Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World

When you think of Sega's best 16-bit games, you probably picture classics like Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage 2 and maybe even Ecco the Dolphin. But what about Monster World IV? This 1994 action/adventure game is a certified cult classic, yet it's rarely part of the conversation. Perhaps all that will change with the release of Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World, a loving remake that is brand-new on the PlayStation 4 and Switch. Grab your sword and Pepelogoo, because today we're going to travel deep into the Monster World to look at the history of Wonder Boy and find out if this remake was worth the 27-year wait.

Before we dive into this remake, we should first talk about what made Monster World IV so great to begin with. This means that we need to go back to 1986, which is when the world was first introduced to a blonde-haired island-hopping hero named Wonder Boy. Developed for arcades by a company called Escape, this was a fairly straight-forward action game that had players jumping on clouds and skateboarding over grass, all in the hopes of rescuing Tom Tom's girlfriend, Tina.

While Hudson would continue the tropical escapades in their adapted Adventure Island franchise, it was Sega who took the name and turned Wonder Boy into something truly unique and memorable. With the release of Wonder Boy in Monster Land in 1987 and Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap in 1989, the series had gone from a simple platformer to an action/adventure franchise full of imaginative level designs that set the stage for the incoming Metroidvania trend.

Only eight years after the hero burst onto the scene, Sega published Monster World IV, their final game in the Wonder Boy series. This was a bright and vibrant Mega Drive game with stunning 16-bit visuals and a wide assortment of cartoony bosses to fight. It would have fit in perfectly with Sega's 1994 line-up, which included Dynamite Headdy and a beloved adaptation of Disney's Aladdin. But, alas, it was not meant to be. Sega decided to leave Monster World IV in Japan, elevating an already great action game to cult status. It suddenly became the must-own rarity that you only saw in magazines.

Twenty-seven years after Sega made that terrible mistake, Artdink has decided to swoop in and right the wrong with Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World, a (mostly) faithful remake of Monster World IV that trades 16-bit sprites for flashy 3D polygons. What we get is a brief but satisfying adventure that does an excellent job reminding us why the 1994 original is still considered a cult classic. It also makes a strong argument that Monster World IV is not some relic from the past that can be ignored, but rather a masterfully-crafted gem that deserves to be discovered.

Despite the Wonder Boy title, this remake actually stars a wonder girl. Her name is Asha and she's a young green-haired lady who gets caught up in an adventure to free the spirits trapped in the Monster World. Through a series of circumstances, Asha becomes the master of a genie and adopts a flying creature known as a Pepelogoo. Together, the unlikely team opens up portals to the Monster World in an attempt to quiet the voices by defeating the four masters and saving the kingdom.

By herself, Asha isn't exactly the world's most exciting action star. She carries a sword and shield and knows how to kill blobs, ogres and other fantasy enemies, but that's about it. She doesn't have any cool special abilities or multi-hit combos, and she definitely won't be learning new moves or leveling up as she defeats the Monster World's toughest masters. As it turns out, it's the Pepelogoo who ends up being the more interesting one in this duo. While it may be small and not get into fights, the little guy is definitely growing bigger and helps Asha get around the complicated level designs. By the end of the game, I think everybody will agree that the adorable Pepelogoo is definitely the game's MVP.

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The little guy comes in clutch whenever Asha runs into what looks like a dead end. Need to press an out-of-reach button? Toss the Pepelogoo at it. Can't seem to reach that door? Turn your flying buddy into a big ice cube. Need to get past that lava geyser? Let the blue guy sit on it. And, before you ask, yes, it will also thaw out the blocks of ice standing in the way. What's more, the Pepelogoo also gives our hero a double jump and the ability to slowly glide down a pit. Like I said, this little creature is the one doing the real heavy lifting.

The Pepelogoo does more than just help Asha, because it also helps make the game feel different from not only the other Wonder Boy games, but also other action/adventure titles of the time. It sets up a number of fascinating levels that are a lot deeper and more involved than you might expect. And because the flying companion is growing and changing through the journey, it sets up a natural way to tinker with its moves and abilities. I like how the characters aren't static and how the consequences of the mission take a real toll in the story.

Because it took decades for the game to get a proper release in America, Monster World IV could easily fall into the trap of not living up to the hype and reputation. I would say that the 16-bit original is a great action game, but certainly not a genre-defining masterpiece that Sega hid from you. It's just a fun game, nothing more. And the same holds true for this remake. This is a great looking and slickly-produced version of the cult classic, and I enjoyed it for that reason. I can't promise that you'll list this as one of the best 2D adventures ever made, but I do know that you'll have fun.

As remakes go, Asha in Monster World does an excellent job capturing what made the original game so great. Obviously, this is not the first side-scrolling classic to be remade using 3D polygons, and the record has been a little spotty throughout the years. Visually speaking, I like the way this remake looks. Both Asha and the Pepelogoo are cel-shaded, giving them a flat appearance that is contrasted by a more realistic 3D background. Artdink has done a good job creating cinematic moments that take advantage of the polygonal graphics, none of which would have been possible on the original 16-bit hardware. Best of all, the new graphics don't get in the way of the gameplay. The side-scrolling action still feels like it did as a cartridge, though tweaks have been made here and there to make it a better experience with modern controllers.

The few problems I had with Asha in Monster World mostly involve issues I also had with the original game. A good example of this is the Ice Pyramid, which feels like it goes on forever. This is not only the most frustrating of the four stages of Monster World, but it's also substantially longer than the rest. And while we're on the topic of levels, it's a shame that there aren't more areas of the Monster World to explore. The game only takes four or five hours to beat and never feels as epic as it should. It feels like it's missing one or two more stages.

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I think that one could also make the argument that this Wonder Boy game is a lot more action than it is adventure. You not only see that in the straight-forward progression, but also the frustratingly limited weapon and item selection. For example, the game teases you with a bunch of slots for new swords, but that collection never grew past two. I also never found a good reason to buy a new shield. It's a shame that you can't find better weapons hidden around the large and surprisingly complicated stages.

When it comes to the remake, I wish that Asha in Monster World would have done a better job putting everything in context. This game has a fascinating history, but you wouldn't know it based on the barebones approach taken here. It doesn't even bother to explain why it's called "Wonder Boy," despite the fact that Asha is clearly a girl. It's also a shame that the original game doesn't come included with the regular download. You have to fork over the extra cash for the boxed, retail version of the remake to get the original game.

While that is certainly disappointing, I'm happy to report that the rest of the game holds up. This is a great looking version of the game that is every bit as bright and vibrant as the 1994 classic. Asha's adventures in the Monster World are full of fun puzzles and massive boss fights. No matter if you're new to Monster World IV or have been singing its praises for a quarter-century, this Wonder Boy remake will satisfy just about everybody.