The ZX Spectrum version of "Wonder Boy in Monster Land" received preview coverage in "Your Sinclair" magazine. They praised the new additions made to the game that separated it from "Wonder Boy"; they called the game "a good arcade adventure with a smattering of strategy thrown in". The magazine reviewed the game four months later. The reviewer noted the diverse level designs and many "surprises" the player will encounter, and they praised the game's learning curve, saying that it "is well thought out and you really feel as if you made some progress before you die". It was criticized for its long multi-load times on the ZX Spectrum, its jumping mechanics in which the character "floats around", and the graphics which was not as good as its predecessor. The reviewer called "Wonder Boy in Monster Land" "a souped-up version of "Wonderboy", which improves much on the original theory but at a slight cost to gameplay". Reviewers from UK-based magazine "The Games Machine" called it "probably the best conversion you could expect on the Spectrum". "Crash" magazine praised the ZX Spectrum version of the game for its detailed sprites and smooth movements, playability, and combat system. The reviewer further commended the game for the differences that set it apart from the original "Wonder Boy" game, citing the cartoon-like feel and the vast arrays of enemies and items; just as in "Your Sinclair", it was criticized for its slow multi-loading. Overall, the reviewer said the game is "great fun for the experienced games player or the person just starting out in the Spectrum world". "Sinclair User" magazine praised its gameplay, citing the ability to stab enemies with a sword, to collect gold and items left behind, and to go into shops and pubs and buy equipment. Further praise went to the colorful and detailed graphics and animations, though they said they tend not to perform well in more complex background settings. Spanish magazine "MicroHobby" said that the ZX Spectrum version brought nothing new from its arcade counterpart, but the execution was good; they lauded the game's graphics and its challenging and addictive gameplay, but they criticized it for its lack of originality.