With the recent release of the ModRetro Chromatic, Tales of Monsterland DX stood out to me as a solid platformer to test the new Game Boy FPGA-based hardware.
Initially developed by UK-based solo developer Joel Jarman during the pandemic, Tales of Monsterland DX, as the title suggests, is a deluxe upgrade of its original release. The game is a platformer inspired by classic titles in the genre, notably borrowing elements from series such as Wonder Boy and even Nintendo’s Kirby—which also debuted on the original DMG Game Boy.
Tales of Monsterland DX introduces colour to the game world, bringing its five distinct areas to life. From the Green Hill-inspired tile set of the forest to the pitch-black, ghost-infested towers, Tales of Monsterland DX pops on the ModRetro Chromatic’s pixel-perfect screen.
Beyond its strong visuals, Tales of Monsterland DX stands out with its exceptional soundtrack, composed by Incognito. The music features appropriately chipper chiptunes that evoke a sense of adventure, reminiscent of classic NES and Sega Master System titles.
“Tales of Monsterland DX pops on the ModRetro Chromatic’s pixel-perfect screen.”
The writing in Tales of Monsterland DX is another pleasant surprise. With its light-hearted yet humorous tone, the game feels reminiscent of titles like EarthBound and the Mario & Luigi RPG series.
The game’s premise is simple: players must explore a mysterious land to find a way to restore a broken bridge that will allow the player character to return home. In classic video game fashion, however, the land is overrun with monsters, including walking mushrooms, bats, skeletons, ghosts, and even underwater aquatic threats.
Thankfully, like its Wonder Boy inspiration, Tales of Monsterland DX features a handful of transformations and power-ups that both strengthen the player and enable solid Metroidvania-style exploration sequences during the game’s brisk hour or so of playtime.
Some of the fun transformations featured in Tales of Monsterland DX include werewolf and butterfly forms, which open up the game world to the player by its end. Additionally, players have access to a sword, a projectile ring, and another slot, offering some variety in attacks. Equipping the sword, in particular, allows players to press the B button to strafe backward, similar to mechanics in games like Castlevania.
Abilities and transformations don’t use energy, so players don’t need to worry about experimenting or simply messing around in the game. However, if you’re like me and find the butterfly ability early, I recommend not relying too heavily on it, as it may undermine some of the platforming challenges in the latter half of the game.
If you’re a Game Boy enthusiast like me, the closest comparison I can make outside of games like Wonder Boy—which was never on the Game Boy—would be something like Trip World, particularly regarding the cutesy aesthetic and overall world design. Additionally, like Trip World, Tales of Monsterland DX is a relatively short game, which Joel Jarman describes as being designed to be played during a car ride. This makes it a perfect bite-sized platformer for Game Boy fans or new owners of the ModRetro Chromatic.
“If you’re a Gameboy enthusiast like myself, the closest comparison I can make outside of games like Wonderboy, which was never on the Gameboy, would actually be something like the game Trip World.”
Of course, the short length of Tales of Monsterland DX could be a drawback, especially given the price of a physical cartridge. However, the game will also be available digitally in the future, with a demo currently accessible on Itch.
Ultimately, Tales of Monsterland DX is a charming and solid platformer worthy of your time. Whether or not you decide to pay extra for a physical copy depends on how much you value physical releases, game preservation, or supporting the developer’s efforts.
