E3 2010: Hands-On With 'Disney Epic Mickey'

By Hector Cortez Jun 22, 2010, 3:37 GMT

Disney Epic Mickey has got elements from so many genres that the \'epic\' in its title feels all too fitting.

Written by Michael Barryte

Disney Epic Mickey has got elements from so many genres that the 'epic' in its title feels all too fitting.

The game feels very much like a platformer from the N64 and PlayStation era. Mickey sports a double jump and an added spin to allow him to remain in the air. He also has paint and thinner which are a huge mechanic of the game as just about everything in the environmen can be painted or eraced, thus revealing secrets or removing obstacles.

Another fun element of Epic Mickey is that it plays on the ever popular RPG trend where your actions have direct consequences in the game's universe. In the demonstration, the pirates of Skull Rock had been turned into robots (which arguably would be the coolest type of pirate), and Smee wants you to stop the machine that's causing the robotic transformations. You have two options: reverse the machine, making the robots human; or turn off the machine, so that you still have robot pirates, but the rest of the human pirates will no longer be at risk. You affect the world as you play, hopefully resulting in some very twisted situations.

The game also sports 2D side-scrolling levels which are akin to classic Disney cartoons. I got to play through a level styled after the 1928 animated short Steamboat Willie, the first Disney toon to feature synchronized sound. It offers an amazing sense of nostalgia and Disney fanatics will drool over the amount of small nods this game offers.

Epic Mickey has all the essentials needed to deliver a rich platforming experience, including tons of collectibles. The paint and thinner mechanic, along with the actions and consequences would be enough for me; but now dip this in Disney magic and you can bet that I'm looking forward to clocking in quite a bit of time on this game.

Michael Barryte is a Monsters & Critics Gaming contributor and is also the co-creator and co-star of the internet series Ari & Stone.