Difference between revisions of "Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap"

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Revision as of 08:46, 22 April 2015

n/a

Wonderboyiii title.png

Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap
System(s): Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear, Virtual Console
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Wii Virtual Console
US
500pts500
Wii Virtual Console
EU
500pts500

Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap, called Monster World II: Dragon no Wana (モンスターワールドII ドラゴンの罠) or モンスターワールドII ドラゴンの罠) in Japan, is a direct sequel to Wonder Boy in Monster Land, and was developed by Westone and published by Sega for the Sega Master System in 1989.

An arguably better version (minus the Wonder Boy branding) exists in the form of Dragon's Curse, released for the TurboGrafX-16 in the years that followed. Confusingly this version of the game is known as Adventure Island in Japan, though bears little resemblance to the Adventure Island franchise, itself branding off from the original Wonder Boy game. The Dragon's Trap was also brought to the Sega Game Gear in 1992. International releases of this port dropped the "III," calling it merely Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap (a prototype ROM with the original name circulates around the Internet).

The game should not be confused with Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair, which despite being made by the same people and carrying a similar title, focuses more on being a side-scrolling shoot-'em-up with platform segments.

Gameplay is similar to Monster Land, however the hero, Wonder Boy, finds himself cursed early on in the game and spends his time defeating other dragons to return to his human form. The game was highly received for its gameplay and music, and is often even said to be one of the greatest Master System games of all time. It was given the 1989 Game of the Year award by Electronic Gaming Monthly.

Both the TurboGrafX-16's Dragon's Curse and Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap have been released on the Wii's Virtual Console service, despite being roughly the same game. A similar situation occurred with the sequel, Wonder Boy in Monster World.

Production Credits

Game Gear Version

Original Game

Director: Ryuichi Nishizawa
Programmer: Takanori Kurihara
Designer: Hiromi Kurihara
Sound Composer: Shinichi Sakamoto

Reprogrammed

Direct/Program: Ryuichi Nishizawa
Designer: Kanako Kohyama, Rieko Sumi
Sound Composer: W.S.S. Sakamoto
Assistant Director: Napalm Watanabe
Presented by: Sega/Westone

Physical Scans

Master System Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
91 №26, p144
67 №28, p50
92 №1, p37
96 №4, p110
86 №94, p104
71 №26, p26
88 №1, p140
95 №1, p40/41
80 №23 (Vol 2), p54
92 №1, p4/5/6/7[1]
100 №23, p60
97 №6, p31[2]
73 №4, p84
Sega Master System
87
Based on
13 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
ACE (UK) PAL
92
[3]
ACE (UK)
68
[4]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
72
[5]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
92
[6]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
96
[7]
The Complete Guide to Sega (UK) PAL
96
[8]
Console XS (UK) PAL
93
[9]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
86
[10]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
92
[11]
Game Mania (UK)
96
[12]
The Games Machine (UK)
71
[13]
Joystick (FR) PAL
88
[14]
K (IT)
81
[15]
Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)
80
[16]
Mean Machines (UK)
95
[17]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
96
[18]
Megazone (AU)
93
[19]
Power Play (DE)
76
[20]
S: The Sega Magazine (UK)
92
[21]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
100
[22]
Sega Pro (UK)
97
[23]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
93
[24]
Video Games (DE)
83
[25]
Zero (UK)
73
[26]
Sega Master System
87
Based on
24 reviews

Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap

Master System, US
WonderBoyIII SMS US cover.jpg
Cover
Wonderboyiii sms us manual.pdf
Manual
Master System, EU
WonderBoyIII SMS EU cover.jpg
Cover
WonderBoyIII SMS EU cart.jpg
Cart
Master System, EU
® variant
WonderBoyIII SMS EU R cover.jpg
Cover
Wonder Boy III Dragons Trap SMS (R) Cart Top.jpg
Wonder Boy III Dragons Trap SMS (R) Cart Back.jpgWonder Boy III Dragons Trap SMS (R) Cart Front.jpg
Cart
Master System, EU
8-language variant
WonderBoyIII SMS EU 8lang cover.jpg
Cover
Master System, AU
WonderBoyIII SMS AU reg cover.jpg
Cover
WonderBoyIII SMS AU reg cart.jpg
Cart
Wonderboy III Dragons Trap AUS Manual.pdf
Manual
Master System, AU
® silver variant
WonderBoyIII SMS AU cover.jpg
Cover
WonderBoyIII SMS AU cart.jpg
Cart
Master System, KR
WonderBoyIII SMS KR cover.jpg
Cover

Game Gear Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
92 №127, pGo!22/23
85 №9, p107
92 №9
92 №27, p185
82 №23, p102/103
52 №37, p58
84 №8, p36/37[27]
82 №9, p71[28]
93 №35, p80
Sega Game Gear
84
Based on
9 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
75
[29]
Consoles + (FR)
85
[30]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
92
[31]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
88
[32]
Joypad (FR)
92
[33]
Joystick (FR)
92
[34]
Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)
78
[35]
Player One (FR)
82
[36]
Play Time (DE)
72
[37]
Power Up! (UK)
85
[38]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
52
[39]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-J
84
[40]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-J
84
[41]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
75
[42]
Sega Force (UK) PAL
82
[43]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
82
[44]
Video Games (DE)
82
[45]
Video Games (DE)
83
[46]
Zero (UK)
93
[47]
Sega Game Gear
82
Based on
19 reviews

Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap

Game Gear, EU
WB3tDT GG EU Box Back.jpgNospine.pngWB3tDT GG EU Box Front.jpg
Cover
WB3tDT GG EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Game Gear, JP
WB3tDT GG JP Box Back.pngWB3tDT GG JP Box Front.jpg
Cover
WB3tDT GG JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Wonderboy III Dragon Trap Game Gear JP Manual.pdf
Manual
Necretro-round.svg
NEC Retro has more information related to Dragon's Curse



Games in the Wonder Boy series
Wonder Boy (1986) | Wonder Boy in Monster Land (1987) | Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair (1988) | Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap (1989) | Wonder Boy in Monster World (1991) | Monster World IV (1994) | Monster World Complete Collection (2007) | Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World (2012) | Arcade Archives Wonder Boy (2014) | Wonder Boy Returns (2016) | Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap (2017) | Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom (2018) | Wonder Boy Returns Remix (2019) | Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World (2021) | Wonder Boy Collection (2022) | Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection (2022)
Wonder Boy related media
Music
Monster World Complete Collection Original Sound Track (2007) | Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap Original Soundtrack Sampler (2018) | Wonder Boy Collection - Best Of Soundtrack (2023)
Book
Wonder Boy V Monster World III Koushiki Guide Book (1991)
  1. File:StheSegaMagazine_UK_01.pdf, page 4
  2. File:Segapro UK 06.pdf, page 31
  3. ACE, "November 1989" (UK; 1989-10-xx), page 144
  4. ACE, "January 1990" (UK; 1989-12-xx), page 50
  5. Aktueller Software Markt, "August/September 1989" (DE; 1989-07-28), page 75
  6. Complete Guide to Consoles, "" (UK; 1989-10-16), page 37
  7. Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 110
  8. The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 63
  9. Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 146
  10. Computer & Video Games, "September 1989" (UK; 1989-08-16), page 104
  11. Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 161
  12. Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 81
  13. The Games Machine, "January 1990" (UK; 1989-12-11), page 26
  14. Joystick, "Janvier 1990" (FR; 19xx-xx-xx), page 140
  15. K, "Novembre 1990" (IT; 1990-xx-xx), page 72
  16. Micromanía (segunda época), "Abril 1990" (ES; 1990-0x-xx), page 54
  17. Mean Machines, "October 1990" (UK; 1990-09-xx), page 40
  18. Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 136
  19. Megazone, "June/July 1991" (AU; 1991-0x-xx), page 58
  20. Power Play, "7/89" (DE; 1989-06-12), page 55
  21. S: The Sega Magazine, "October 1989" (UK; 1989-09-27), page 4
  22. Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 60
  23. Sega Pro, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-19), page 31
  24. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 72
  25. Video Games, "1/91" (DE; 1991-03-27), page 78
  26. Zero, "February 1990" (UK; 19xx-xx-xx), page 84
  27. File:Segapro UK 08.pdf, page 36
  28. File:SegaForce09UK.pdf, page 71
  29. Beep! MegaDrive, "April 1992" (JP; 1992-03-07), page 38
  30. Consoles +, "Mai 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 107
  31. Computer & Video Games, "June 1992 (Go! Issue 8)" (UK; 1992-05-15), page 22
  32. Hobby Consolas, "Julio 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 62
  33. Joypad, "Juin 1992" (FR; 1992-05-1x), page 86
  34. Joystick, "Mai 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 185
  35. Micromanía (segunda época), "Octubre 1992" (ES; 1992-xx-xx), page 84
  36. Player One, "Septembre 1992" (FR; 1992-09-10), page 102
  37. Play Time, "12/92" (DE; 1992-11-04), page 85
  38. Power Up!, "Saturday, August 01, 1992" (UK; 1992-08-01), page 1
  39. Sega Power, "December 1992" (UK; 1992-11-05), page 58
  40. Sega Pro, "June 1992" (UK; 1992-05-21), page 36
  41. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 74
  42. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 75
  43. Sega Force, "September 1992" (UK; 1992-08-13), page 71
  44. Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 88
  45. Video Games, "6/92" (DE; 1992-05-29), page 123
  46. Video Games, "11/92" (DE; 1992-10-28), page 126
  47. Zero, "September 1992" (UK; 1992-08-13), page 80