Starting in 2017, Lizardcube and Dotemu released their remake of Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap for modern platforms and it was amazing. It was almost a 1:1 remake, with only a few alterations, such as new difficulty settings, the option to play as Wonder Girl, FM Audio options if you wanted the retro music, and retro visual filters. There was also weapons toggling and a few secret areas added as well. It was a wonderful tribute to the classic game, but I feel there were a couple of ways the developers could have done things a bit differently.
One of the trademarks of the series is the knockback from when you get hit by enemies, and while this is not an issue all the time, there are some instances where this can lead to you being trapped in a loop and not able to attack or avoid enemy actions. I think one area where the game could have been improved further would be an option to have reduced knockback in some areas. This would not mean a complete change being mandatory, but I think of the options in the Bloodstained Curse of the Moon games, where you can have knockback like the classic Castlevania games, or opt for a mode that would remove the knockback. The knockback is one of the most frustrating things in Wonder Boy, and I say that as someone who has played the classic games. Having the option to disable or perhaps simply lessen the knockback would be amazing for both newcomers and returning fans.
The game’s controls are mostly perfect but I do feel they were a little slippery by modern standards. When comparing it to the Master System version, I have noticed the controls are a bit looser in the remake, which is understandable since even in retro mode the game runs at a different framerate and this is a rebuild of the game from the original source code. I would have liked an update that would refine the controls a bit and reduce the input delay as well. The ability to toggle weapons is great, but the addition of the secret areas doesn’t fit perfectly due to the two aforementioned control issues. If the controls and knockback had been altered, then they would have played better.
Lastly, I would have liked some more accessibility options, especially with regards to flashing lights. Sometimes the lights could be very intense, especially during transformations. I would often need to close my eyes at these times due to the intensity of the flashing. More accessibility would allow many more to appreciate the game, and perhaps an altered control scheme as well, to make it easier for players with other needs could be brought in also, as the game does have some tricky elements in its design.
I do want to state that no developer should ever be forced to change their game due to individual desires if it goes against their design vision. This is just a small amount of suggestions for future game design based on the developer’s past games. I do hope that Lizardcube and Dotemu consider these details going forward, as the game is amazing, but there are always means to make a good game even better.
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