Wonder BoyGame GearSega Master SystemActionMetroidvaniaPlatformer
Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap
Developer: Westone Bit Entertainment · Published by Sega · 1989
The Metroidvania that existed before anyone had a word for it.
About This Game
Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap is an action-platformer developed by Westone Bit Entertainment and published by Sega for the Sega Master System in 1989. Players begin the game cursed by the Meka Dragon and must explore an interconnected world, defeat bosses, and collect animal transformations to restore their human form. A landmark of open-world design on 8-bit hardware and a direct ancestor of the Metroidvania genre. A high-definition remake developed by Lizardcube was released in 2017.
Screenshots
POCG Review
4.5
Excellent
Review Verdict
Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap
A genre-defining 1989 classic with brilliant animal transformations and vibrant colors, despite a frustrating password system.
In the News
Jul 162026
A Cult 1999 PlayStation Shmup Disguised as a Robot Anime Is Finally Leaving Japan
Geppy-X, a 1999 Japan-only PS1 shmup built like a 70s super-robot anime, gets a fully localized global remaster today, its cutscenes restored from the original Betacam masters.
ReleaseJul 162026
Someone Put a Game Boy Camera on a 100-Inch Telescope and Photographed Jupiter
Chris Graue mounted a 1998 Game Boy Camera to the Hooker Telescope, shot Jupiter's cloud bands at 128x112, and released the 3D-printed adapter files for free.
HardwareJun 72026
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse launches October 15, made by the Dead Cells team
Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, a direct sequel to 1989's Dracula's Curse made by the Dead Cells team, launches October 15 on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC.
ReleaseHow to Play TodayYour options for running this game in 2026
Original Hardware
Track down the SMS cartridge and play it on real hardware if you can. The original SMS version is noticeably easier than emulation due to the lack of input lag, which matters in a precision platformer. The Game Gear port exists but the screen crunch hurts the exploration.
Modern Re-release
The 2017 Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap remake is available on Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. It is excellent and lets you swap between modern HD graphics and the original 8-bit sprites on the fly.
Emulation / Other Options
Grab the 2017 remake on Steam or GOG. It includes the original 8-bit mode, giving you the classic experience with modern save features.