Aboard the Oceanic Star, a luxurious cruise liner making her way around the world, the passengers were enjoying a clear, warm and very pleasant day. Some strolled the decks. Others took advantage of the weather by sunbathing or taking a dip in the pool. The atmosphere was blithe and cheerful, even idyllic, until a horrible rending sound and a massive shudder tore through the vessel, creating instant chaos. Fortunately, the crew's emergency training averted complete panic. The ship went down, but only after the lifeboats were filled and launched. They even managed to make their way to land, albeit only a remote island that seems bereft of anything potentially useful except for a few pieces of wreckage and scattered boxes of supplies. Clearly, if the survivors are to have any chance of returning to civilization, they'll need to work together. 

In Wonderland Online, the players take on the roles of these individuals. Developed by a Taiwanese studio, Chinesegamer International, the title has a colorful, anime-influenced look and is offered to North American players by regional publisher IGG, which started its live service here a couple of months ago. From the latter company and other sources, we were aware of certain features and elements like the availability of a dozen starting characters, of which we noticed more than half are female, and the fact that the gameworld spans the planet, from China to Egypt, Mayan forest lands and the South Pole. Of course, we've also been searching for the opportunity to acquaint ourselves in much further depth. Luckily for us, such an occasion arose recently when we had the chance to put our questions in front of team member Chole Chen.

Jonric: What are the first things you'd like our readers to know about Wonderland Gold? What is its basic premise, and what differentiates it from other massively multiplayer games?

Chole Chen: Wonderland Online Gold is a large MMORPG that introduces different world cultures and has exciting combination and manufacturing systems. The game begins with a disastrous shipwreck occurring on the high seas. Surviving players find they have been stranded on an isolated island. They are then told that they have to finish a series of quests and accept many tough challenges to get back to their home. The game has been translated from a popular Japanese title that features a serious shipwreck, and just as its name implies, Wonderland Gold gives players a chance to travel around the world and to understand different cultures.