Monster World IV Review - Quickies Don't Cut It

[@Larry]

It's also downloadable on Xbox One!

[@BigBossMan538]

Hey Larry!

[@radcow]

Good see you here ! I think we similar tastes in games as I always see you in the comments in the reviews of these old games

[@JoeyJ0J0]

And now it has a remake that includes the original game as well as being included on the Genesis Mini

[@Overbound]

Great look at Monster World IV. It's one of my favorite Genesis games.

[@RetropolisZone]

+Overbound Game Studio Thank you! It's a pretty fantastic (and overlooked) game! Wanted to give it some attention. :)

[@Alex_Alexandrov_777]

Overbound Game Studio yeah. me too :)

[@AdeonWriter]

Between Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom and the Wonder Boy: Dragon's Lair HD remake, it seems like this series is coming back.

[@RetropolisZone]

Would be nice to see!

[@MikeELtheGamerLPShow]

Now here we are, 2 years later and I love the huge nod Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom gives to Monster World IV.

[@realamericannegro977]

With the art on these old sprites, one would think they would simply do a Sonic mania type upgrade. Cause the new vector looking stuff looks worse to me.

[@y2commenter246]

And now this one is being remade

[@skins4thewin]

And I couldn't be happier about it! Am eagerly awaiting the MW4 remake to be delivered :)

[@RustyRick2023]

I finally got around to watch this in deeper detail, as initially I just kind of glossed this one over, but this game does seem pretty amazing in the animation and gameplay department, and I might just pick up Monster World 4 out of curiosity to see how it fares today. Amazing review on this.

[@RetropolisZone]

+RickPellegrino Yeah this is a very hidden gem amongst the Mega Drive/Genesis library. Nice setting, great visuals and some really fun gameplay. Thanks!

[@wonderfulwardy]

thanks for your replies on other videos mate. it means alot that I can interact and show my support and my own knowledge. Did you know that this game was also fan translated a long time ago before Sega done it? It has a different kind of dialog which is kinda funny and worthy of a using as a second playthough. Keep up the good work dude.

[@RetropolisZone]

No problem. If people make the effort to leave comments, I'll do my best to come back to as many as possible. Originally I intended to use the fan translation for the review, but then I discovered there was a Virtual Console release containing an official translation so that's what I ended up going with.

[@RetropolisZone]

Lol, thanks mate. :D

[@xenobytek9583]

Thats a great game on Genesis. One of that late games with wonderful graphics and sounds

[@Stringslayer559]

Just got monster world collection with Xbox games with gold I am not disappointed It reminds me of Zelda meets Mario

[@SQGReviewShow]

I DEMAND the Wonder Boy Master System games to be reviewed! XD

[@wes788411]

I played the remake of The Dragon’s Trap on the switch using the original graphics. I liked it so much, I purchased the Master System version. I recommend that if you are going to play it, play the remake as the controls are much better.

[@recon_p]

An interesting look at this game, though I viewed it very differently from how you did. When I played it at first I thought it would become my favourite Megadrive game. The first two dungeons and to an extend the third had such clever and original mechanics centered around the bird, it was really the game's strength. Once you lost the bird the game lost a lot of its appeal to me as it started becoming more centered on combat which I felt was its weakest aspect. I'm surprised you weren't critical towards the final dungeon. It's just a marathon of recycled enemies with no platforming or puzzling that seemed to have been stretched as long as possible just to make it challenging despite the overpowered healing items. The game is too charming for me to rag on it too much though, and the main character has to at least be a contender for the most expressive silent protagonist in a 16 bit game.

[@skins4thewin]

I also agree with you about the exploration in that there isn't much of it outside the dungeons. That is kind of not the point of this game though. This game is all about the Gameplay, and my god is it GOOD in this game! The gameplay and controls are honed to a razor's edge in this game, and I feel that they are as close to perfection as it gets. It's more about the fun you have playing the game itself vs the actual exploring. I like a good linear Action RPG myself as they are just easy to get into and play without having to think about where you're going too much. And that isn't even mentioning the graphics which are absolutely stellar! This is one of the nicest looking games on the entire system bar none. It's just a super fun game and a true hidden gem.

[@mrmaxaxl]

Not the fucking Ice pyramid though!! That long level is a hellish nightmare! No fun what so ever. But the rest: amazing!

[@skins4thewin]

Indeed, each song in the games dungeons feels like a remix of the same song, but it's done really well & the music is very good. I for one love the soundtrack of this game. No, it's not A+++ tier, but it's very good.

[@bigell69]

This probably isn’t too helpful now, but the Ceramic Boots in III weren’t meant to give you better defense, they make it so you don’t slip so much in the Ice Castle.

[@mikeylovespizza4012]

Just played this game on my sega genesis mini. Wow, I think it has the best music in any genesis games. The graphics is charming and gameplay is fun!

[@thehumbleone1983]

I hated that we missed this back then and many other great mega drive games like Twinkle tale , grey lancer and more

[@skins4thewin]

The one thing I will agree with is about the Ice Palace. It is by FAR the toughest part of the game and really is a test of your explorative & puzzle solving skills. It can be a royal pain to get through but once you do, you will feel an immense sense of accomplishment & can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that you've gotten through the toughest part of the game. The final dungeon aka the one after this one does involve the toughest platforming elements, but the sheer mazelike exploration of the Ice Palace will be done with, thank god. I agree that it was the one part of the game that got frustrating & wasn't as fun, although I must admit the music track for the Ice Palace is my favorite in the game :)

[@Bob_Beaky]

I love the Wonder Boy, Monster World, Adventure Island games. It's just a really fun and mixed up series. The whole series needs an in-depth retrospective/documentary - especially with the Dragons Trap remake and the Monster Boy game on the horizon.. (nudge, nudge, wink, wink. :P).

[@RetropolisZone]

Would be interested to do more Wonder Boy games, but I'm sure they'd get absolutely shit views. It's one of the massive downsides to covering more obscure titles.

[@Bob_Beaky]

Yeah, it's a shame that people aren't more interested in things other than the NES, Mario and Zelda... Honestly, if I see another "Did You Know...?" style video on Mario I might just top myself! Anyway, I enjoy your work. Here's hoping more people discover it. :)

[@Zionfarm]

This was a great review and I must say you did a excellent job presenting a unbiased review on a hidden gem in my opinion.

[@RetropolisZone]

+Kelly Greenidge Thanks for your comment! :)

[@vagrantstory4551]

I'm soo in love with this whole series! Finally you can play this game on ps4, if you purchase the remake "Wonder Boy - Asha In Monster World", but only the physical disc! Keep in mind that you don't get the game if you purchase the remake digitally (At least that's what i heard!). You could maybe purchase it on your own tho!

[@skins4thewin]

Great review! One thing I have to disagree on though is saying that the puzzles in this weren't as complex as Zelda games. I would have to disagree stongly with that. For me, Zelda puzzles are quite simplistic, this game however kicked my ass as far as puzzle complexity and length. The dungeons are very long in this game, which makes sense considering there isn't very many of them, and they are basically one huge long puzzle. They were very complex and I am not sure how anyone could think otherwise. Zelda's puzzles are infantile in comparison. Oh yea, and I do agree on the Ice Pyramids. That was by FAR the toughest part of the game and was a MAJOR pain in the ass. I had to just look up the patterns for arranging the statues cus it would have taken me forever to figure out, and the fact that you lose them in your inventory each time you get it wrong... yeah.

[@bluedawn0075]

After watching this video again, I'm having the urge to pick this game and Wonder Boy in Monster World back up since I've only played them both for about an hour then stopped (Monster World IV mostly). I can't wait for those Ape Escape reviews, one of my favorite video game series and IP's from Sony

[@RetropolisZone]

+Bryson Morris Sweet! Both games are quite fun, though I'd say my preference has been leaning more toward Monster World IV since the videos were released. The first Ape Escape review is coming in a few days if all goes according to plan, so the initial wait is almost over. :) Sorry for the late reply, as well. I read your comment but forgot to respond and saw it unanswered now.

[@YesterdaysMoose]

I wanted to play Monster World IV so badly that, when I was in Japan, I bought a copy only to find out that it was region locked. I bought a Japanese Mega Drive and then there was a language barrier. Eventually, when the translated version was released on Wii, I downloaded it. Now I've Let's Played both Monster World IV and the remake, Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World. The update makes improvements and some changes; however, I still prefer the pixel art of the original.

[@ReinaHW]

I've got the game on 360 and X-Box One, I really should muster the will to play it since I've been wanting to ever since I learned of it. One of these days I will, I've heard that it can be a tough game.

[@Deedonis]

Fantastic game! The soundtrack didn't bother me, and in fact I felt the use of leitmotifs created a strong sense of familiarity. The ice dungeon was absolutely a pain, though. You didn't even mention the horrible password doors in the first ice dungeon which literally required you to guess at several passwords and then took away hearts for every failure. The sky dungeon was also really un-fun, purely due to having several gameplay mechanics straight up removed after a certain story event.

[@freshroyaloficecapzone2154]

Looks like a fantastic game! Hopefully, Sega will decide to put this on Steam with the new Hub. My Xbox controller is glitchy and I find getting Wii points to be annoying. By the way, the quality of your videos is great.

[@RetropolisZone]

+Icecapman10 It's definitely a fun game to play, so I hope that it will be added to Steam for ya. :) Also, thanks! I appreciate it. :)

[@KenzGamesCollection]

Can’t wait to see this on the Genesis Mini

[@Alfonso499]

Dude, this game is already 30 years old?!😮

[@skins4thewin]

I agree with you about how they re-arranged the main theme into nearly every track in the game, that was a bit disappointing. But I will say that every one of the unique songs in the game were fantastic imo. I loved the soundtrack to this game and still think it's one of the better ones on the Genesis for sure. I personally freaking LOVE the Ice Palace theme song, even though I HATE the dungeon itself. It's by far the biggest pain in the ass as far as dungeons go.

[@christinaneo]

Fantastic review, thank you so much! Do you know of any other games with a "hero's journey" feel to them? I can think of Shantae (a tribute to this game actually), Iconoclasts and Owlboy (not out yet), maybe Aladdin on the PC and Willow on the arcades. I am dying to play something similar. Any leads are very appreciated

[@RetropolisZone]

+castpixel Thanks! And I can't really think of anything off the top of my head, sorry.

[@christinaneo]

thank you!

[@simono.5698]

look up any metroidvania game ever

[@skins4thewin]

I also agree about the graphics. This in my opinion is THE single most beautiful looking game on the Genesis, period! The graphics are absolutely stunning in this game!

[@arkanjoteixeira]

You can go back to the beginning of the level to get missing items, kinda. Just use the lamp to go back to town, and restart the dungeon before you finished the level. Great game btw, one of the best on MD.

[@AceMcSch00ly]

Its free this month on Xbox One!

[@Lucas-ui3pm]

Hey! Your number of subscribers are way too small for a channel that's so full of quality! People oughta get to know you! By the way... that's my most beloved game ;)

[@RetropolisZone]

+Ash DeMilo I appreciate the comment, mate! Monster World IV is a great game. :)

[@capcom23]

nuff said

[@GreekRetroGeek]

Subscribed. Amazing review.

[@RetropolisZone]

Thanks!

[@ClintonKE]

3:05 My biggest shock for the game was figuring out what happened to Shion from the last game. Though the whole town going crazy was a pretty 2nd shock. I got to say though that I got into this game from the 8-bit games (Wonder Boy in Monster Land), by chance have you played the remake of Monster World 2 yet though? That is a good remake IMO.

[@braddye4983]

I saw this game at AGDQ today and was kind of sucker punched by how much I liked it and wanted to know more. Thank you!

[@mrbeatsalot5959]

this game is awesome and your reviews are top notch!!

[@wonderfulwardy]

Also, I must say that I prefer the style of MWIV over MW Dynastic Hero. I prefer less back tracking and I enjoyed the fact that the characters and NPC's in the game were more worth caring about. I also like the little helper in this game. All I wish is that they used him alot more to reach areas after the game is completed. more like a 'NEW GAME PLUS' but I don't think that concept was around back then. First game I played with a New game Plus was Resident Evil 4. So yea, loved this game more so then Dynastic Hero's style, but I really wanted a New game plus upon completing. If you haven't played Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap yet, then you seriously need to play that game. it's the best in the series in my opinion and there is many version differences. Master System + PC Engine's 'Dragon's Curse' is the same in terms of gameplay but both have a different presentation. The Game Gear version has slightly different level layout. There was also a Dragon's Curse Fan Remake worth checking out.

[@VGFreak]

Excellent review! You've go a new sub ;)

[@Supercatandrewman]

Asha kinda reminds me of Shantae!

[@ben-officialmassive7982]

Finally found a review on the Wonderboy I call the lost one as I only just learned existed. I got the Sega Ages Monster World edition on PS2 and its great and it blew me away there was another one. So crazy. I was a huge Wonderboy fan as a kid. It was like my Mario as I had a Sega MS2 and Megadrive as they where bigger than Nintendo over here in Australia. So obviously straight away I looked up to see if there was an english translation which is annoying I can't play on the PS2 game but just as good I have a CFW PS3 so I'm gonna play it in Retroarch I'd say. I thought I'd watch a review first then yeh so exited to be playing it. Was such a big suprise cause I played the series on MS2 so much I'd beat them all flawlessly. But the one on Megadrive I dunno after milking the MS2 ones so much and maybe I stopped gaming but the one on Megadrive I didn't play much. To find out theres this one too I think I might even play part 3 a bunch before it. Sorry to crap on but I am so passionate about these games. Thought they where the perfect games as they have platform/action, the first one being totally platform, then they mix it up with even rpg elements in 2 and 3, on the Master System I'm saying. Sorry excuse my shit grammar. But yeh I thought Mario has the rpg one but they where seperate games to the platform ones so yeh always thought Wonderboy was cool. Kinda suprised they didn't become the mascot for SEGA because I love them tons more than Sonic and I know why probably because Nintendo got cheeky by putting out there Adventure Island series but I havn't checked, I always thought there gotta be the same makers but I might be wrong. Anyway I've said waaaay too much so sorry but gotta show love when I can :D Loved this review man! I've subbed and will checkout more most definitely...PEACE M8...⚡🕹♥️🎮😎👍👍

[@skins4thewin]

I swear, this was THE travesty of the Genesis. It's a game that ABSOLUTELY should have been localized as it would have been absolutely beloved & would be one of the most sought after titles on the system right now had it been released here. It's one of the absolute best titles on the system bar none & deserves to be known!

[@Zionfarm]

Question for you kind Sir. How did you record and what platform did you use? For example did you use the Mega Drive system with RGB cables to a PVM/BVM or a Retron 5? Or was this the Wii U / Wii VC game?

[@RetropolisZone]

I played this on an emulator (KEGA Fusion) and then recorded my PC over HDMI via my capture card. :)

[@Zionfarm]

Thx Retro.

[@odizm5196]

or you can get it on Genesis (Mega Drive) mini

[@RawPower867]

I don't know why this game gets so much hate from Wonderboy fans. Because it's not as difficult? Well, that's a plus in my book. That final boss in Monster World 3... I never want to see anything like that in a video game again.

[@pantheman2842]

And to think it was just an adaptation, the final boss is perfectly fair in the Japanese version. The issue this game had was that there was ONLY a Japanese version.

[@brunodimaggio9946]

Awesome video man

[@teemon7777]

Game looks amazing.

[@petersoar2886]

Just played the bit that shocked and saddened you. I’m shocked and saddened also. 😢

[@Gfury36]

Great review of a great game

[@skins4thewin]

Also, not really true about not knowing what elemental monsters you'll be facing next. The game almost always offers a shield with the proper elemental resistance for the next dungeon you'll be facing, so just buy the newest shield offered and you should be fine.

[@mrmaxaxl]

The Ice pyramid is a NIGHTMARE!!! It really ruined the game for me. But the rest of it was amazing!

[@skins4thewin]

Seriously tho, you really don't HAVE to find something negative to nitpick about. If something is super minor then don't even bother, cus it's not worth mentioning. You make insignificant things seem significant that way and that may discourage some from playing. And this is absolutely a game that should be played & enjoyed by everyone! It's really that good!

[@RealMonoid]

Love this game

[@whiteninja9188]

Of all the wonder boy games wonder boy in monster land is my favorite for my childhood memories,was my first action adventure game but i know asha in mw is better game

[@Alex_Alexandrov_777]

It's really best game of my life :) Even now I sometimes play it on the emulator :) No nice game, GREAT game!

[@RetroCynical]

great vid.

[@RetropolisZone]

+Retro Cynical Thanks!

[@RodniDemental]

Oh man, I had Wonderboy back on the Master System! I played that game a lot but never finished it. I had renewed interest in the series when the Monster World set came out in the Sega Vintage Collection line on Xbox Live Arcade. For some reason I never got around to buying the pack but your review has renewed my interest a second time. XD Now, the question for me is to get it on 360 or PS3? My reasoning may seem silly but I noticed PS3 has more trophies and thus recognises your efforts a bit more for doing extra content in the games (I'm into competitively completing games if I enjoy them, and 360 version will feel like there's less to do). But 360 version is obviously better value if I want all 3 games.

[@RetropolisZone]

+RodniDemental Seems like a very personal choice that I cannot make. I enjoy Wonder Boy in Monster World on Genesis too (haven't played the other one in the three-pack on 360), so I would say get the 360 bundle. But if you really want those extra trophies on PS3, then go with that. :)

[@RodniDemental]

Retropolis Zone Haha, yeah I guess I was thinking out loud with that one, But I actually bought Alex Kidd a second time on PS3 cause I noticed it had more to do. Anyway, PSN has sales a lot more, if I'm lucky all 3 might be worth the price of the pack next time they have a 'retro' sale.

[@mynameisberry9740]

Great game for xbox free month

[@IronicSonic83]

It's look like a 32bit game at times

[@attackofthecopyrightbots]

lol guess its not wonder boy anymore

[@aaronz4307]

Play the new wonderboy!!!

[@skins4thewin]

The description of the exploration in the game is quite misleading I think, as there is actually quite a bit of hidden stuff in both the dungeons and cities, and some of it is quite well hidden in fact. So there is most definitely some clever exploration & secret finding to be done. Saying that it's limited is rather misleading I think because considering the quick pacing of the game, there is quite a lot of secret stuff to find in fact. There should be hardly a dull moment in your playthrough and there is enough here to satisfy any persons tastes. This review is overly negative in areas that it is undeserving of I feel. This game absolutely felt like a grand adventure for me. I am kind of baffled as to why it didn't feel that way for the reviewer here.

[@martymartin2894]

Only for the crappy cartoon like graphics I'd say it would be a great game.

[@waiz0231]

They're not crappy at all idiot

[@cyberfennek]

looks cute but gets so anoying

[@KesorodaBlk]

I’m playing this right now!

[@mattthedoormat]

I am so getting a reproduction cartridge of this game.