Epic Mickey's the most promising Disney-themed video game since Kingdom Hearts, thanks to a unique and beautiful fantasy world, a few key features and a wonderful plot. It's without question one of 2010's most intriguing releases, especially since it's a Wii exclusive. Third parties have struggled on Nintendo's system, mostly with mature-rated content, but this for-all-ages adventure could be pivotal in the console wars. Here are five reasons you should keep both eyes on it.
Designed by Warren Spector
At first, this seemed like an odd choice, but now it makes perfect sense. In addition to being an expert on all things Disney (perhaps even a fan boy), Warren Spector has also worked on some of the best video games, including Wing Commander, System Shock, Deus Ex and Thief: Deadly Shadows. He's both extraordinarily talented and well respected within the gaming community, so having him and his development company, Junction Point Studios, on board is like signing a big name free agent to your professional basketball team. Bottom line, Epic Mickey is in excellent hands.
Intriguing story
Part of Epic Mickey's narrative revolves around Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, the most unlucky cartoon character in Disney's history. Walt Disney was forced to abandon his first creation in favor of Mickey, who went on to become the company mascot and icon. For the sake of the video game, Mickey winds up in Oswald's forgotten world (also known as the Wastleland), and the rabbit's not exactly happy to see him. This creates an interesting dynamic, where Mickey hopes to gain Oswald's trust, while Oswald hopes to destroy the mouse and claim the spotlight. Meanwhile, Mickey must stop the evil Phantom Blot while interacting with robotic versions of pals Donald Duck and Goofy. We think both kids and adults will enjoy it.
Good and bad Mickey
Most people know Mickey Mouse as the good natured and smiling rodent slapped onto Disney merchandise, but he wasn't always a nice guy. During the early years, Mickey was a mischievous jerk who rarely went out of his way to help characters in need. Spector hopes to bring both sides of Mickey to life in the video game, where players can choose to be a Hero or a playful Scrapper who starts fights with everyone (or you can dabble in both personas). It's good to see Mickey in a new/old light.
Unique style of play
Most big-budget Disney games force players to jump on platforms and bop enemies' heads, the standard issue stuff we see in countless Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog games. Epic Mickey, however, works differently. Although you'll still jump around a lot, the goal is to use a magic paintbrush (AKA the Wii remote) to add things to the environment or remove them, solving puzzles, accessing new areas, destroying bad guys or avoiding boss fights. We haven't seen this in action, but the concept sounds intriguing.
Twisted art style
To say that Epic Mickey looks different would be a huge understatement. This game has its own, unique pulse. The Wasteland features dark versions of Cinderella's Castle, Goofy, Donald Duck and Epcot, with a style that screams Tim Burton. Expect lots of creepy locales filled with bizarre looking monsters and strange scenery, all tailor made to take advantage of the Wii's graphical muscle (what there is of it).
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