castle of illusion starring mickey mouse sega master system

I say, “mostly.” Castle of Illusion has something that most non-Mario platformers don’t: confidence. There are a couple automatic-scrolling portions that change up the proceedings, but otherwise, Castle of Illusion is mostly Platforming 101.

Mickey butt pounds his way from left to right, destroying enemies and uncovering hidden treasures, like coins (for points), cake (for health), and mouse ears (for extra lives). If you’ve played the 16-bit version or any side-scrolling platformer in the last 30 years, you’ll know what to expect here. And while the level design isn’t non-linear by any means, most levels have branching paths that encourage replay value, something 16-bit Castle of Illusion lacked.Įven music itself is against you, Mickey. The carryover levels all have different layouts, making them feel more like remixed imaginings of the same idea. The Enchanted Forest, Toyland, The Library, and the Castle stages all hail from the Genesis version, while the Clock Tower and the Dessert Factory are exclusive to the Master System and Game Gear versions. Not even nightmare-inducing anthropomorphic letters sully Mickey’s stride! A more optimistic video game character, there isn’t. His girlfriend may be kidnapped, but he knows he’s gonna rescue her ’cause, well, he’s Mickey. He can still throw objects, still butt pound his enemies into oblivion.

Mickey can handle a powerful witch, but God forbid he encounter insects.Īs in the Genesis version, Mickey’s out to save Minnie from the evil witch, Mizrabel. While the graphics do take a considerable hit, the quaint, lighthearted platforming feels much more at home here than on the Genesis.

Sega’s 8-bit versions of their popular arcade/Genesis titles often suffered during conversion (see: Golden Axe, E-SWAT, among many others). The beautifully rendered environments, Mickey’s smooth animation, the gorgeous storybook presentation: all meant to distract from the 8-bit era hop-and-bop platforming.Īnd then there’s Castle of Illusion for the Master System. The game may have played like a platformer of its day, but its outstanding visuals more than justified the cost of a new console.Ĭastle of Illusion for the Genesis is indeed a visual masterpiece – a Disney cartoon come to life – but the game clearly values style over substance. 3 were “the hotness.” Pre- Sonic the Hedgehog, I can imagine many kids receiving the Genesis with Castle of Illusion and not being disappointed. The NES was still going strong and 8-bit platformers like Super Mario Bros. The SNES was a year out from launch in North America. Castle of Illusion – one of Sega’s flagship games for the Genesis that year – released in December 1990, only 16 months after the Genesis debuted in North America. However, I'd suspect there's better fare on the SMS to spend your time with.Mickey ponders whether Minnie is worth the hassle.īy late 1990, the 16-bit party was just beginning.

In summation, a good solid game, a fun playthrough, and a fair representation/companion to the original 16-bit masterpiece. But considering the wonderful Capcom-developed entries into that arena (specifically the MegaMan-esque DuckTales), the Mickey SMS is not even in the same league. Compared to 8-bit Mickey excursions on Nintendo, this game is a superior product. It does feel a little unfair to compare it to it's older sibling, so I will compare it to other Disney 8-bit games, in which case it holds its own as well. To judge it on it's own, Castle of Illusion SMS was exactly what I'd expected of Castle of Illusion Genesis - this truly was a kiddie game, designed with the younger player in mind, and therefore it was an enjoyable romp but absolutely a cakewalk. To that end, I was happy to have a different game, rather than a lower-tech looking rehash. The game ended up being competent - the gameplay style was quite different than it's big brother, and the whole game layout was very reworked (it felt like it was ' roughly inspired by the 'real' Castle of Illusion). I wasn't expecting anything along the lines of a hi-level Mario game, but something halfway decent with a lot of love and care put in, and hopefully one of the better excursions on the starving Master System library. And so, I picked up the game eagerly and tore through it.

Castle of illusion starring mickey mouse sega master system