Forums > Submission Feedback > pickhut's Wonder Boy Returns review

There should be a warning on these types of games, somewhere; "Dangerously Cute!" I thought at first this was handled by LizardCube, but apparently not, as CFK CO. Ltd was responsible. As I understand it LizardCube is working on another of the Wonder Boy games, so we've more to look forward to from them.

This was a good review, and I could see myself picking it up for the Switch at some point. One nitpick though, in this sentence, "sense that they gauge you into handling" are you sure gauge is the correct word for that? Having played the original rather a bit I know what you're describing - almost pigeonholing the player into a specific set of timed button presses.

As always though, a pleasurable read.

Look, the only time I'm not wrong is when I'm right, so...

I must've been thinking of another word when I used that. I changed it to something much easier to understand. Thanks for pointing it out! Glad you enjoyed reading it, too.

You know the funny part? As I was writing this post, I just realized I planned on reviewing this game two years ago on this same month. My original plan was to do this first, then do a Wonder Boy III Genesis review, and then a Wonder Boy III remake review. Well... I finally got around to it!

I head spaceshit noises.

Good review that pretty much echoes my thoughts on the game, although I think you liked it a bit more than I did. I felt the controls were a bit slippery and while I appreciate that there were proper bosses this time, I still didn't like them. I don't know if you've had a chance to play it, but New Adventure Island for the Turbografx is a far better update to the formula than this is, and that came out in '92!

I don't have to prove I'm refined - that's what makes me refined!

Thanks for reading. Oddly, while I did notice the loose controls, I actually wasn't bothered that much by them. Maybe it was because I played the SMS Wonder Boy prior to WB Returns just for comparison, and I felt a little bit of slippery in that game, too.

I've actually never played an Adventure Island game. Or at the very least, I never completed one, because I think I have a very faint memory of renting one of the NES titles way back. While I don't think I'll do it any time soon, I would like to play them, just to see the different path the series took from the first Wonder Boy game.

I head spaceshit noises.

There are a bunch of them. I think the NES had four, the GB had two, and then there was the Turbo one, which is arguably the best of the group. And interestingly enough, there were also two for the SNES, and while the first played like Adventure Island, which is to say it played like Wonder Boy, the second, played a bit like the newer Wonder Boy titles. So strange. Also, this horrendous thing was released for Wii Ware:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPsDu1Fzuts

So bad.

I don't have to prove I'm refined - that's what makes me refined!

Never seen the Wii game in motion... That's horrifying.

I head spaceshit noises.

Alas, pickhut, the game is no longer available to purchase. So you will never be able to play it unless you do like the guy who made that video did and emulate it. But me? I bought that puppy as part of my "Buy everything available digitally on Wii" spree a couple of years back, and that means I can play it to my heart's content and maybe even review it someday. Ha ha ha ha ha. Don't you feel silly now?

"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." - John F. Kennedy on reality

"What if everything you see is more than what you see--the person next to you is a warrior and the space that appears empty is a secret door to another world? What if something appears that shouldn't? You either dismiss it, or you accept that there is much more to the world than you think. Perhaps it really is a doorway, and if you choose to go inside, you'll find many unexpected things." - Shigeru Miyamoto on secret doors to another world2

Poor Pick! Poor me. Venter just stays winning.

I don't have to prove I'm refined - that's what makes me refined!

I now regret making FAST: Racing League my last WiiWare purchase.

I head spaceshit noises.