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Mickey’s Gaming Legacy
Disney Epic Mickey introduces a major new chapter in the life of Disney’s iconic character, but it’s not the first time Mickey Mouse has graced a home video game console. A surprising number of games have featured the character on systems from NES to the PlayStation 2. We've detailed the best-remembered titles in this glimpse back at Mickey’s gaming roots.
Mickey Mousecapade
NES
1988
Mickey’s first adventure on home consoles had him and Minnie setting out on a far-flung adventure to rescue Alice, of Wonderland fame. The simple platformer differed from many of its contemporaries by including a second character, even if Minnie was rarely more than a tagalong companion who caused more harm than good. The game’s moderate success prompted Capcom to move forward on plans for more titles starring the intrepid Disney characters.
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
Sega Genesis, Sega Master System
1990
Mickey’s appearances on Sega systems are undoubtedly the most fondly remembered by fans, especially this stellar platformer. The first in the Illusion series, Castle of Illusion’s gorgeous animations brought Mickey’s movements to life as he journeyed through a surreal magic castle to rescue girlfriend Minnie. Stepping through magic doorways, players found inventive and surprising levels – everything from a strange enchanted forest to a toyland of lifesize playthings. After gathering together the gems hidden throughout the stronghold, Mickey faced a final throwdown with Mizrabel the witch. The game was a huge success, spawning a Genesis sequel and two Game Gear follow ups (Land of Illusion and Legend of Illusion). Though not directly Mickey related, the series included an excellent offshoot starring Donald Duck entitled Quackshot.
Fantasia
Sega Genesis
1991
Fancy graphics couldn’t save this action/platformer created by Infogrames, in which Mickey reenacted his role from the classic cartoon musical. Control issues and a lack of any meaningful plot or character development left the game a pale imitation of the far better Illusion titles. When the demon Chernabog (from Night on Bald Mountain) steals the notes of the orchestra, Mickey, clad in sorcerer’s apprentice robes, gives pursuit. The problematic game saved some face with a decent musical score – unsurprising, since the themes from Fantasia are some of the greatest classical works of all time.
World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck
Sega Genesis
1992
While the sequel to Castle of Illusion could be tackled alone, playing with a friend was a blast, especially given how few titles at the time offered dedicated cooperative features. Like its predecessor, World of Illusion had fantastic animations and smart, varied level designs. This time around, Mickey and Donald were whisked away in the midst of their illusion show into a place where magic was very real. Highlights of the game included magic carpet rides, floating through the sea in an enchanted air bubble, and a wealth of clever puzzles that required both players to work together, like using a seesaw to rocket one character up to a higher platform.
The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse
SNES
1992
Even as Sega fans basked in the excellent Illusion games, Nintendo gamers found a great alternative in The Magical Quest. The expected platforming gameplay was broken up by a clever costume changing mechanic. Mickey could don a magician’s apparel to blast out magic, a firefighter’s garb for an endless stream of water, or even climbing gear for scaling tough walls. The Magical Quest received two sequels, but the third installment didn’t initially release outside of Japan. That game and its two predecessors were all remade years later as the Disney’s Magical Quest series for the Game Boy Advance; those installments added Minnie and Donald as playable companions.
Mickey’s Ultimate Challenge
SNES, Game Boy, Sega Genesis, Sega Master System, Game Gear
1994
Sweeping across every imaginable platform, Mickey’s Ultimate Challenge was targeted straight towards the younger set. It stands unique from most of the other Mickey Mouse video games as a puzzler, albeit an incredibly simple one. As kids investigated a castle in the troubled town of Beanswick, they encountered a few enigmas, from memory challenges to guessing games. Completing puzzles garnered magic beans, which in the end grew into (you guessed it) a beanstalk; at the top was a snoring giant – the source of the town’s rumbling distress.
Mickey Mania: The Timeless Adventures of Mickey Mouse
SNES, Sega Genesis, Sega CD
1994
Taking advantage of Mickey’s massive backlog of movie appearances, Mickey Mania was a well-received early platforming release from Traveller’s Tales, the company many gamers may recognize from the recent LEGO games. The game sent Mickey back into some of his greatest stories, including levels inspired by Moose Hunters (1937), Lonesome Ghosts (1927), and The Prince and the Pauper (1990). Like Junction Point’s new Epic Mickey, Mickey Mania prominently featured the Mad Doctor, a crazy scientist first seen in the 1933 cartoon film named for the villain.
The Great Circus Mystery Starring Mickey and Minnie
SNES, Sega Genesis
1994
By the time The Great Circus Mystery hit shelves, Capcom had a clearly delineated approach to its platforming Disney games. For this go around, Mickey and Minnie’s date at the circus is set aside after Pluto and Donald go missing and the festive carnival atmosphere turns ugly. Co-op gameplay and strong visuals helped the game shine. However, it was the return of outfit changing that kept the game exciting throughout. The two mice could transform into the likes of a cowboy on a hopping wooden horse, or a sweeper with a powerfully sucking vacuum.
Disney’s Magical Mirror Starring Mickey Mouse
Nintendo GameCube
2000
One of Mickey’s most recent starring roles wasn’t met with much success. This GameCube exclusive point-and-click adventure game fell prey to the worst of that genre’s pitfalls, with few of its rewards. Drawn into a mysterious mansion through a magic mirror, Mickey sought out and combined items to break free of the house. Too-simple puzzles and incredibly slow-moving gameplay made the game boring for kids and adults alike.
Kingdom Hearts
PlayStation 2
2002
Modern players most likely recall Mickey’s video game adventures not from platforming run-and-jumps, but from Square Enix’s sprawling role-playing adventure. King of his domain, Mickey spent most of the first game out of the spotlight as new hero Sora joined up with Donald and Goofy. The second installment of the series in 2006 put Mickey in a more significant role, as a ninja-like warrior for justice. Bearing a keyblade beside Sora, the two stood strong against the Heartless and helped save the scattered worlds. One of the second game’s locales sent players reeling into a black and white world perfectly modeled after Mickey’s first sound cartoon, Steamboat Willie.
(This feature was first published in Game Informer issue #199)
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