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Wonder Boy III remake, Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap, was made free for a limited time for anyone to grab it in the Epic store, giving this timeless classic a new opportunity to charm gamers with its improved art style and fun gameplay.

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While Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap will feel familiar to anyone who was around in the 90s, some less seasoned gamers could have a hard time adjusting to the game's mechanics. That's why we've collected the best tips to help you in your adventure as Wonder Boy or Wonder Girl.

Take Your Time Exploring Around

pinranha man

This game rewards curiosity. There are multiple paths to follow and secrets to uncover. While exploring, you never know where a door will take you or how many secret passages are out there.

You will notice there are different ways to explore a level, whether that'll be using ledges to move around or diving to see what's under the sea. Moreover, each form Wonder Boy can take has unique abilities that will let you explore areas that were previously out of reach. So take your time and explore around to see what you can find!

Yes, The First Level Is A Loop

wonder girl at the beginning of the game

This one might seem obvious for seasoned gamers, but it could catch a person or two off guard. The starter area in this game works like a maze, so unless you go through a specific path, you will always end up in the same zone. There isn't a tutorial or some lore that tells you this, so you will need to figure this out on your own.

To get out and keep progressing through the game:

  1. Drop down the first hole you see (the one with the enemy that spits fireballs).
  2. On the next screen, defeat the bats and drop down the left hole; you will be now in a new area.
  3. From there, keep heading left until you reach a door.
  4. Open it to fight your first boss, Meka Dragon.

The Lizard-Man's Attack Does More Than Just Damage

Lizard-Man in Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap

Blocking in this game is relatively easy. As long as you have a shield equipped, your character will auto-block whenever a projectile hits you. However, one of the earliest forms you will play as is the Lizard-Man. This one can't use a shield, making it impossible to block.

Don't worry; there is a way around this. The Lizard-Man's attack, a breath of fire, can cancel enemy projectiles. All you need to do is use the attack in the direction the projectile is coming, and it will disappear before it can harm you.

Buy The Tasmanian Sword

buying the tasmanian sword

One of the coolest aspects of this platformer is that you get to explore the game world in different forms. Think Nobody Saves The World but retro.

After defeating a new boss, you will change into a completely different form with a different set of weaknesses and strengths than the previous ones. The downside? You won't be able to change forms freely at first, meaning you will be stuck in a form until you reach the next boss. However, there's a way to transform at will. All you need to do is purchase the Tasmanian Sword from a shopkeeper for 1480 gold.

You must unlock the mouse-man form before finding the shopkeeper selling the Tasmanian Sword.

After obtaining the sword, equip it and press the up button when you jump to change forms.

Don't Forget About Clinics

nurse in the clinic

You can do some things to preserve health, like quitting and reloading to avoid dying (more on that later), killing enemies in hopes that they drop health-restoring hearts as loot, or visiting a clinic.

Like shops, clinics are buildings scattered throughout this game's different areas, but the one you will be more acquainted with is the clinic in the village (it'll be to the left, past the windmill). Once inside a clinic, you can regain any lost health for a price.

Look For Better Equipment As Soon As You Can

shopkeeper in  the village

After defeating the first boss, Meka Dragon, you will be left with only one heart, making things harder for you as you will most likely die very quickly. To make things worst, you will be stuck in the Lizard-Man form, which can't hold a shield, so forget about auto-blocking.

But don't panic; you can purchase numerous shields and swords from shopkeepers to increase your attack and defense stats.

Shops have a sword emblem on the front so you can quickly identify them.

Quit And Reload Is Your New Best Friend

pause screen in Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap

You will be transported back to the village when you die in this game, losing all your items (like arrows and fireballs) in the process. However, the amount of gold you have will stay intact.

To keep your precious items, all you have to do is quit and reload whenever you think you're about to die. Doing so will save the game and send you back to the village with your complete inventory.

Whenever you're back in the village, don't forget to use the clinic to heal your character.

This tactic also comes in handy when you just finished a far away area and don't want to walk through it again to return to a previous zone. You can also quit and reload to replenish rooms and keep grinding for gold!

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