[PlayStation 5] Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection Review

Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection from Bliss Brain brings us 6 games in 21 different versions on PlayStation 5. Check our Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection review!

Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection from Bliss Brain brings us 6 games in 21 different versions on PlayStation 5. The Wonder Boy series got its start way back in 1986 with the first title launching on the Arcade, which was later ported to Sega’s SG-1000 home console, followed by a port to the Sega Master System, and even on the Game Gear portable system. Wonder Boy is a game that you’ve probably played, just under another name on a Nintendo console: Adventure Island.

We’re getting a great batch to celebrate the long-running beloved series in style on Sony’s console with 6 games available in 21 different versions to enjoy. What games are included in this collection?

Wonder Boy (6 versions)

Wonder Boy in Monster Land (4 versions)

Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair (2 versions)

Wonder Boy III: The Dragon‘s Trap (4 versions)

Wonder Boy in Monster World (3 versions)

Monster World IV (2 version)

Once you boot up this one, you’ll enter a menu from which you’ll get to choose between the six aforementioned games. After picking one, you’ll then get to choose the version you want to play, with the games offering the Japanese edition and the International/Western edition. All six games benefit from having the option of you selecting the aspect ratio in which you want the game displayed, as well as adding a filter to the image. There’s also the possibility of rewinding the action in case you make a mistake and need to fix things. You can also use save states to save your progress so that you can load each game exactly where you left off.

And on top of the games, there are also a series of digital art books you can check out! These include design documents for each of the games in this collection, as well as a variety of illustrations and flyers that were used to promote the games back in the day. You can even check out scans of the original manuals as well! Oh, and before I forget, they’ve even scanned the original box art, cartridge label, and game card/cartridge art, so you have access to a great digital archive to celebrate the series.

This collection of Wonder Boy games features a full trophy list with a Platinum to add to your collection. The list includes 8 Bronze trophies, 4 Silver trophies, and 8 Gold trophies for you to work on unlocking. The objectives for said trophies are split between the original Wonder Boy arcade version, the original Wonder Boy for the Game Gear or Sega home consoles, Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair arcade and Sega Genesis versions, and Monster World IV on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. It’s not going to be a short trophy run, but it will certainly be a fun one!

Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection is a great celebration of the long-running series on PlayStation. We’re getting 6 games in 21 different versions, giving us a solid look at the many variations between, say, Wonder Boy on the arcade and how it was shrunk down to the old-school Sega Game Gear. We’re getting some quality-of-life improvements as well, with different aspect ratios and filters to apply to the game’s look, as well as save states and a rewind feature. And then we’re also getting a ton of digital material that showcases the original games, their boxes, carts and manuals along with design documents, flyers, and more. Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection is out on PlayStation 5 with a $49.99 asking price. There’s a PlayStation 4 versions available for the same price as a separate purchase. You can also get a physical version of the game from our friends at Strictly Limited Games.

Disclaimer
This Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection review is based on a PlayStation 5 copy provided by Bliss Brain.