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Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap OT | What is The Secret of Your Power?

1upsuper

Member
Man, I only beat the original Dragon's Trap several months ago but this thread is really tempting me. The new art style is so darn good, and I could probably blast through it in just a few hours...

Contrary to popular opinion though, I think Wonder Boy in Monster World is my favorite game in the series. If I had to rank them, it'd probably look like this:

Monster World > Dragon's Trap > Monster Land > Monster Lair > Monster World IV > Wonder Boy

MW IV definitely disappointed me. The mechanics are solid but it was by far the most formulaic of the series, the paths to the dungeons were uninspired, and the dungeons were a slog, IMO. I'm very happy that Monster World and Dragon's Trap are the ones getting the most attention from developers these days.
 

ggx2ac

Member
Really? If you have the right sword, the last boss goes down in a few hits.

That doesn't sound great considering the boss design was horrible.

Dodging lasers while on an unpredictable conveyor belt was a horrible mess of a boss fight and pretty much ruined the game for me.

Really? If you have the right sword, the last boss goes down in a few hits. Maybe because I fought him as the lion though.

What? We're talking about Wonder Boy in Monster World right?
 

Eusis

Member
Debating one whether to get this or the Disney Collection that also released today...

...or maybe both...
I have to admit, this game highlights exactly why the Switch port begging for the Disney Collection happened, because I'd like to grab this ASAP on Switch, while the Disney Collection can wait.
 

Beartruck

Member
Turns out passwords from the Turbografx version (Dragon's Curse) don't work at all, even though they use the same amount of characters and presumably work the same. Is it a licensing issue or something?
 
That doesn't sound great considering the boss design was horrible.

Dodging lasers while on an unpredictable conveyor belt was a horrible mess of a boss fight and pretty much ruined the game for me.

Funny thing is the conveyor belt (and saw blades?) were added in the US release of Wonder Boy in Monster World.

The final boss was made waaaaaaaaay harder than anything else in the game.
 

Makai

Member
I'm playing this for historical curiosity and because there are no other indie games on Switch. I love switching between graphics styles on button press. The original graphics are superior in one way - communicating the intent of a level. With the new style I am often unclear if parts of the screen are traversable or blocked. This game indulges in the usual NES tropes that are thankfully uncommon now, but also is uniquely horrible:

health meter is indecipherable
dragon cancels fireballs with other fireballs
 

ggx2ac

Member
Funny thing is the conveyor belt (and saw blades?) were added in the US release of Wonder Boy in Monster World.

The final boss was made waaaaaaaaay harder than anything else in the game.

It's now reminding me of what other games were ruined due to US localisation like Actraiser 2 for example.
 
i dont know if this is going to be spoilers, but what are the blue lightning balls on the ground? i can destroy them. are they just obstacles? they just seem randomly placed
 

ggx2ac

Member
i dont know if this is going to be spoilers, but what are the blue lightning balls on the ground? i can destroy them. are they just obstacles? they just seem randomly placed

You can destroy them with items, boomerang is easiest to use and comes back to you.

Don't switch items while a boomerang is in flight or it disappears and you lose it.
 

celsowmbr

Banned
waiting for Monica's Gangue mod...

images
 

me0wish

Member
They are pretty similar. Dragon's Trap obviously has a little more in the way of traversal abilities with the different animal forms, but it should otherwise be pretty familiar for you.
Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

It's mainly explore different places with whatever transformation you have.
Is exploration rewarding? Are there any worthy secrets to find?

It's similar. Personally wonderboy in monster world is my favourite and I definitely prefer it to this game. Still I feel it you like one you'll enjoy the other.

Well, from the videos, I felt that the level design of Wonder Boy in Monster World is more solid, and that's why I'm hesitant about buying DT. It feels a bit too "blocky" and uninspired, but the art style and animations is what making it hard for me to pass up, decisions decisions..
 

DrArchon

Member
Anyone willing to lend me a hand?

I was exploring as Lion-Man trying to figure out where to go next and I ended up in some place called "The Unknown", which turned me into Lizard-Man. Then I died there because I'm no good at the game and I got a game over. I came back as Lizard-Man and I'm not sure what I have to do to not be him anymore. The only place I found that lets you change forms requires Piranha-Man to get to. I tried going back to Mummy Dragon to see if I could at least be Mouse-Man again, but no dice.

Am I fucked? I mean, I doubt it, but I have no idea how to go back to being any of the other forms.
 

ggx2ac

Member
Daaaamn. I would love a remake of Actriser 1 & 2 in this vein. Pleeease!

That depends on who owns the code. Quintet is dead and I don't think Enix cares.

Is exploration rewarding? Are there any worthy secrets to find?

It's like a metroidvania. You explore places and even come back to places you've already been to find new things because newer transformations would allow you to get to places you couldn't before.

There are plenty of hidden doors, and hidden rooms to find which are usually off-screen.
 

Cerium

Member
It's pretty much ports of games I bought years ago on Steam and NeoGeo games. And Snipperclips.
Graceful Explosion Machine (timed exclusive)
Shovel Knight: Spectre of Torment (timed exclusive)
Fast RMX (exclusive)
Blaster Master Zero (Nintendo exclusive)
VOEZ (console exclusive)
Mr. Shifty (timed console exclusive)

I can recommend all of those except Mr. Shifty which has performance issues (they've promised a patch this week).

Snake Pass is also new and worth a look.
 
Anyone willing to lend me a hand?

I was exploring as Lion-Man trying to figure out where to go next and I ended up in some place called "The Unknown", which turned me into Lizard-Man. Then I died there because I'm no good at the game and I got a game over. I came back as Lizard-Man and I'm not sure what I have to do to not be him anymore. The only place I found that lets you change forms requires Piranha-Man to get to. I tried going back to Mummy Dragon to see if I could at least be Mouse-Man again, but no dice.

Am I fucked? I mean, I doubt it, but I have no idea how to go back to being any of the other forms.

go into the house in the village and break the floating block.
 

ggx2ac

Member
Anyone willing to lend me a hand?

I was exploring as Lion-Man trying to figure out where to go next and I ended up in some place called "The Unknown", which turned me into Lizard-Man. Then I died there because I'm no good at the game and I got a game over. I came back as Lizard-Man and I'm not sure what I have to do to not be him anymore. The only place I found that lets you change forms requires Piranha-Man to get to. I tried going back to Mummy Dragon to see if I could at least be Mouse-Man again, but no dice.

Am I fucked? I mean, I doubt it, but I have no idea how to go back to being any of the other forms.

One of the buildings in the village has a block you break to get to a transformation room. It's the one that looks like a barn inside. It's easier noticing the breakable blocks in retro mode.
 

me0wish

Member
It's like a metroidvania. You explore places and even come back to places you've already been to find new things because newer transformations would allow you to get to places you couldn't before.

There are plenty of hidden doors, and hidden rooms to find which are usually off-screen.

Bought. Thanks bro, sounds like exactly what I was looking for. I was planning on getting the PC version, but looks like I'm going for the Switch version for now.
 

ebil

Member
I bought it today and played it around 20 minutes in-between Persona 5 sessions. Such a joy to be replaying one of my favourite games ever. The art style is gorgeous, and switching between styles on the fly put a huge grin on my face every time.

I also told my mother that it was out (we used to play it together when I was a kid), and she's buying a Switch for it, lol.
 

Skeletos311

Junior Member
I got the Fish Man and then went through the Lava area, but now I don't know what to do. I started switching characters and going back over the areas I had gone through to see if I could find anything new. I'm not asking for help.

So far, I like it. It's not as good as Wonder Boy in Monster World or Monster World IV, but that's understandable. It feels like the game that came before those.

One thing that bugs me is that some of the hit boxes on enemies don't match the graphics. I found the fire spitting stone heads to be especially bad. There was a section where I had to jump over them and I think you can jump on them, but I could not do either without taking a hit.
 

ggx2ac

Member
I got the Fish Man and then went through the Lava area, but now I don't know what to do. I started switching characters and going back over the areas I had gone through to see if I could find anything new.

So far, I like it. It's not as good as Wonder Boy in Monster World or Monster World IV, but that's understandable. It feels like the game that came before those.

One thing that bugs me is that some of the hit boxes on enemies don't match the graphics. I found the fire spitting stone heads to be especially bad. There was a section where I had to jump over them and I think you can jump on them, but I could not do either without taking a hit.

There's a shop there you buy armour to not take damage from lava. Buy it, equip it and then keep going right to get to the next building which has the item you're looking for.

Now you go back underwater at the beach with piranha man.
 

BubbaMc

Member
Just my luck that this game releases on the day I fly back to work. Won't get a chance to play it for another 2 weeks. Should have bought a Switch!

Have fun with it guys, the original was one of the finest games ever made.
 

Nosgotham

Junior Member
I want this game so bad but I've built a huge backlog on Switch already. I've made a promise to buy this only when I beat two off my backlog.

Is it as good as it looks?
 

jwk94

Member
Man, these star rooms are making me look like a fool. Had me making each star into a block thinking something's gonna happen. What am I supposed to do?
 

ggx2ac

Member
Man, these star rooms are making me look like a fool. Had me making each star into a block thinking something's gonna happen. What am I supposed to do?

Which one? Is it the one you receive the
Magical Saber?
you just use that to exit the room.
 

DrArchon

Member
I'm confused at how damage works in this game. I'm fighting enemies and sometimes they take one hit to kill and other times they take two hits, even though I'm using the same weapon and they're the same color. And sometimes when enemies hit me, I take more damage than I feel I should, again, even if I haven't changed my armor and they're the same color. Either some enemies are tougher than they appear to be (which is kinda unfair) or damage is just inconsistent.

Also, what does +Special mean on weapons and armor I buy? I've just been using which ever has the highest numbers (except for the lava protection armor). Does it buff your special moves, because they are awful honestly.
 

robot

Member
That doesn't sound great considering the boss design was horrible.

Dodging lasers while on an unpredictable conveyor belt was a horrible mess of a boss fight and pretty much ruined the game for me.



What? We're talking about Wonder Boy in Monster World right?

Haha nope - totally misread your post and thought you meant Drains Trap. Thinking back to Monster World and yea I remember that boss being awful.
 

ggx2ac

Member
Posting here so people are aware.

http://m.neogaf.com/showpost.php?p=234215227

Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is currently charting number one in Japan and France on the eShop.

I want to know where else it's doing well.

Edit: Shit, I read the wrong part. It's charting at number 4 in Japan. I am confusing the New game section with the chart section.
 

x Maiku x

Member
How does this control with the Joy-con d-pad? Is that what everyone's using? That's probably the only thing stopping me from getting it on Switch.
 

Brazil

Living in the shadow of Amaz
I'm having physical reactions to the nostalgia this game is giving me. The Brazilian version of the original (Turma da Mônica em O Resgate) was the first or second videogame I ever played.

Amazing, gorgeous remake. This is how you bring 8-bit classics to a new audience.
 

Hugstable

Banned
How does this control with the Joy-con d-pad? Is that what everyone's using? That's probably the only thing stopping me from getting it on Switch.

Controls great to me, though I generally like the dpad they got on the Joycon. I've been playing through the game on hard with it and haven't had any issues
 

GrayFoxPL

Member
Game looks beautiful. Shocking it's layered 1:1 on an ancient game. Don't wanna diss the classic but don't all these assets and hard work deserved also a mechanically upgraded game? Having all of the classic game had and more.

I hope the devs are allowed to do a sequel ++ with these assets because it looks insane.

Shame I have 0 nostalgia tied to the original game, but I'm looking out for it.
 

jackal27

Banned
Game looks beautiful. Shocking it's layered 1:1 on an ancient game. Don't wanna diss the classic but don't all these assets and hard work deserved also a mechanically upgraded game? Having all of the classic game had and more.

I hope the devs are allowed to do a sequel ++ with these assets because it looks insane.

Shame I have 0 nostalgia tied to the original game, but I'm looking out for it.
Honestly, I think it's fine to layer it 1:1. As someone who has next to no nostalgia for the series, it's always amazed me how well the Wonder Boy games hold
up.
 
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