History VideoGame / MonsterBoyAndTheCursedKingdom

** Using an Ocarina during a cutscene [[spoiler:temporarily transports Jin to Alsedo, the fairy village in ''VideoGame/WonderBoyInMonsterWorld''. A fairy opts to teach you how to use your Ocarina, just like how she did to Shion in that game.]]

* DenouementEpisode: [[spoiler:The main villain in this game is unrelated to the [[AliensAreBastards aliens]] that Bocke, Leo, Shion, and Asha fought against in the other ''Monster World'' games, notably the Meka Dragon, High Baroom, and [=BioMeka=] / Fear Incarnate. That threat is completely gone and isn't even referenced in this game.]]
* DenserAndWackier: The game's beginning looks this way. After having multiple installments where the protagonists fight off Biomeka and his armies of monsters and aliens, this game's plot is kicked off by the protagonist's uncle getting drunk and somehow obtaining magical powers. Things do get more serious as the game progresses though.

The game has a new protagonist, Jin, who one day discovers his uncle Nabu drunk as a skunk, flying on a barrel, wielding a magic wand, transforming people into monsters and otherwise wreaking havoc.

* AbilityRequiredToProceed: It's a {{Metroidvania}} game.

* EndGameResultsScreen

* HeartContainer
* HeartsAreHealth
* HomingProjectile: Courtesy of the fully upgraded Teleport Rod.
* HubCity: The Village of Lupia is this, more or less.

* LethalLavaLand: [[MarathonLevel The Volcano]].

* MultiformBalance: Every form has a special power, which is used to access new areas, solve new puzzles and/or fight enemies with different tactics.

* PalmtreePanic: Skullrock Beach.

* PowerUpLetdown: Multiple exmaples:

* TheStinger: If 100% completion is achieved before fighting the final boss, an extra picture after the credits reveals [[spoiler:that the green-haired girl Pepelogoo was seeking was [[VideoGame/MonsterWorldIV Asha]] herself who is still alive.]]

* SwordPlant: Most forms get this as a standard move.

* UltimateBlacksmith: Foximus, the fox blacksmith in the woods. He only works with gold.

** Happens again after you get the Dragon Orb, which now results in a ShootEmUp segment because you can fly and spit fire indefinitely. Sadly only for one level.

* MacGuffinDeliveryService: [[spoiler:Once you get all monster orbs, Mysticat reveals that this was his plan all along.]]

[[http://www.monsterboy.com/ Its official website is here]], complete with a trailer, a developer blog and pre-order information. The original Kickstarter campaign can be found [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/612975670/flying-hamster-ii here]].

* PowerUpLetDown: The morning star's [[GroundWave shockwave]] ability. On paper, it should be awesome, after you stun an enemy with your ShockwaveStomp, a shockwave immediately comes out to hit the enemy for more damage. In reality, it's rather worthless. The shockwave has mediocre range, but even if you're in range, the tremor tends to knock an enemy over the incoming wave and even when it doesn't, a MercyInvincibility kicks in for your enemy as the shockwave comes too early.

* CarryABigStick: The 2nd last weapon you get is the Morningstar for the heavy Onyx set. This beast can break any block including the ones requiring bombs (it just can't break through Dark Matter). It can be upgraded to do a powerful ShockwaveStomp making this the InfinityMinusOneSword and later it can be further upgraded to do a GroundWave.

* Foreshadowing:

* LimitedUseMagicalDevice: Like other ''Wonder Boy'' games, your magic is all single use. Luckily enemies can drop magic and it's pretty cheap to recharge.

[[caption-width-right:350:Jin, Pepelogoo, & his dragon, pig, frog, snake, & lion forms.]]

What finally became ''Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom'' was originally merely a SpiritualSuccessor to ''VideoGame/WonderBoyIIITheDragonsTrap'' created by the French developer Game Atelier called ''Flying Hamster II: Knight of the Golden Seed''. After an unsuccessful Kickstarter campaign, the project nevertheless could find a publisher (FDG Entertainment) and, better yet, was noticed by one of the founders of Westone Bit Entertainment and the creator of the ''VideoGame/WonderBoy'' franchise, Ryuichi Nishizawa, who went on to collaborate on the game, and gave the studio the green light to turn the SpiritualSuccessor into a full-fledged sequel, with a story integrated into the overall Monster World continuity.

Originally slated for a 2017 release, the game was finally released on 4 December, 2018, available for direct download and limited physical distribution on the PC, Xbox One, [=PlayStation=] 4 and Nintendo Switch platforms.

* DenouementEpisode: [[spoiler:The main villain in this game is unrelated to the [[AliensAreBastards aliens]] that Bocke, Leo, Shion, and Asha fought against in the other Monster World games, notably the Meka Dragon, High Baroom, and [=BioMeka=] / Fear Incarnate. That threat is completely gone and isn't even referenced in this game.]]

* LimitedUseMagicalDevice: Like other Wonderboy games, your magic is all single use. Luckily enemies can drop magic and it's pretty cheap to recharge.

** The pig form, being a curse from Nabu, gets no magical orb to represent it, which means that you never need to use it against [[spoiler:Lord Xaros]]. In fact, you can just forget poor pig in the final dungeon and never rescue him, as the game tucks him away in an optional area,[[spoiler:though he is necessary to get the final Golden Gem]].

* MythologyGag: When the game became part of the ''VideoGame/WonderBoy'' continuity, the pig form gained an eyepatch to match the shopkeeper from ''The Dragon's Trap''. He was also supposed to smoke during his idle animations, but that was removed to keep the age rating low.

** The bonus level has you fight through the final hallway of "Monster Land"'s final stage, ending with a BonusBoss fight against the Meka Dragon, taking a page from "The Dragon's Trap".

* PurelyAestheticGlasses: Pig's eyepatch. He constantly swaps it from one eye to the other due to his AmbidextrousSprite, and even plays with it during his idle animation.

** [[spoiler:Playing the console in the hidden room underneath the village and getting past the glitched screen lets you replay the first boss of ''VideoGame/WonderBoyIIITheDragonsTrap'', with Jin re-drawn in that game's pixelated style.]]

* StewedAlive: A nonlethal example. At Pirate Shore Jin finds a sleeping pirate on a wrecked ship he needs to wake up by making his favorite food, roast pork stew. Fortunately there's a recipe near by calling for a pineapple, berries, a turnip, and... one plump pig. While the first three items are simple to get, there is only one pig in the game, so Jin has to jump into the boiling water himself. Fortunately the pirate only needs the smell of stewed pork to wake him up, so Jin is fairly safe.

* TookALevelInBadass: In ''The Dragon's Trap'', the Lion-Man was a strong but not particularly ability-rich transformation. Here, the lion form has a much-expanded moveset.

* TookALevelinBadass: In ''The Dragon's Trap'', the Lion-Man was a strong but not particularly ability-rich transformation. Here, the lion form has a much-expanded moveset.

* TookALevelinBadass: In ''The Dragon's Trap'', the Lion-Man was a strong but not particularly ability-rich transformation. Here, the lion form has a much-expanded moveset.

[[caption-width-right:350:Jin, Pepelogoo, & his monster transformation variants Dragon-Man, Pig-Man, Frog-Man, Snake-Man, & returning Lion-Man.]]

* ActionHoggingOpening: The opening animation shows freeing Sir Hoots from prison as a huge [[TheWarSequence War Sequence]] where Jin fights through armies of soldiers. In the actual game, [[spoiler: the sequence is more of a StealthSequence and rather than physically break Sir Hoots out of prison, Jin simply uses the Teleport Rod to warp Sir Hoots out of his cell.]]

* AmbidextrousSprite: Parodied. The Pig's eyepatch switches from one eye to another depending on where he is facing, but if you let the Pig idle for a minute he will intentionally switch his eyepatch to the side facing the player and will continue that way until you make him turn around.
* AmbiguousTimePeriod: In relation to ''[[VideoGame/MonsterWorldIV Monster World IV]]''. Is Pepelogoo the same one who accompanied Asha on her adventure or is it a descendant? The previous three protagonists are explicitly refered to as "Ancient Heroes", but no hint is given of how much time has passed since the fourth hero's victory. [[spoiler:A secret ending, however, reveals that the game at least takes place within Asha's lifetime.]]

* {{Animorphism}}: A prominent feature from ''VideoGame/WonderBoyIIITheDragonsTrap'' that was brought back in the game. Most of the Monster World's inhabitants have also been transformed into animals prior to the game's beginning. Others were this originally, but the curse did change some of them into animals... of different species.

** Because one specific equipment upgrade (Freeze enemies with the Ice Sword) is required to proceed, the game makes non-required upgrades involving legendary gems unavailable until you've gotten the mandatory one; preventing players from accidentally using up their legendary gems and making the game unwinnable.
** The rough location of all Golden Equipment fragments can be found on a map in the final dungeon. The location of all treasure chests and music sheets you don't find yourself can be purchased from a store in the second village once you have the Dragon Orb. Said hint does not say how to get said items, however, just what map square to find them on.

* BrainwashedAndCrazy: [[spoiler: After Nabu found Mysticat talking to Lord Xaros, they decided to get rid of him this way... and that's why he started turning everybody into monsters.]]
* BoringButPractical: The set bonus of the Fire Equipment lets you regenerate hearts by walking. This remains useful for most of the game thanks to the high defense of the Crimson armor and the game's overall stinginess with dropping hearts.
* TheBusCameBack: The Pepelogoos from ''VideoGame/MonsterWorldIV'' make their return.

** Pepelogoo you meets early in the game claims it's looking for "green-haired girl," which'll ring a bell if you've played ''VideoGame/MonsterWorldIV''.
** Using an ocarina during a cutscene [[spoiler:temporarily transports Jin to Alsedo, the fairy village in ''VideoGame/WonderBoyInMonsterWorld''. A fairy opts to teach you how to use your ocarina, just like how she did to Shion in that game.]]

* TheCavalry: [[spoiler: After the first phase of the final boss, Lord Xaros traps Jin in an unbreakable cage... and then Nabu appears, throwing bottles of liquor at Xaros's face to distract him as Zeke breaks Jin free and Pepelogoo eats the orbs powering Xaros up.]]

* DarkIsEvil: [[spoiler: The Dark Realm and its ruler, Lord Xaros]].
* DenouementEpisode: [[spoiler: The main villain in this game is unrelated to the [[AliensAreBastards aliens]] that Bocke, Leo, Shion, and Asha fought against in the other Monster World games, notably the Meka Dragon, High Baroom, and [=BioMeka=] / Fear Incarnate. That threat is completely gone and isn't even referenced in this game.]]

* ExtremeOmnivore: Pepelogoo can eat ghosts... [[spoiler: and the cursed monster orbs that power up Lord Xaros. In a single bite.]]

** Similarly, Uncle Nabu is mentioned to not be usually violent and acts too silly for a monster mastermind. [[spoiler:Because he is [[GoodAllAlong not even]] a [[BrainwashedAndCrazy willing accomplice]] to the real villain.]]

* GenericDoomsdayVillain: [[spoiler: Lord Xaros doesn't get any characterisation or backstory beyond "Evil bad guy wanting to conquer/destroy the world"]]

** The means of opening the corked well in the village are never hinted at anywhere in-game and at one point requires basic knowledge of morse code to work out a combination. There's even less indication that [[spoiler: the glitched error message is a timed puzzle.]]

** One of the Power Gems is acquired by talking to a specific person in Lupia Village [[spoiler:(The boar blacksmith, who first appears after acquiring the Frog Orb)]] instead of inside a chest, and therefore never appears on the map and the location cannot be purchased.

* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: In the Haunted Manor, right before [[spoiler: the boss battle]], the [[spoiler: Undead Wizard]] will speak an odd language that you can't comprehend, then he'll push you away in the closest save point. Do it again, and Pepelogoos then asked you, "Don't you have an option to understand ghost language?". When you check the Option Menu, the Ghost Language Translator will be available under the Language Options. This option is available just in Haunted Manor and useful only for this moment.
* LegacyBossBattle: The Myconid Master / Mushroom King shows up for the third time.

* LegendaryInTheSequel: All the previous protagonists get this treatment. The humble ocarina, which [[VideoGame/WonderBoyInMonsterWorld Shion]] used to open a few doors in the first dungeon and then traded away for info shortly after, is now labelled "a legendary relic of an ancient hero" with a plaque instructing visitors to marvel at it.

* MacGuffinDeliveryService: [[spoiler: Once you get all monster orbs, Mysticat reveals that this was his plan all along.]]

** The pig transformation, being a curse from Nabu, gets no magical orb to represent it, which means that you never need to use it against [[spoiler: Lord Xaros]]. In fact, you can just forget poor Pig in the final dungeon and never rescue him, as the game tucks him away in an optional area,[[spoiler: though he is necessary to get the final Golden Gem]].
** Despite being featured on the stained glass windows of the sanctuary, [[VideoGame/MonsterWorldIV Asha]] is the only one of the previous legendary heroes who does not get a relic representing her, and [[spoiler:doesn't appear in spirit form to help out Jin.]] However, [[spoiler: this turns out to be justified because she's not dead.]]
* MythologyGag: When the game became part of the ''VideoGame/WonderBoy'' continuity, Pig gained an eyepatch to match the shopkeeper from ''The Dragon's Trap''. He was also supposed to smoke during his idle animations, but that was removed to keep the age rating low.

* NighInvulnerable: The amoebas you face in the Dark Realm can only harmed by laser obstacles and having the Frog yank out their nucleus with his tongue and then attacking it. The ghosts are immune to your attacks when they're intangible, but if you have Pepelogoo with you - he'll instantly kill the weaker ones by eating them and other undead can be roasted by his light beam.
* NoOntologicalInertia: [[spoiler: Killing Lord Xaros instantly cures everybody in the kingdom who'd been cursed by Nabu.]]

* StewedAlive: A nonlethal example. At Pirate Shore Jin finds a sleeping pirate on a wrecked ship he needs to wake up by making his favorite food, Roast Pork Stew. Fortunately there's a recipe near by calling for a pineapple, berries, a turnip, and... one plump pig. While the first three items are simple to get, there is only one pig in the game, so Jin has to jump into the boiling water himself. Fortunately the pirate only needs the smell of stewed pork to wake him up, so Jin is fairly safe.

* TreacherousAdvisor: [[spoiler: Mysticat. Though he is actually not TheStarscream to Lord Xaros.]]

* UnexpectedGameplayChange: Right after defeating the first boss you get transformed into a Pig and lose the ability to use armor and swords. It's particularly jarring for those who bought the game after playing the demo (which ends with the aforementioned transformation) expecting a sword wielding boy going on an adventure only to find out that the Pig and Snake forms can't use any weapons, and you don't see your sword again until you acquire the Frog form.

* WeNeedADistraction: In the penultimate cutscene (just before the final battle), [[spoiler:uncle Nabu rushes in and pelts the big bad with bottles, drawing his attention while Zeke rescues you and Pepelogoo saps his power.]]
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: [[spoiler:Lord Xaros 'rewards' Mysticat with this once he hands over the orbs needed to revive him]].

* ChainReactionDestruction: Every boss dies in this fashion.

* StandardStatusEffects: Introduced for the first time in the series. Fortunately certain gear can be upgraded to grant immunity to specific status ailments.

* NostalgiaLevel: The first area of the game matches the layout of the first level of ''[[VideoGame/WonderBoyInMonsterLand Wonder Boy: Monster Land]]'' with its music being a remix of that game's first level theme. Additionally, the sewer maze's layout is identical to the opening level of ''VideoGame/WonderBoyIIITheDragonsTrap''.

* DenouementEpisode: [[spoiler: The main villain in this game is unrelated to the aliens Bocke, Shion and Asha fought against in the other Monster World games. That threat is completely gone and isn't even referenced in this game.]]

* DarkIsEvil: [[spoiler: The Dark Realm]].

* TreacherousAdvisor: [[spoiler: Mysticat.]]

* ActionHoggingOpening: The opening animation shows freeing Sir Hoots from prison as a huge [[TheWarSequence War Sequence]] where Jin fights through armies of soldiers. In the actual game, [[spoiler: the sequence is more of the StealthSequnce and rather than physically break Sir Hoots out of prison, Jin simply uses the Teleport Rod to warp Sir Hoots out of his cell.]]

After more than twenty years of silence (if not for the worldwide release of the English version of ''VideoGame/MonsterWorldIV'' in 2012), the ''VideoGame/WonderBoy'' series was suddenly UnCanceled in early 2015, when the trailer for a new installment was released. Instead of being titled ''Monster World'' (like all {{Metroidvania}}s in the series were called in Japan) or ''Wonder Boy'' (like they were still called everywhere else), both titles were combined to form ''Monster Boy''.

What finally became ''Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom'' was originally merely a SpiritualSuccessor to ''VideoGame/WonderBoyIIITheDragonsTrap'' created by the French developer ''Game Atelier'' called ''Flying Hamster II: Knight of the Golden Seed''. After an unsuccessful Kickstarter campaign, the project nevertheless could find a publisher (FDG Entertainment) and, better yet, was noticed by one of the founders of Westone Bit Entertainment and the creator of the ''VideoGame/WonderBoy'' franchise, Ryuichi Nishizawa, who went on to collaborate on the game, and gave the studio the green light to turn the SpiritualSuccessor into a full-fledged sequel, with a story integrated in the overall Monster World continuity.

Originally slated for a 2017 release, the game was finally released on 4 December, 2018, available for direct download and limited physical distribution on the the PC, Xbox One, [=PlayStation=] 4 and Nintendo Switch platforms.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/monster_boy_and_the_cursed_kingdom_higher_quality.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Jin, surrounded by his monster transformations.]]

After more than twenty years of silence (if not for the worldwide release of the English version of ''VideoGame/MonsterWorldIV'' in 2012) , the ''VideoGame/WonderBoy'' series was suddenly UnCanceled in early 2015, when the trailer for a new installment was released. Instead of being titled ''Monster World'' (like all {{Metroidvania}}s in the series were called in Japan) or ''Wonder Boy'' (like they were still called everywhere else) , both titles were combined to form ''Monster Boy''.

* UltimateArmor: Two candidates, the Golden Armor starts off with a strong 3 rating for defence. It also prevents all status effects!! Unfortunately if you have the complete upgraded set, you'll get a huge damage increase but you also take significantly more damage which puts the Golden Armor down to just respectable protection. The Onyx Darkplate starts off with a respectable 2 rating and prevents stun/slow when upgraded. But if you have the complete upgraded set, you take half damage on top of the armor's normal protection. The game then rates the armor at a unique 4.