Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair

Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair
Promotional brochure for the arcade version.
Developer(s)	Westone Bit Entertainment
Publisher(s)	WW: Sega JP/NA: Hudson Soft NA: NEC PAL: Nintendo
Composer(s)	Shinichi Sakamoto
Platform(s)	Arcade, CD-ROM²/TurboGrafx-CD, Mega Drive, Wii (Virtual Console), Microsoft Windows (Steam), Cloud (OnLive)
Release	Arcade JP: November 1988 CD-ROM²/TurboGrafx-CD JP: August 31, 1989 NA: August 1, 1990 Mega Drive JP: December 22, 1990 EU: 1991 Wii Virtual Console NA: December 17, 2007 PAL: December 21, 2007 JP: April 15, 2008 Mega Drive JP: January 6, 2009 EU: March 6, 2009 NA: April 20, 2009 Microsoft Windows WW: January 26, 2011
Genre(s)	Scrolling shooter
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer
Cabinet	Upright
Arcade system	Sega System 16
Display	Raster, 320 x 224

Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair (ワンダーボーイIII モンスター・レアー, Wandā Bōi Surī: Monsutā Reā^?, lit. "Wonder Boy III Monster Lair") is a side-scrolling action game developed by Westone Bit Entertainment that was originally released for the arcades by Sega in 1988. It is the third game in the Wonder Boy series and the last one released for the arcade. A console adaption was made by Hudson Soft, released in 1989 in Japan for the PC Engine CD-ROM² System and the subsequent North American release on the TurboGrafx-CD dropped the 'Wonder Boy III' title. It was also converted and released by Sega for the Mega Drive in Japan in 1990 and Europe in 1991. Both, the TurboGrafx-CD and Mega Drive versions have been re-released for the Wii Virtual Console.

The game balances basic concepts found in both platformers and arcade shooters. The player is able to jump and shoot projectiles from a sword. He must ride a flying dragon and confront a large boss throughout the second half of each round. The player's life bar steadily diminishes as time passes. Health is gained through collection of fruit and projectile weapons. Some fruits, when shot, will expand and burst into multiple items.