Wonder Boy (video game)



Wonder Boy is the first game in the Wonder Boy series, and also the only one which features a prehistoric theme with a few anachronisms thrown in. In this game, Tom-Tom has to rescue his girlfriend Tanya from a monster called Drancon.

Tropes in the original Wonder Boy:

 * American Kirby Is Hardcore: Here is the Japanese box art of the Game Gear version, and it looks way more cheerful that the incredibly bland Master System box art. Now, check out the American box art... hoo boy.
 * Chest Monster: The spotted eggs contain a Grim Reaper-type monster that drains your vitality.
 * Country Switch: The Master System port changes its title to Super Wonder Boy when played on a Japanese console.
 * Drought Level of Doom: The desert levels, where obviously, food is scarce. As well as many of the later levels.
 * Dub Name Change: The names of the characters were gradually changed with each localized version. First of all, Tom-Tom was originally named Boy in the Japanese versions, while his girlfriend Tina became Tanya in the Master System version (presumably to distinguish her from that "other" Tina). Finally, the main villain King was the last character renamed, as he was called Drancon in the American localization of the Game Gear version.
 * First Installment Weirdness: This game is the only game in the series to feature a prehistoric theme, not to mention the only game where the protagonist does not handle a sword.
 * Head Swap: The boss in each world is literally the same boss with a different head. After being defeated he changes to his next head.
 * Market Based Title
 * The Mark III version was titled Super Wonder Boy, presumably to distinguish it from the earlier SG-1000 version released exclusively in Japan, since the Mark III was backwards-compatible with all SG-1000 games.
 * For some reason, the Game Gear version was titled Revenge of Drancon in America (it was still called Wonder Boy everywhere else).
 * Wizard Needs Food Badly: Wonder Boy has to stay well fed, or else he'll die.