The team also introduces a number of 3D sequences in its Castle of Illusion remake, with mixed results. Its 2.5D presentation and sweeping camera channels Namco's Klonoa and the more recent Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams, and does a great job of showcasing the lush backdrops while interfering little with the foreground action. Sega Studios Australia makes deft alterations to Castle of Illusion's formula throughout. In its remake, Sega shifted this scene to a forward-scrolling perspective, evoking nostalgia for the chase levels from the 16-bit Mickey Mania and Virgin's The Lion King (minus the extreme difficulty of either game, thankfully). Later in the forest level, Mickey must run away from a gigantic rolling apple in a brief but iconic action sequence. It's a subtle but smart change, retaining a memorable sequence from the original game while ensuring that it doesn't bog down players with a spike in difficulty. Failing this segment simply boots Mickey to the second half of the forest level, rather than taking away a life and forcing the player to repeat the stage. In the remake, however, this sequence is reduced to an optional bonus area, rewarding skilled players with special collectibles upon completion. Immediately afterward, the Genesis version of Castle of Illusion ramps up its difficulty in a level that takes place atop a canopy of spiderwebs, challenging players to complete several precise jumps over a bottomless pit. At first, Sega's remake greatly resembles the 16-bit version, pitting Mickey against slow-moving enemies and simple platforming challenges. The butt-bounce is still preferable in many cases (and often necessary, in order to reach overhead platforms), but long-range attacks give Mickey capabilities beyond what you might expect from the genre.Ĭastle of Illusion's initial forest level showcases Sega Studios Australia's canny ability to reinterpret and improve upon 16-bit level designs. Mickey is also equipped with a limited supply of throwable weapons, which can be used to take out faraway enemies. It's a solid change, and helps to make the game more immediately accessible. The attack has been tweaked slightly for the remake of Castle of Illusion, removing the need for an additional button press before impact. Mickey's primary method of attack is a classic among platforming heroes: the butt-bounce. Similar to the approach GRIN took with its excellent Bionic Commando Rearmed, Castle of Illusion's remake downplays or strips out elements from the original game that didn't quite work out, while focusing on components that were particularly effective.Ĭastle of Illusion's basic mechanics remain mostly untouched, for example. The result contributes enough new content to make the experience worthwhile for Castle of Illusion veterans, while also ensuring a consistent gameplay flow for newcomers. Sega Studios Australia deviates little from Castle of Illusion's structure, capturing the spirit of the original game while adding its own embellishments when needed. Castle of Illusion is both a great remake and a showcase for the key elements that make up a successful platformer.Originally released for the Sega Genesis in 1991, Castle of Illusion boasted exceptional graphics, memorable challenges, and a satisfying difficulty curve, earning it a spot among the best Disney-licensed platformers. Sega's HD update of Castle of Illusion throws the failings of Disney's recent platformers into sharp relief, exposing the pitfalls of brand-driven remakes while demonstrating a love and reverence for its source material. More recently, DuckTales: Remastered attempted to add more character to Capcom's beloved classic with frequent cutscenes, trampling the perfect pacing of the original game. 2012's Epic Mickey: The Power of Illusion for the Nintendo 3DS cited direct inspiration from Sega's 16-bit classic, Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, but its gameplay was burdened with endless dialogue and ill-fitting Disney cameos. Modern-day developers of Disney platformers often lean heavily on the license in the hopes of repeating previous successes, but their attempts have come up short. This approach may not sit well with brand managers today, but it made for great video games. The reality is that many memorable platformers – including DuckTales, Rescue Rangers, and yes, Castle of Illusion – took severe liberties with Disney's characters and canon, leading to unexpected innovation. As recent efforts demonstrate, however, licensing is only a small part of the equation. Longtime video game fans speak fondly of the "Disney magic" that made for great platformers throughout the '80s and '90s.
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