Wonderboy 3 - Monster's Lair (SS).png (6692 bytes)

Wonderboy 3 - Monster's Lair (GS).png (5550 bytes)

 
Wonderboy 5 - Monsterworld 3 (SS).png (11409 bytes) Wonderboy 5 - Monsterworld 3 (GS).png (4657 bytes)
Wonderboy 5 - Monsterworld 3 (JAP) (SS).png (10938 bytes)
Wonderboy 5 - Monsterworld 3 {Turma de Monica} (SS).png (10267 bytes) Wonderboy 5 - Monsterworld 3 {Turma de Monica} (GS).png (4647 bytes)
Wonderboy 6 - Monsterworld 4 (SS).png (17459 bytes) Wonderboy 6 - Monsterworld 4 (GS).png (5511 bytes)
Name: Wonderboy series (3 titles)
Wonderboy 3 - Monster Lair (aka Monster World 1, Bikkuriman World)
Wonderboy 5 - Monster World 3 (aka Wonderboy in Monsterworld, Turma de Monica na Terra Dos Monstros)
Wonderboy 6 - Monster World 4
Author/Vendor: WestOne
Released: various
Type: Platform
Language: English, Japanese, and Portuguese
Premise: A popular series of Japanese arcade game conversions featuring the superdeformed warrior Wonderboy and his cute green-haired girlfriend as they undertake various quests, visit strange lands, and battle terrifying monsters.
Impressions: Wonderboy has a long legacy going back to the 8-bit systems such as the Sega Master System, and I understand that he also put in an appearance on the 32-bit Sony Playstation. I can't for the life of me see why these games are so popular - to me, they're just cute-looking platformers - but even I'll admit that Wonderboy in Monsterworld is a game worth considering. Eidolon is a Wonderboy fan and he can't say enough about them, so there you go. I guess the best thing to do is let you judge for yourselves.
Variations: The first two games in the series are not available for the G/MD. They are available for the Sega Master System and various other 8-bit platforms from the period. I note in passing that the Portuguese releases of certain titles (Brazilian market) transformed Wonderboy into a deformed-looking squirrel named Turma de Monica. That was the only real change other than various proper names.
Wonderboy 3 - Monster Lair (1990, aka Monster World 1, Bikkuriman World)
Wonderboy 4 (aka Monster World 2) is not available for the G/MD.
Wonderboy 5 - Monster World 3 (1991, aka Wonderboy in Monsterworld, Turma de Monica na Terra Dos Monstros - the best known of the series due to its incorporation of adventure game elements, this was ported to quite a large number of 8-bit and 16-bit game consoles)
Wonderboy 6 - Monster World 4 (1994, a radical departure as far as the premise goes in that it features Wonderboy's girlfriend and was released only in Japan - many fans consider it to be the best of the series despite the language problem)
Recommended Emu: KGen 98