Line #9 VideoGame/WonderBoyInMonsterLand


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/7610871.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Bocke Lee Temjin on his way in now-invaded Monster Land.]]
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4	''Wonder Boy in Monster Land'', is the second game in the ''VideoGame/WonderBoy'' series. A departure from the original ''VideoGame/WonderBoy1'', rather than being a standard platformer like the original, ''Monster Land'' employed a more action RPG-like approach to its game design, allowing the player to equip his characters with swords, spells and various pieces of armor. The player controls a young lad named Bocke Lee Temjin as he sets out to rescue the country of Wonder Land, which has been taken over by an army of monsters led by an evil dragon.
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6	It was originally released as a 1987 arcade game called '''''Wonder Boy: Monster Land''''' in Japan, with an international release for the Platform/SegaMasterSystem in 1989. The Mark III version was titled '''''Super Wonder Boy: Monster World''''' in Japan, making it the first game in the "Monster World" sub-series. Computer versions were also released for the Amiga, Atari ST, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC, along with licensed remakes for non-Sega platforms such as '''''Bikkuriman World''''' for the Platform/PCEngine and '''''Saiyuki World''''' for the Platform/{{Famicom}}. Similar to its predecessor, [[DolledUpInstallment it was also re-released as "Super Adventure Island" for cell phones in 2006]] (not to be confused with the actual ''Super Adventure Island'', released for the [[Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem SNES]] in 1992).
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8	!!Tropes in ''Monster Land'':
9	* AllThereInTheManual: This game is virtually disconnected from the original ''Wonder Boy'' game except for a mention in the localized manual of the Master System port as the event having taken place eleven years prior. The citizens of Wonder Land[[note]]now Monster Land[[/note]] somehow heard the tale, and call the hero by the legendary title "Wonder Boy" (the manual also mentions that his moniker in the home ports, "Tom-Tom", is actually a childhood nickname). Now a teenager, Wonder Boy (real name Bock Lee Temjin) is summoned to save the kingdom. Both characters were also implied to be one and the same in the manual and remake of ''[[VideoGame/WonderBoyIIITheDragonsTrap Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap]]'', but ''VideoGame/MonsterBoyAndTheCursedKingdom'' later treats them as two separate characters.
10	* AmericanKirbyIsHardcore: Contrast the image above (the Japanese box art) with the [[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/71/Monster_Land_for_the_Master_System_cover_artwork.jpg American version]] of the Master System version of the game, featuring a more realistically proportioned hero in full plate grinning wildly while cutting down a knight, possibly the third boss.
11	* BlindIdiotTranslation: Some versions suffered from this. For example, the Amiga version used: "3 gold get." The English version of the arcade game (which was actually a pirated release) was barely intelligible. Thankfully, the English Arcade edition (through Platform/VirtualConsole and ''[[CompilationRerelease Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World]]'') does away with all that and gives us a proper translation which does not end as such:
12	--> War is over
13	--> [[spoiler:[[GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere DRAGON was robot]]]]
14	--> [[GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere He may come from star.]]
15	--> We regained our peace.
16	--> [[AndThereWasMuchRejoicing People will be happy.]]
17	--> But, be careful. More tests wait for you.
18	--> Bye! MONSTER LAND . So long.
19	* BossRush: The FinalDungeon, at least in the arcade version.
20	* ChainOfDeals: The primary sidequest has you go around various towns to obtain one of the two useful items needed for the final dungeon. The items in question are a bell that allows you to progress through the maze quite easily, or a ruby that depletes the dragon's health to a half.
21	* ContinuingIsPainful: The arcade version restarts the section with the amount of gold at which you entered - only points (required for extra hearts) gets reset. Compared to the baseline, the Amiga version wipes all gold, and restores the player without a shield. And in the final stage, there is permadeath.
22	* CountrySwitch: Playing the Japanese version, ''Super Wonder Boy: Monster World'', on a western Master System will change the game's title and language. However, the translation displayed is completely different from the one in the official western version and the title is even slightly different (''Super Wonder Boy: Monster Land''). [[DifficultyByRegion The Japanese version is also harder.]]
23	* DegradedBoss: Many of the key and sword guardians, especially in the FinalDungeon.
24	* TheGrimReaper: The first boss, who later has a {{palette swap}} that steals your gold.
25	* GuideDangIt: The sub-quests and hidden items, including the [[InfinityPlusOneSword final sword upgrade]].
26	* LifeMeter:
27	** Yours is a series of (initially 5) {{Heart Container}}s; and [[Every10000Points you can get more of them by scoring lots of points]]. You're gonna need all 10 {{Heart Container}}s if you wanna face and defeat the FinalBoss, because of the threatening hourglass-and you can no longer use the continous play feature once your reach the final stage in the Arcade version.
28	** Tougher enemies are shown with a colored dot, gradually changing to red, but some ports removed the dot.
29	* LoadsAndLoadsOfLoading: When completing a world on the Amiga port.
30	* KingMook: The Myconid Master (giant version of the mushroom mooks), Giant Kong (giant ape), Snow Kong (giant snow ape), Kraken (giant squid) and King Demon (a promoted version of those one-horned ogre monsters).
31	* TheMaze: The {{final dungeon}}. Incorrect paths return you a few screens or possibly back to start. The bell helps you find the correct path without trial and error.
32	* MarketBasedTitle: A bit of a confusing example. The original arcade game was simply titled ''Wonder Boy: Monster Land'' in Japan and it became ''Super Wonder Boy: Monster World'' when ported to the Mark III. Overseas, the Master System version was released as ''Wonder Boy '''in''' Monster World'', but the Japanese cartridges feature an early build of the English version titled ''Super Wonder Boy: Monster Land'' and some cartridge labels even misprinted the title as ''Super Wonder Boy: Super Monster Land''. The home computer ports by Activision were released under the name of ''Super Wonder Boy in Monster Land'' on their packaging, but the actual in-game title varies between versions.
33	* MercyInvincibility: The arcade version prevents damage, but still applies {{Knockback}} when you hit a projectile or monster.
34	* OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler:When you have to fight the final boss again, it shows its true, mechanical form.]]
35	* OptionalBoss: In the Master System version, the eighth round (which in itself is an exclusive area with its own end boss) is home to a secret boss known as the Wizard. Defeating him yields nine [[SmartBomb Lightning Bolt spells]], which may definitely come in handy later on.
36	* OutsideGenreFoe: [[spoiler: After 99% of the game consisting of medieval swords & sorcery, the evil tyrannical dragon conqueror turns out to be a robot crafted by space aliens who flee in a flying saucer following the dragon's defeat. The only things even remotely foreshadowing this are a line from one of the barkeepers claiming the dragon arrived in an "airship" and the obviously hi-tech room right before the final fight.]]
37	* PaletteSwap: Three of the bosses, notably the Death Master, Knight, and Giant Kong, as well as some of the mooks, have recolored variants, sometimes with different attacks, other times with simply more health.
38	* PermaDeath: Some ports, including the Amiga and SMS, forbid you continuous play at all points.
39	* PermanentlyMissableContent: Since there is almost no ability to backtrack in the game, failing to find one of the secret areas in the ChainOfDeals sidequest basically makes the entire quest impossible to complete. A particularly egregious example considering that the reward for the quest is either a bell (which chimes when you are going the right way in the final dungeon, making the whole thing ''significantly'' easier) or a ruby (which automatically all but defeats the final boss's first form).
40	* PointOfNoContinues: You can't continue anymore in the arcade version once you reach the VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon; if you die there, your game will be over instantly and for real even if there are credits available!
41	* PopQuiz: The Sphinx PuzzleBoss gives you a riddle to solve. Guess correctly, and it will spare you. Guess wrong however, and you have to fight it.
42	* RoboticReveal: [[spoiler:The final boss is revealed to be a mechanical dragon right after the hero defeats it and has to fight it again.]]
43	* SpellMyNameWithAnS: The hero's name. The arcade game spells his full name as "Bocke Lee Temjin" (with "Book the Hero", the name given in the instruction card, being his nickname) in the casting roll, while the manual for the Master System version spells it "Bock Lee Temjin" (removing the "e" from "Bocke"). Many enemies have their names spelled differently as well, most notably the final boss of the game - which was originally called the Mechanic Dragon, and called the Meka Dragon, MEKA Dragon and Mecha Dragon in later sources such as ''The Dragon's Trap''.
44	* SpoiledByTheManual: [[spoiler:The Master System manual calls the main enemy the MEKA dragon - and it's not a stretch to assume "MEKA" might stand for "mechanical".]]
45	* StealthPun: The Death Master and its upgraded version Coin Collector. The certainties of death and taxes come to mind.
46	* StoneWall: The grey Ghosts. They don't have any attacks, only low damage in contact, but take ''forever'' to die, tanking more hits than a [[BossInMookClothing Red Knight]] in the same room.
47	* TimedMission: There's an hourglass at the bottom-left corner. When it runs out, it will flip over and deal damage. There's plenty of things that can reset the timer while preserving your life energy (except for the Amiga version.)

Context VideoGame / WonderBoyInMonsterLand