Wonder Boy

Wonder Boy is a side-scrolling platform-adventure game originally developed by Escape (later known as Westone) for arcades in 1986. Home conversions appeared on the Sega Master System and the Commodore 64 in 1987. This colorful prehistoric adventure follows a young caveman on his quest to rescue his girlfriend Tina from the evil King, combining traditional platforming with unique survival mechanics that would establish the foundation for the acclaimed Wonder Boy series, which later evolved with Wonder Boy in Monster Land and reached new heights with the Metroidvania-style Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap.

The core gameplay revolves around Wonder Boy's journey through multiple themed worlds, each containing several stages filled with enemies, obstacles, and power-ups. What distinguishes Wonder Boy from standard platformers is its innovative vitality system - Wonder Boy's health constantly depletes over time, requiring players to collect fruit and other food items to maintain their energy. This creates a sense of urgency, as players must balance exploration and combat with the constant need to replenish their life force. The mechanic adds strategic depth reminiscent of survival elements later seen in games like Ecco the Dolphin, while also laying groundwork for the more complex RPG elements that would define Wonder Boy in Monster Land.

The Master System version, handled by Sega's internal development team, represents a faithful adaptation of the arcade original. The 8-bit hardware delivers colorful graphics that capture the whimsical prehistoric setting, with detailed sprite animations for Wonder Boy and creative enemy designs ranging from snails and bees to dinosaurs and cavemen. The scrolling remains smooth throughout, and the distinctive visual style translates well to the home console format. Sound design effectively recreates the arcade's cheerful musical themes, with each area featuring memorable melodies that complement the lighthearted adventure atmosphere. The game is actually vaster than the original, because the levels were increased from 8 to 10 (the last one is unlocked by collecting all dolls).

In contrast, the Commodore 64 version suffers from some limitations. Colors appear more muted due to the C64's palette restrictions, and certain graphical details from the arcade version are simplified or omitted entirely. Apart from this, the two versions are quite similar.

Level design across both versions maintains the arcade's structure of linear progression through diverse environments, including forests, caves, and volcanic regions. Each area introduces new enemy types and environmental hazards that require different approaches, from timing jumps over lava pits to avoiding rolling boulders. The skateboard power-up remains a highlight of the experience, temporarily increasing Wonder Boy's speed while adding an element of momentum-based gameplay that predates similar mechanics in Sonic the Hedgehog. This straightforward approach contrasts with the series' later evolution into the action-RPG format of Monster Land and the interconnected world design of The Dragon's Trap.

Boss encounters punctuate each major area, featuring large opponents that demand pattern recognition and precise timing. These battles effectively test the player's mastery of Wonder Boy's movement mechanics while providing satisfying climactic moments. The difficulty progression feels well-balanced, gradually introducing new challenges without becoming overwhelming for players adapting to the unique vitality system.

The Master System version stands as the superior home conversion, successfully translating the arcade experience while making minor adjustments for the console format. Password functionality allows players to continue their adventure across multiple sessions, addressing the arcade's quarter-hungry design.

Wonder Boy represents an important foundation for one of gaming's most innovative series, establishing the colorful aesthetic and survival mechanics that would evolve into the RPG elements of Wonder Boy in Monster Land and the transformation-based exploration of Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap. The Master System version offers an excellent recreation of the arcade classic, remaining engaging for both nostalgic players and newcomers discovering this prehistoric adventure.