Developed and published by Sega and Westone in 1992. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Al82_Retro Add me on Google+: http://bit.ly/1tPwL1u Originally released on the Sega Master System a year previously in 1991, Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap is a console-only release and incorporates RPG features within what is, to all intents and purposes, a platform game at it's core. The game is a direct sequel to Wonder Boy in Monster Land and begins with the player repeating the fight against Meka Dragon, the final boss from the previous game. Upon defeating his foe, the dragon places a curse upon Wonder Boy, transforming him from his human form into Lizard Man. Wonder Boy must search the land in order to find a way to reverse the effects of the curse and to regain his human form. Now a scaly, fire-breathing monstrosity, the player is dumped in the middle of a small town that acts as a central hub for the majority of the game. There's no obvious indication as to where the player must go from the start, so you must begin exploring different locations to discover where you must go. This initial period of discovery is quite good fun as it conveys a sense of an open world, even though the game is actually very linear once you learn where to go. The game is divided into a series of sections that can only be completed using one of the different animal forms . As you progress through the game, you'll fight a series of dragons that, when defeated, will transform Wonder Boy into another new form with different skills and abilities. Each of these different forms possesses unique skills that allows the player to progress through the next stage of the game. You'll spot locations that can only be accessed whilst in a specific form, so remember where they are as they often hide secret loot and items to collect. As mentioned earlier, the game features some basic RPG elements, including weapons and armour that possesses varying levels of attack power and defence rating, which improve combat effectiveness. The majority of items can be bought in shops for gold, although you will sometimes get lucky and a enemy will drop a piece of equipment. Bolstering regular melee attacks are a range of spells and items that allow you to attack enemies at range. With the exception of the boomerang (which can be reused providing you catch it), the spell is consumed once cast, so you must collect tokens from enemies to replenish your stock. The game features some bold, colourful graphics that generally look excellent. I was pleased to note that all of Wonder Boy's different forms have separate sprites for facing left and right, which means that his sword and shield don't miraculously swap between left and right hands when changing directions. Playing this on a modern LCD TV r ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o_rYCytSfU

Developed and published by Kemco in 1994. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Al82_Retro Add me on Google+: http://bit.ly/1tPwL1u Please Note: I've included all three endings - bad and neutral endings appear after the final credits. The 3D revolution might have been well under way in '94, but it was games such as Kid Klown that proved that there was still life in the old 16-bit machines yet. Kid Klown is sent on a mission to rescue King Klown's daughter, Honey, who has been kidnapped by the the notorious Blackjack. The objective is to guide Kid through five stages of slapstick action in order to retrieve the four playing cards hidden inside some of the floating balloons found on each stage. Collecting all four cards will reward Kid with a key to Honey's cage. If Kid manages to collect all four cards on the first attempt, he will also be rewarded with a Honey Heart; collecting all five hearts will unlock the best ending. Should Kid fail to collect any of the cards, he will be forced to retry the stage and can no longer get the best ending. The challenge then is to make sure you collect all cards on the first attempt. Collecting cards might not seem so tough, but Blackjack has planted a bomb at the end of each stage that must be defused. Each stage is a race against time as Kid must try to outrun the burning fuse wire and reach the goal line before the bomb can explode. As one might expect from a game involving clowns, many misfortunes can befall Kid as you help him progress through each stage. Numerous traps have been laid by Blackjack to block progress and prevent Kid from reaching the bomb in time. Much of the game's charm centres on Kid's misery as he trips, falls and gets blown up in a variety of ways. Access to bonus areas are hidden on each stage, each of which can reward Kid with a power-up, such as increased recovery time from traps or anti-slip shoes. I found some of the bonus areas during this longplay, but I'm not sure I found them all. Bonus games are available between stages and these give Kid a chance to reclaim energy that might have been lost in the previous stage. The two games available are whack-a-mole and air hockey, both of which are nicely realised and simple to control. Much of the challenge in Kid Klown comes from the time pressure of trying to reach the end of the stage under a time limit and attempting to find all the cards. It's impossible to go back for missed balloon, so expect to replay the stages multiple times until you become an expert. The game boasts some excellent graphics and sound and is really good fun. I can't say that there is much replay value once you've beaten the game, although a "hard mode" does become available. However, the game is great fun for as long as it lasts and is sure to impress ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_yh62kR8Ow

Follow me on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/Al82_Retro Get Great Retro Scene News @ http://www.vintageisthenewold.com Developed by Special FX and published by Ocean in 1989 ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3jUZjIH7NU

Game Info --------------------------------------------------- Developer: Konami Publisher: Konami Year of Release: 1991 Game Review & Impressions --------------------------------------------------- Information & Trivia --------------------------------------------------- Video Notes --------------------------------------------------- Related Longplays & Videos --------------------------------------------------- Chapters --------------------------------------------------- #konami #retrogaming #shmup ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh-f_U-QgrE