Westone expanded on the action/RPG turn taken by Wonder Boy in Monster World by adding a larger world and multiple character transformations. The result was a classic sequel that, despite some linear design and cryptic mechanics, remains one of the Master System’s best titles.
Tag: Westone
Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair
Sega seemed to have no worries keeping track of the continuity of the Wonder Boy series. As told in our complete retrospective, the games hop around from the original series to the Monster World line without much regard for keeping things clear. The first game to use the “monster” tag was a platformer that bore little resemblance to the action/RPG titles that would follow. Originally released in arcades, Monster Lair (bearing the title Wonder Boy III) came to the Genesis in a fashion that left much to be desired. As ports go – especially Westone ports – this one was especially disappointing.
Wonder Boy in Monster World
Westone’s reinvention of the Wonder Boy series reached a new level of greatness with this excellent action/RPG, and it in turn set the stage for the masterpiece that is Monster World IV. Every self-respecting gamer needs to give this one a play, so check out our review and see why your collection is incomplete without it.
Mega Bomberman
The only Bomberman title on the Genesis is an excellent one that takes advantage of the Sega multi-tap. If there’s one game you need to pull out at parties, this is it!
Dungeon Explorer
Not known for its huge array of RPGs, the Sega CD was practically an afterthought in the minds of gamers by the time Dungeon Explorer was released. By then, the Saturn and Playstation was dominating the press and many games slipped to the cracks into obscurity (see Ristar & Gunstar Heroes ). The fact that DE was a Gauntlet clone and a port of a Turbo Grafx game did little to help it catch the market’s attention, and the game was promptly forgotten.