Wonder Boy in Monster World

Wonder Boy in Monster World (aka Wonder Boy V: Monster World III) is a side-scrolling action-adventure game, much like its predecessor Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap (aka Monster World II). Set in the same world hundreds of years later, Monster World III stars a new hero named Shion as he follows Bocke Lee Temjin's footsteps and goes on a journey to save the world. The shape-shifting gimmick from the previous game was replaced with the addition of NPC companions who will help out Shion explore various locations throughout the course of his journey.

Unused Plot Items


Under the menu are some unused plot-related items that cannot be obtained in normal gameplay. They can be unlocked with Pro Action Replay codes, but they have no effect. The codes listed below work on the American and European versions.

Rapid Pad ( or ): Occupies the last slot in the item inventory.

Rod ( or ): Untranslated in the localized versions; it is written ロッド, which suggests it was removed fairly early in development.

Japan to US/PAL
Many changes were done during the localization of the Genesis/Megadrive version, mainly to increase the challenge. These changes didn't carry to the localized versions of Dynastic Hero, the later released PC-Engine port.

Game Over
In the Japanese version, running out of hearts merely sends you to the last inn you visited, with no penalty to your money or progress. As such, many players would "suicide" this way after a boss to avoid long sections of backtracking.

The American and European versions give you a newly-added Game Over screen instead, after which you get booted back to the title screen.

Final Boss
Bio-Meka was incredibly easy in the Japanese version: he was basically a sitting duck on the right side of the screen occasionally firing some laser bolts. The US version added more laser orbs in the background and a fast-moving floor with a chainsaw moving back and fourth.

Brazil
In 1994, the game was localized (like the previous two Monster World games) as a tie-in licensed game called Turma da Mônica na Terra Dos Monstros ("Monica's Gang in Monster World"), with the Monster World title finally used...somewhat. Monica replaces Shion in the title screen with her threatening blue doll, which is her main weapon. Weapons and many plot-relevant NPCs have been replaced by items and characters from the comic; as a result, their graphical style clashes with the anime feel of the unaltered NPCs.