Lately it seems I’ve been looking to my retro game collection when it comes to spending a couple of spare hours mainly down to a lack of big Wii U releases at the moment. I’m not too crushed though since this means I have been able to rediscover some truly great games, one of the first I got my hands on being Disney’s Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse for the SNES.
When I was younger I found this game to be one of the best looking and also one of the most enjoyable platformers on the console that didn’t actually involve the red, portly plumber. Even stranger still was the fact it was a game based on Mickey Mouse - a character you rarely associate with a decent game nowadays. However thanks to some excellent environments and quirky costume changes Magical Quest delivered a game that felt like a true Disney experience.
The story kicks off with Mickey playing catch with his good ol’ pals Donald and Goofy. Sadly though a stray throw causes Pluto to go chasing after the ball eventually running off and becoming lost. Worried for his dog’s well-being, Mickey then sets off in search of him. It’s simple, it’s not original but it’s short and gives some reasoning to actually going on this adventure.
Gameplay wise this is your typical platformer. You can walk (and run if going downhill), jump, grab and so on. While some may be put off by the slow natured pace of the game due to the fact you will only be able to walk that doesn’t prevent this from being a tough game making even Mario and Sonic’s titles look like walks in the park. Lives are fairly short and instead of it simply being one hit and game over, you have a number of hearts which diminish every time you’re hit. It may seem a little easy if you can take five hits but trust me when I say even on normal five is simply not enough. You’ll find yourself being able to grab hold of flying tomatoes, traverse falling giant leaves and more. The game’s settings are vibrant taking you from beanstalks and forests to icy wonderlands and royal castles. Even though the controls are simple, that doesn’t stop there being significant challenge in each world. Whatsmore there are many secret areas to find, each offering rewards which can often aid you, especially later in the game.
Pages: 1 2
