Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Junction Point vice president and creative director Warren Spector, Peter Ong and the rest of the team from DreamRift behind the development of Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion for the Nintendo 3DS and some folks from Disney Interactive. We were shown an amazing Disney day and night, meeting with VIP lounges and Magic Kingdom tours and a lovely dinner at California Grill. In between all the wining and dining, we learned so much about the game, from the people that poured their hearts and souls into its creation. It’s rare, as a consumer, to meet the minds behind a video game, and discover all hard work and detail each person contributed.
Hearing from Warren Spector was, as a Disney fan, wonderful. Not only is he a long-time video game fan, but a long-time Disney fan as well. Seeing his passion in action was a treat as he described his involvement in Epic Mickey. I had wondered if Disney nerds experts like those of you reading this now, would find things within the game that would satisfy our particular level of…attention. Warren assured us that we would be in heaven with the specific park and Disney film details within Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion.
In addition, talking through the actual game developers throughout the day and learning how they watched the Disney films used in the game countless times, and various other ways they kept true to the Disney brand, the classic gaming experience they were honoring, and bringing in a whole new generation with the drawing aspect to the Nintendo 3DS.
This video below will shed some light on the thought process behind the game and how game play develops.
As far as the details go, yes, it is played on a 3D handheld system, however you can turn OFF 3D any time, if your eyes have had too much or you’d just like a traditional gaming experience. The game is rated G but for ages 7 and up because of the 3D aspect. Too much exposure to the 3D setting on young eyes can be damaging. Outside of that issue, there are no other concerns as far as violence or age range go.
I was able to play through the first level of the game, and as a very casual gamer, I was able to figure things out, but there were some parts that were a little frustrating, so keep that in mind with younger players. Of course practice and patience is the key to any successful video game conquest!
Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion is a great game for anyone looking to recreate a classic 16 bit experience with a modern update, or any fan of Disney animated features or Parks. The game will be available on November 18, 2012.
Disclosure: Great thanks to the Disney Interactive team for our day in the parks as we learned about this game. I was provided special access at Walt Disney World, dinner and refreshments throughout the day. My opinions and thoughts are my own.