Pack your sword ‘n’ skateboard
Developer/publisher Bliss Brain has announced that it will release the Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch platforms in January 2023. This is an extended edition of the incredibly barebones Wonder Boy Collection, which launched back in June of this year.
The Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection features a total of 21 versions of six key titles from the platforming franchise, established by studio Westone Bit way back in 1986. Featured in the compilation are a variety of arcade and home releases of Wonder Boy (1986), Wonder Boy in Monster Land (1987) Wonder Boy The Dragon’s Trap (1989), Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair (1988), Wonder Boy in Monster World (1991), and Wonder Boy IV (1994). The full list of included releases is as follows:
Wonder Boy
Wonder Boy – International / Arcade (SYSTEM-1)
Wonder Boy – Japan / SG-1000
Super Wonder Boy – Japan / Master System / SEGA MARK III
Wonder Boy – International / Master System / SEGA MARK III
Revenge of Drancon – International / Game Gear
Wonder Boy – Japan / Game Gear
Wonder Boy in Monster Land
Wonder Boy in Monster Land – International / Arcade (SYSTEM-2)
Wonder Boy in Monster Land – International / Master System / SEGA MARK III
Wonder Boy in Monster Land – Japan / Arcade (SYSTEM-2)
Super Wonder Boy in Monster Land – Japan / Master System / SEGA MARK III
Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap
Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap – International / Master System / SEGA MARK III
Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap – International / Game Gear
Monster World II – Japan / Master System / SEGA MARK III
Monster World II: The Dragon’s Trap – Japan / Game Gear
Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair
Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair – International / Arcade (SYSTEM-16)
Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair – International / Mega Drive / Genesis
Wonder Boy in Monster World
Wonder Boy in Monster World – International / Mega Drive / Genesis
Wonder Boy in Monster World – International / Master System / SEGA MARK III
Wonder Boy V: Monster World III – Japan / Mega Drive
Monster World IV
Monster World IV – International / Mega Drive / Genesis
Monster World IV – Japan / Mega Drive
As expected, the collection does not include externally published releases such as Dotemu’s excellent remake of Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap or Artdink’s Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World remake. Still, this is a far, far more comprehensive collection of Wonder Boy classics, which only leaves us begging the question as to why the previous publisher, ININ Games, didn’t get the job done earlier in the year.
At this stage, it would seem fair to roll out the extra titles to those who previously purchased the slight Wonder Boy Collection, perhaps for a nominal fee. Asking them to double-dip seems highly egregious. Regardless, Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection launches on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, January 26, 2023. Physical editions are available to pre-order from Strictly Limited Games.
