did), but it lacks oddly the ISO/dump of Valis 4 or at the least the SNES/Gen Super Valis style game either which is strange.  I would have snapped that up on PC but it's oddly land locked to Switch which is oddly just a little uniquely strange.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It’s fine. People who have never played some of these may enjoy them. The Dragon’s Trap remake is a gorgeous game that every switch owner should own anyway. Companies that memory-hole their back catalog as has happened with Monster Lair just put up a big flashing sign that says “pirating our games is fine by us”, and I hope people take them up on the offer.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/22/2022 at 5:09 PM, jgkspsx said:

It's also on the Xbox, where it has been for 10 years :| 

 

On 2/22/2022 at 5:29 PM, Atariboy said:

Unless this is also M2 developed, Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World on Xbox 360 is technically a different collection and likely superior beyond the game lineup. It's also backwards compatible with XB1 and Series systems, as well as available on PS3.

 

 

Only it's missing the original Wonder Boy arcade game...but then it's totally different from the Action RPG format of the other games in the series.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Tanooki said:

No surprise there, it's the basic ones that tend to suffer with them.  Hoping (dice roll of sorts) it takes a few months and ININ will quietly stuff it on amazon for the same price or less as they often do.  I need no fluff, just the packaged game. :)

The ININ unlimited version is already confirmed but features 4 games instead of 21. ?

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 10 months later...

So the complete collection came out digitally and Nintendo Life “reviewed it”. Or rather, Tom Massey, perhaps not the most conscientious reviewer in the world, reviewed the price.

 

https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/wonder-boy-anniversary-collection#comment7405390

 

This is an atrocious review. There is no discussion of the emulation quality across the many various hardware platforms from arcade boards to niche home consoles. There is no discussion of how fun the many different versions of the same games are - there is not even an enumeration of the games from each platform. There is not even the slightest effort to talk about such a wide diversity of games, from the platform action of Wonder Boy, through the RPG elements of Monster Land and the shmup/platformer hybrid Monster Lair, to the triple peak of the series, action RPGs Dragon’s Trap, Monster World, and Monster World IV. I very much doubt the reviewer spent any time with the actual games whatsoever. This is not a game review, it is a review of a price point.

Even as a review of a price point it is a failure. There is no discussion of whether this compilation at a high price point is a better value than the earlier anthology, which is dirt cheap physically and digitally and covers four great games. It falsely implies that Inin/Strictly Limited tricked people into buying a stripped down version when in fact this version was announced before that earlier version was even on sale, IN THIS VERY PUBLICATION. It accuses a digital release of an important work of video game preservation of ripping off the people who bought a physical edition (which was actually cheaper than this digital version!). Given that the normal physical copies of this collection have been sold out for months and only expensive limited editions are left, it is simply bizarre to attack a company for offering a digital alternative to paying twice the retail price from resellers.

I certainly have a few issues with Strictly Limited/Inin and don’t think they ever should have released the initial Wonder Boy collection. But this “review” is one of the shoddiest works of video game criticism I have read in a long, long time. If you have any editorial ethics at all, you should withdraw this review from publication and give it to somebody who can review it without bias against the very existence of this collection.

It’s an embarrassing look for the publication and it’s really insulting to a game series that already gets no respect. Hopefully somebody will take the time to actually play this compilation and report on the emulation etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, jgkspsx said:

So the complete collection came out digitally and Nintendo Life “reviewed it”. Or rather, Tom Massey, perhaps not the most conscientious reviewer in the world, reviewed the price.

 

https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/wonder-boy-anniversary-collection#comment7405390

 

This is an atrocious review.

 

All your posts got removed for being unconstructive and trolling (they left reasoning for your post removals)?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

54 minutes ago, Shawn said:

All your posts got removed for being unconstructive and trolling (they left reasoning for your post removals)?

He left my first post (reproduced here in case he decides to delete it too). They were neither unconstructive nor trolling.

 

My first comment that was removed said something to the effect of, “lol, imagine having the time to individually respond to everyone pointing out what a bad job you did at reviewing this collection but not enough time or motivation to actually review the game you are scoring”.

 

My second comment was the person who called me a shill for Inin/SLG, in which I said that the only reason I registered on that godforsaken site was to complain about how bad the initial collection was and express my hope that they would do a better collection someday.

 

To say what I thought but didn’t say there, Tom Massey is just a thin-skinned little man who doesn’t play the games he reviews.

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So since this has been dusted off... is this package worth actually getting?

I have that Monster World Genesis cart where it's more RPG than platformer and used to enjoy Dragon's Trap too on SMS, never liked the earlier ones including what was adventure island on NES very much.  MW4 I never got around to taking a swing at when that popped up a few years ago and have considered getting a cartridge of it.  Just kind of weighing options here.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, Tanooki said:

So since this has been dusted off... is this package worth actually getting?

I have that Monster World Genesis cart where it's more RPG than platformer and used to enjoy Dragon's Trap too on SMS, never liked the earlier ones including what was adventure island on NES very much.  MW4 I never got around to taking a swing at when that popped up a few years ago and have considered getting a cartridge of it.  Just kind of weighing options here.

I can't really recommend the collection but you should definitely try Monster World IV, it's really charming and the gameplay mechanics involving your companion Pepelogoo progress and unfold very nicely. The only part I didn't like is a labyrinth near the end... labyrinths are also kind of a staple of this series and personally I couldn't see how to get through it without some help from a guide, but maybe it's clear to others. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Only the first game and Monster Lair are not RPGs. From Monster Land forward it’s all action RPGs. Monster Lair is a fun platformer/shmup hybrid.

 

Many major Youtube people posted reviews today so check those out. The map functionality looks amazing and will go a long way to resolve any labyrinth blues.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Zoyous said:

I can't really recommend the collection but you should definitely try Monster World IV, it's really charming and the gameplay mechanics involving your companion Pepelogoo progress and unfold very nicely. The only part I didn't like is a labyrinth near the end... labyrinths are also kind of a staple of this series and personally I couldn't see how to get through it without some help from a guide, but maybe it's clear to others. 

I've always hated that old 80s staple of the random passage to a door to another maze of no logical sense where you just need in time to memorize it.  I could forgive it with a guide, I'd refuse to blow hours on it otherwise.  I'll have to look into it on Genesis or perhaps I think it was on GoG/Steam for PC.

 

I've never liked the whole franchise but the Monster World game that's kind of Zelda2-ish like on Genesis and then the PCE/SMS etc Dragon's Trap I liked those.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...