Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (2013 video game)

Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse

Developer(s) Sega Studios Australia
Feral Interactive (OS X)[1]
Publisher(s) Sega
Disney Interactive Studios
Feral Interactive (OS X)
Composer(s) Grant Kirkhope [2]
Series Illusion
Platform(s) PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, iOS, Windows Phone, Android, Mac OS X
Release date(s) PlayStation Network
  • WW September 3, 2013
Xbox Live Arcade, Microsoft Windows
  • WW September 4, 2013
iOS
  • WW November 21, 2013
Windows Phone
  • WW May 27, 2014
Android
  • WW June 18, 2014
Mac OS X
  • WW July 24, 2014
Genre(s) Platform game
Mode(s) Single player
Distribution Digital distribution

Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse is a 2.5D platform game developed by Sega Studios Australia and published by Sega. The game is a remake of the original 1990 Sega Genesis video game of the same name, which was the first title in the Illusion series of Mickey Mouse video games. The game was released on PlayStation Network on September 3, 2013, and on Xbox Live Arcade and Microsoft Windows the following day.[3] It was released for Mac OS X by Feral Interactive on July 24, 2014.[1]

Gameplay

Following the same style of gameplay as the original Mega Drive/Genesis title. Presented in high-definition 3D graphics, the game is largely played as a side-scrolling platformer like its predecessor, although some sections allow Mickey Mouse to move in multiple directions, such as puzzle segments. Mickey's main offensive ability is his bounce attack, which he can use to bounce on enemies - many of which are based on classic Silly Symphonies characters - and reach higher areas. He can also collect projectiles which he can throw at long distance enemies. Levels are re-envisioned versions of the original game's levels, featuring new layouts, puzzles and enemies, as well as enhanced boss fights. The castle itself, which was merely a transition in the original game, can now be fully explored, with new areas opened up by collecting numerous gems littered around each level. Throughout the game, players can find playing cards and chilli peppers that can be used to unlock various outfits for Mickey.[4]

Plot

As in the 1990 original, the game casts players in the role of Mickey Mouse who must fight his way through the Castle of Illusion to rescue Minnie Mouse from an evil witch Mizrabel who wants to steal her beauty.

Development

The Castle of Illusion remake was first teased by Sega in April 2013[5] and was officially announced later that month.[6] The game is developed by Sega Studios Australia, their last game before the studio is shut down,[7] under the supervision of the original game's director, Emiko Yamamoto.[8][9] The game features a remastered soundtrack arranged by Grant Kirkhope, as well as an option to listen to the original 16-bit soundtrack composed by Shigenori Kamiya. The game also features full voice acting for Mickey, as well as narration by Richard McGonagle.[4]

Release

Players who pre-ordered the game on PlayStation Network were able to download the original Genesis game, as well as a theme and custom avatars.[10]

Reception

Castle of Illusion has received mixed to positive reviews, with a current Metacritic score of 72/100 for PS3 [11] and 67/100 for Xbox 360.[12] IGN gave the game a score of 6.7, praising its presentation while critiquing its slippery controls and a short length.[13] Joystiq gave the game 4/5 stars, calling it "both a great remake and a showcase for the key elements that make a great platformer".[14] GameSpot gave the game a score of 7.0, praising its fun platforming while lamenting unskippable cutscenes.[15] Official Xbox Magazine gave the game a score of 8.0, calling it "a fun update to yesteryear’s classic, but also a solid platformer in its own right".[16] GamesRadar gave the game 3.5/5 stars, praising its presentation while lamenting some issues with controls on some TVs, on account of HDTV input lag.[17]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/22/disneys-castle-of-illusion-lowers-the-bridge-for-mac-this-week/?ncid=rss_truncated
  2. ↑ "Banjo-Kazooie composer is doing Castle of Illusion's OST". Destructoid. Retrieved 2013-08-10.
  3. ↑ "SEGA Blog | Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse Gets Release Date, Price, and Pre-Order Special". Blogs.sega.com. 2013-08-16. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Test Chamber – Castle Of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse - Features". www.GameInformer.com. 2013-07-29. Retrieved 2013-08-10.
  5. ↑ "Is SEGA Teasing a Castle of Illusion Remake? - IGN". Uk.ign.com. 2013-04-12. Retrieved 2013-08-10.
  6. ↑ "SEGA Blog | Announcing Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse". Blogs.sega.com. 2013-04-15. Retrieved 2013-08-10.
  7. ↑ Phillips, Tom (2013-04-05). "Sega to shut down Medieval 2: Total War developer Sega Studios Australia • News •". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved 2013-08-10.
  8. ↑ "HD Re-Make of Castle of Illusion Mickey Mouse Game Coming This Summer". Kotaku.com. Retrieved 2013-04-16.
  9. ↑ Matulef, Jeffrey. "Castle of Illusion remake unveiled for PSN, XBLA and PC • News • PlayStation 3 •". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved 2013-04-16.
  10. ↑ "Castle of Illusion remake releasing Sept 4, pre-orders include Mega Drive original". VG247. 2013-08-16. Retrieved 2013-12-30.
  11. ↑ "Disney Castle of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse Critic Reviews for Playstation 3". Metacritic. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
  12. ↑ "Disney Castle of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse Critic Reviews for Xbox 360". Metacritic. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
  13. ↑ Richard Cobbett 3 Sep 2013 (2013-07-22). "Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse HD Review - IGN". Uk.ign.com. Retrieved 2013-09-05.
  14. ↑ Cowan, Danny. "Castle of Illusion review: Once upon a mouse". Joystiq. Retrieved 2013-09-05.
  15. ↑ "Disney Castle of Illusion HD Review - GameSpot.com". Uk.gamespot.com. Retrieved 2013-09-05.
  16. ↑ "Official XBOX Magazine | Castle of Illusion review". Oxmonline.com. Retrieved 2013-09-05.
  17. ↑ Mike Suskie on September 5, 2013 (2013-09-05). "Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse review". GamesRadar. Retrieved 2013-12-30.

External links