The Wonder Boy series is an iconic series that has been around since the ’80s but with an interesting history. While the overall series is owned by Sega, the games technically are not. This has led to things such as the Adventure Island series as well as modern takes from indie developers working with Sega. We have seen a remake of Wonder Boy:The Dragon’s Trap, a brand new Adventure with Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom and now Asha in Monster World, a remake of Monster World IV. Monster World IV was Japan only for the longest time but gained a massive following in the west, especially when it was officially localized, and it is considered one of the best in the series.
The remake is mostly true to the original game, with the same story and most of the same gameplay intact. I say most of the gameplay, because there are some changes made here and there for quality of life reasons. These include changes to menu options, and automatic use of items such as bombs instead of having to select them when you are ready to use them, and the ability to save wherever and whenever. Bugs present in the original have been fixed in the remake, but many secrets such as the money secret are still here. In some cases, items are no longer permanently gone if you miss them, but it is the case in other situations.
Asha In Monster World sees you play as Asha who starts the game seeking to become a warrior and once she achieves that title, is given a quest that will see journey to save captured spirits. The game is very similar to the previous Monster World entries of Wonder Boy but is less of a Metroidvania and instead more of a hub world with levels selected. Asha will also gain an ally in the form of her pet Pepelogoo. The Pepelogoo can be used by Asha for double jumping, gliding while jumping, navigating hazards such as lava, and activating switches. Once you figure out what to do, you will find yourself enjoying the game and replaying levels for fun.
Asha In Monster World is an action-adventure RPG and you will need to buy the right equipment to upgrade yourself for the right situation, and along the way you will find life drops that will grant you a new heart for every ten you find. These will often be hidden and you will need to go out of your way to look for them, and in some cases will find yourself replaying a stage for them. As the story continues, more upgrades become available and you will need to consider which ones fit you best, such as which sword is most useful for unleashing your special attack.
Now for the elephant in the room. Yes, the game uses 3D visuals instead of hand drawn sprites like The Dragon’s Trap remake and Monster Boy, and many were unhappy about this. Part of the issue was that the first trailer for the game was rather disastrous, showing a horrible framerate, and sluggish gameplay, but fortunately I can say the finished game is a lot better. Wonder Boy: Asha In Monster World actually looks amazing in motion and the 3D side scrolling visuals actually look great. It may not be as good as hand drawn graphics, but it is far from the disaster that many thought the game would be.
In addition, the physical releases of the game will include the original Monster World IV, something that is not available to purchase separate from the remake digitally. We were provided the original release to test it out, and the emulation works fine. and will be exclusive to the boxed version that ININ Games is releasing soon. If you are a fan of the classic game and want it on PS4/PS5 and/or Switch, then the physical boxed release from ININ Games is the way to go.
I would have liked to have seen a bit more done, such as the different characters that were originally planned for Monster World IV being included in the remake, but overall, I am happy with what was done here. This was a ground up remake like The Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening, and I appreciate the work that went into recreating the game, and especially the animations. If you are a fan of the original, you will love this game. I highly recommend it.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
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