12.05.07 - There is a series of games created by Westone (formerly Escape) whose lineage is ridiculously hard to figure out. It consists mainly of an amalgam of two sub-series: the Wonder Boy series and the Monster World series, but interesting licensing deals have lead to ports of the main games that look and play almost identically while having unrelated names. Westone worked with Sega on the Wonder Boy/Monster World games, with Sega owning the rights to the characters and Westone retaining the rights to the code. At the same time, Westone worked with Hudson on look-alikes released on other platforms.

Below is an attempt to demystify the series and the connections between the various titles. In the course of my research I've stolen without a second though from several great sites, like Hardcore Gaming 101, Myrsten Games and SMS Power, in addition to the usual.

There are six distinct entries in the series so far. Here is how to map the more obscure titles to the ones a western audience would be most familiar with. The leftmost column contains the main series, with the rest branching to the right. The blue titles were published by Sega, the green by Hudson and the red by Jaleco.

The initial outing stars what could be a cave man or island native who must save his love from the clutches of evil. His weapon of choice is a stone axe, though he also has access to a modern skateboard, completed with safety gear.

Wonder Boy - Sega - Arcade - USA/Japan (1986)
The original arcade title. A second version, called "Wonder Boy Deluxe" included a setting to control the life-depletion rate.

Wonder Boy - Sega - SG-1000 - Japan (1986)
A reportedly terrible port to the limited SG-1000, Sega's original home system.

Takahashi Meijin no Bouken Jima (Master Takahashi's Adventure Island) - Hudson - Famicom - Japan (1986)
The first Hudson-licensed port, starring Hudson's own CEO, Toshiyuki Takahashi, came out before any decent port of the original Wonder Boy. Hudson would go on to create a slew of Takahashi sequels which in many ways were more faitful to the original Wonder Boy than the Wonder Boy sequels.

Super Wonder Boy - Sega - SG-1000 Mark III - Japan (1987)
An excellent port to what is essentially the Japanese Master System. The "Super" moniker was introduced to differentiate it from the not-so-super SG-1000 version and perhaps to evoke images of a certain competitor's incredibly successful Super title.

Wonder Boy - Sega - Master System - USA (1987)
The US home console port, without the Super prefix.

Hudson's Adventure Island - Hudson - NES - USA (1988)
The US version of Takahashi Meijin.

Wonder Boy - Sega - Game Gear - Japan (1990)
A slightly retooled portable version.

Revenge of Drancon - Sega - Game Gear - USA (1991)
The US portable version, inexplicably renamed.

The second title in the series is where, in my humble opinion, things get good. While the first is a little too slippery and repetitive, the second's medieval-themed action/RPG mechanics are a real treat. One thing hasn't changed: it's still damn hard.

Wonder Boy: Monster Land - Sega - Arcade - USA/Japan (1987)
The original arcade version was released a year after part one. It features a garish status bar that occupies the full left quarter of the screen. This is considered the first title in the Monster World series.

Bikkuriman World - Hudson - PC-Engine - Japan (1987)
Hudson strikes again with the first home port and puts it on the then brand-spanking-new PC-Engine. Takahashi has been replaced, however, by the cast of the Bikkuriman anime series. It was the first of many Bikkuriman games. The garish status bar from the arcade is intact.

Super Wonder Boy: Monster World - Sega - SG-1000 Mark III - Japan (1988)
The (still Super) Mark III release. The status bar contents have been artfully relocated to the top of screen, similar to just about every other game ever made. For some reason, the title is "Monster World" despite the arcade (and US version) being "Monster Land".

Wonder Boy in Monster Land - Sega - Master System - USA (1988)
The USA SMS release.

Saiyuuki World (Western Journey World) - Jaleco/NMK - Famicom - Japan (1988)
The black sheep of the bunch. Identical in gameplay, but not quite in layout, to Wonder Boy: Monster Land, but using the theme and cast of Chinese literature's Journey to the West. It's not really clear if this is a licensed version of the game or not, though it's hard to believe that Westone would let them get away with such a blatant rip-off. However, Jaleco's sequel (releasd in the USA as Whomp 'EM) was a pretty obvious rip-off of Mega Man, so it's certainly possible.

With the third title, the genre switches again, this time to shooter with a minor amount of platforming thrown in. All RPG elements are dropped. It is the only installment to include two-player-simultaneous play. Despite having "Monster" in the title, this is not considered part of the Monster World series.

Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair - Sega - Arcade - USA/Japan (1989)
The arcade version featured bright, colorful graphics and parallax scrolling.

Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair - Hudson/Alfa System - PC-Engine - Japan (1989)
Definitely a curiosity, Hudson's PC-Engine release actually includes the Wonder Boy name. Was the brand big enough at this point that it was worth paying Sega for the license? Considering that the Mega Drive and PC-Engine were fierce competitors, it seems strange that Sega would give its consent. The CD-ROM format allows for a fantastic Red Book audio soundtrack, though the parallax from the arcade is missing.

Monster Lair - Hudson/Alfa System - TurboGrafx-16 - USA (1989)
For the USA release, Hudson drops the Wonder Boy name, making it just Monster Lair.

Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair - Sega - Mega Drive - Japan (1990)
Finally, the Mega Drive conversion shows up a year late. The parallax is back, but the color is typically drab and washed-out. Coupled with the lack of the PCE/TG16's soundtrack, this is an inauspicious entrance for Sega's new console.

Perhaps the favorite of the series, the fourth title marks the return of the RPG elements. A direct sequel to the second title, our hero starts the game by finishing the last level and final battle of Wonder Boy: Monster World. After defeating the mecha-dragon, he is cursed with a dragon form, and will have many animal forms throughout the game before returning to his old self. Clever level design and dynamic gameplay are the highlights of this entry.

Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap - Sega - Master System - USA (1989)
A console-only title, but since by 1989 the Mark III was struggling in Japan, this title was never relased there. This makes the USA Master System version the original release. In a boneheaded maneuver, Sega decides to ignore Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair and name this title Wonder Boy III as well.

Monster World II - Sega - SG-1000 Mark III - Japan (N/A)
Included for reference, we have the title screen displayed when the SMS game is run on a Mark III. This proves that Sega was originally considering a Japanese release and designates this title as the second in the Monster World series.

Dragon's Curse - Hudson - TurboGrafx-16 - USA (1990)
Hudson's TurboGrafx-16 port adjusts the title only slightly. Interestingly, it comes out in the USA before Japan.

Adventure Island - Hudson - PC-Engine - Japan (1991)
The PC-Engine port is the bizarrely named Adventure Island, which unexpectedly creates a connection to the USA NES version of the first tile, Hudson's Adventure Island.

Monster World II: Dragon no Wana (Monster World II: Dragon's Trap) - Sega - Game Gear - Japan (1992)
Monster World II finally gets its due in Japan on the Game Gear.

Wonder Boy: Dragon's Trap - Sega - Game Gear- USA (1992)
The Game Gear port comes to the USA without the "III". Perhaps it was removed because the fifth title was already out on the Genesis?

The fifth title ramps up the presentation to a new level. In a move seen as disappointing to some, it focuses on the hero in his human form, removing the shape-changing element and the gameplay that went with it.

Wonder Boy V: Monster World III - Sega - Mega Drive - Japan (1991)
This was the last title in the series to include Wonder Boy. From the design of the title it's clear that he is being phased out, making "Monster World" the focus and perhaps opening the door to other lead characters...

Wonder Boy in Monster World - Sega - Genesis - USA (1992)
The USA release, whose title could be easily confused with the Mark III's port of the second game, Super Wonder Boy: Monster World.

Wonder Boy in Monster World - Sega - Master System - Europe (1993)
As the Mark III was gasping for breath in its homeland, it was stronger than ever other parts of the world, such as Europe and South America. Europe got its own 8-bit port of Wonder Boy in Monster World as a result and it reportedly does the title justice.

The Dynastic Hero - Hudson - TurboGrafx-16 - USA (1993)
Hudson does it again, this time creating an original insect-inspired cast and story for their port. Once again, the USA release comes first.

Cho Eiyuu Densetsu: Dynastic Hero (Super Hero Legend: Dynastic Hero) - Hudson - PC-Engine - Japan (1994)
Dynastic Hero hits Japan, a year late.

The sixth and final (so far) title in the series is exclusively a Monster World game with Wonder Boy no where to be seen. He is replaced by Asha, an arabian girl whose green hair suggests a possible connection to our missing hero.

Monster World IV - Sega - Mega Drive - Japan (1994)
Monster World IV packs an amazing amount of graphics, sound and animation into a 16-meg cart, making it not only one of the high points of the series, but one of the finest Mega Drive games.