In fact, the colour design is worth extra mention-the game is absolutely lush throughout, with real depth to the character shading and a consistency that most similar games fail to match.
#Castle of illusion starring mickey mouse trial full
Mickey himself is arguably at the best he’s looked in a videogame, full of expression, smoothly animated and fantastically well-coloured. The little touches, such as the scratches overlaid onto the first level (to simulate watching the cartoon on worn film stock), the three-dimensional entrance to the Lonesome Ghosts’ mansion and the way that the colour gradually returns to the docks as you pass through them lend an unmistakable sense that the developers cared about this game-and that’s without mentioning the rotating tower levels, which need to be seen to be believed. There are plenty of secrets, some of which are extremely tricky to find, including a full secret level based on Mickey’s first colour appearance, “The Band Concert.”Īs far as visuals go, Traveller’s Tales outdid themselves-Mickey Mania is graphically stunning throughout, with fantastic sprite design and background art really giving the game an authentic cartoon feel. Thankfully, the levels are, without exception, fun to play and throw up more than a few surprises. (The Queen Spider chase in “Mickey and the Beanstalk,” for example, is laughably anti-climactic.) This also gives the game a rather bitty feel, with some sub-levels lasting less than a minute. This can be a little frustrating, as there’s certainly more they could have done with some of the mechanics. (Even the shortest level, “Moose Hunters,” has two sections that are entirely different.) Most of these introduce some sort of new gimmick, which is promptly done away with in the next area. The levels themselves are varied, with each one built of several distinct sections. The experience as a whole is slightly hamstrung by this rigid commitment to chronicling the all-American rodent’s exploits in the correct order, but not to the extent that the game is ruined.
The chronological nature of the cartoons doesn’t really lend itself to a traditional game structure, so you will play levels that really belong near the end of the game (“The Mad Doctor” is a particular culprit) rather too soon, for the obnoxious reason that the cartoon it’s based on was released earlier than those that inspired the easier stages. This problem is compounded by the learning curve, which essentially doesn’t exist. This means that the levels aren’t exactly related, so there isn’t much of a sense of progression. It doesn’t take long to get used to them.Įach stage takes the form of a classic Mickey Mouse cartoon, largely from the thirties. The controls feel slightly floaty, which can be a little disconcerting at first. By default, the A and C buttons jump, while the B button throws marbles, which is Mickey’s primary attack, alongside his size thirteens. Travellers Tales seem to have focused on simplicity, as Mickey is a piece of cake to control. This much should seem obvious, given that it was released on 16-bit consoles, as every 16-bit game ever made is also a platformer. As a proven advocate of the old-school Disney games, what better to celebrate my homecoming with? After all, long-time readers may remember that I reviewed both Castle of Illusion and its seminal sequel back in the old days. However, this isn’t as arbitrary as it sounds-not only is Mickey Mania an extremely enjoyable game, it’s also rather appropriate as my comeback review. The resolution, you ask? Essentially I got bored and chose the game I’d played most recently, which happened to be Mickey Mania. For what must have been a full minute I agonised over this, painstakingly sorting through the thousands of games I’ve enjoyed and endured, desperate to find that one title that would serve as the catalyst to my resurrection. A game that would speak to you-communicating my personality, tastes, opinions and integrity. After considerable time away from GameCola, I had to choose the perfect game to review upon my grand return.
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