It was only back in February that I was talking about franchises I wanted to see revived, and that before playing Wild Arms the closest game to an RPG that I had played was Wonderboy 3: The Dragon’s Trap. It was a battle for me to choose a franchise, with the Wonderboy games for the Master System filling my earliest gaming memories and being the reason that I fell in love with videogames. So imagine my surprise to find that Wonderboy 3: The Dragon’s Trap, my personal favourite Wonderboy game, is being remade by French developer Lizardcube under the name Wonderboy: The Dragon’s Trap.
Previously, all we had really seen was the above 1 minute announcement trailer that shows off the new art style in Wonderboy: The Dragon’s Trap, as well as smatterings of gameplay and the transformations that made the game so wonderful when it first came out. It gives me the impression that Lizardcube is trying to remain faithful to the original game, and filled me with hope that it would be the same wonderful and magical experience that I had when I was younger.
It’s not often that I feel emotional or overwhelmed by games today, but having the opportunity to delve back into my history, in a way that is slightly fresh and different has me all kinds of excited. I feel the same way about Final Fantasy VII Remake, although Final Fantasy VIII was actually my first Final Fantasy game. I’ve rarely been able to go back to games and play them through again, because for some reason I just can’t seem to stay focused on a game that I have already experienced. So while the small differences may annoy some people, I welcome them as a new way for me to experience the joy filled memories of my past in a way that could also create brand new memories and moments to cherish.
With the release of a brand new 11 minute gameplay video from Bitsummit, with commentary from Youtuber Rino Stellone, shows a more extended view of Lizardcube’s vision for Wonderboy: The Dragon’s Trap and reaffirms my excitement for the game. To say I’m excited for this game isn’t enough, I’m excited for a future where my gaming past can be brought back to life in new ways for me to enjoy. I hope to see more remakes and reimaginings in the vein of this and Final Fantasy VII Remake in the future, because as much as I want gaming to evolve, sometimes I just want to remember what it was like to be a kid experiencing things for the first time.
