By the point Capcom’s The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse debuted in 1992, we had already seen a number of video games about Mickey Mouse on dwelling consoles. In the meantime, between video games like DuckTales and Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, Capcom had a great run of nice Disney licensed titles beneath its belt. But I can’t assist however really feel the acclaimed developer should have felt a sure weight in growing this title.

I imply, we’re not simply speaking any character. That is the Mickey Mouse, arguably essentially the most well-known animated character ever created. Exterior of publishing Hudson’s Mickey Mousecapade, this could be Capcom’s first time giving Mickey a starring function. They will’t simply make a enjoyable platformer with some basic tunes to do that character justice. Nay, a sport about Mickey must really feel grand, thrilling, and majestic. And the builders at Capcom would wish the facility of the Tremendous Nintendo to do it.

In fact, I can’t say for sure that this philosophy is what drove the creation of this sport. However what I can let you know is, whereas flawed, The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse lays an almost perfect blueprint for what a licensed sport ought to be. As a result of this isn’t only a sport about Mickey Mouse; that is Mickey Mouse as seen by among the best expertise of the 16-bit period of gaming.

The quickest anybody’s ever misplaced a canine

After you hear the beautiful title display jingle and begin the sport, Magical Quest lays out its plot. Mickey is enjoying catch with Donald and Goofy when he wiffs catching the ball, making it bounce off his head. Pluto rushes after the ball and apparently will get misplaced after about 5 seconds, which causes each Goofy and Mickey to search around for him.

After Mickey falls off a cliff in his second failure of the day, he meets a wizard who informs him that Pluto has truly been captured by Emperor Pete. If Mickey needs his canine again, he’s going to should go on a quest. A magical quest, if you’ll.

Clearly this can be a textbook definition of an excuse plot, although I’d additionally go to struggle with somebody who apparently stole my canine. Nevertheless, what actually units the sport’s tone is the primary degree. Treetops instantly hits you with a definite, stunning set piece inserting Mickey excessive above the clouds, that includes tall vines impressed by Mickey and the Beanstalk. You get a small space to follow the controls, so you may strive leaping on enemies and flinging them round. For those who’re feeling courageous, you may seize onto tomatoes that spin like a helicopter and ship you excessive into the air, letting you uncover some hidden secrets and techniques.

It instantly imbues a way of marvel and whimsy match for a Disney sport. However extra importantly, it introduces gamers to recent ideas that transcend what you’d count on from the same old licensed title.

This all combines with the music, which actually sounds fairly good all through your entire sport. The Treetops theme goes for an orchestral angle, that includes triumphant trumpets and fluttering flutes that sound match for an RPG. Not that this could shock you, as composers Mari Yamaguchi and Tatsuya Nishimura would go on to attain Capcom’s basic Breath of Fireplace. All these components come collectively to tell you that this can be a actual journey, even when it’s made for youths.

Mousey-Man X

On the outset, Mickey has hassle immediately attacking enemies. He can leap on foes, and as talked about above he can toss gadgets and sure shocked enemies to inflict injury. It’s a intelligent system, particularly because it leaves you feeling intentionally weak all through degree one.

This adjustments dramatically when you get into the sport’s costume system. As Mickey makes progress, he’ll uncover three outfits that increase his moveset. The primary is the Sorcerer outfit, which provides him an precise assault that he can cost up Mega Man fashion. Subsequent is the Firefighter, which equips Mickey with a long-range hose that may extinguish fire-based foes and transfer blocks round. Lastly there’s the Climber gear. This options no direct assault however provides Mickey a grappling hook, letting him vault round such as you’re enjoying Bionic Commando.

As these examples present, it’s enjoyable to see Capcom give Mickey strikes that take inspiration from their titles. However what makes this setup work so properly is how the extent design takes benefit of every outfit. Sorcerer is way and away your greatest injury supplier, so that you’ll need that geared up to cope with bosses. In the meantime, Firefighter helps resolve puzzles, like utilizing the hose to push round Thwomp-looking enemies to make use of as platforms. Even when the variety of costumes pales compared to the variety of powers you get in Mega Man, they’ve better affect on the way you navigate every degree.

Although the costume unlocks come at set factors all through the sport, they add a terrific sense of development. In truth, I’d go so far as to argue that Magical Quest was a testing floor for Capcom to hone concepts that might pop up in a few of their greatest SNES video games.

A bit little bit of RPG is all I would like

Along with the costumes, Mickey can increase his stats by exploring ranges and uncovering secrets and techniques. Initially of a Regular-mode playthrough, Mickey can have three hearts (or three HP). Nevertheless, by amassing hidden coronary heart containers alongside the best way, his life can develop all the best way to 10 hearts. These are well-hidden, however at the same time as a child I definitely didn’t want max well being to beat the sport. In my current replay, I solely discovered three containers by the top.

Weirdly sufficient, Magical Quest introduces some old-school RPG grinding in the event you’re into that kind of factor. Apart from hidden hearts, Mickey can discover and discover cash. For those who’re fortunate, you’ll stumble into secret outlets that may probably comprise restoration gadgets, coronary heart containers, and even upgrades to the Sorcerer and Firefighter outfits. At first, I discovered it bizarre that I wasn’t even near affording sure upgrades once I first uncovered them. In any case, the sport doesn’t allow you to backtrack and locks sure gadgets to particular outlets.

Nevertheless, I ultimately realized that ranges repopulate with cash and gadgets once you die, together with further lives. In different phrases, in order for you a maxed-out Mickey, you’ll need to discover a display with a 1-Up hidden in it, gather as many cash as you may, after which throw your self off a cliff so you may farm it over again. To be clear, not one of the upgrades are substantial sufficient to warrant grinding for them. However I used to be fascinated to comprehend you may try this, in a retro Disney sport no much less.

So far as I can inform, Magical Quest is Capcom’s first SNES title that performs with these sorts of ideas. Within the following years, the corporate would launch video games like Mega Man X and Demon’s Crest that mix top-shelf platforming motion with exploratory journey components. I can’t say for positive if Mickey Mouse walked so Mega Man may run. Both method, it makes Magical Quest fascinating to me on a historic degree.

Over earlier than you realize it

Don’t get me incorrect, Magical Quest positively doesn’t attain the identical highs as Capcom’s greatest SNES titles. Some elements really feel like newbie’s traps at instances, with one boss that straight-up one-shots you in the event you don’t know preemptively know tips on how to dodge its opening assault. Additionally, this one is extremely brief, even by SNES requirements. By the point you get Mickey’s full roster of costumes, you’re principally a stone’s throw away from the top of the sport. The truth that later ranges lack the scope of the primary levels make me assume that Capcom supposed this to be a grander journey. However in some unspecified time in the future, they ran out of time, cash, or probably each.

Nonetheless, what’s right here is spectacular for a licensed sport. Phases are crammed to the brim with distinctive gimmicks, the visuals are spectacular and assorted, and the controls are polished to shine. Magical Quest would later see two direct sequels, which notably embody two-player cooperative play. The sport’s instant follow-up, The Nice Circus Thriller Starring Mickey & Minnie, didn’t depart almost as robust of an impression on me rising up. Moreover, I by no means wound up enjoying the ultimate sport within the trilogy, because it wouldn’t come West till we lastly bought its GameBoy Advance port in 2005. Evidently, I used to be a bit checked out on Disney video games by then.

Nonetheless, to today, I all the time evaluate any Disney sport to Magical Quest. Video games just like the current Disney Phantasm Island play off the idea of Mickey turning into a hero, which I can get pleasure from. However for me, the primary Magical Quest didn’t persuade me Mickey could possibly be a hero as a result of it mentioned he was. It communicated this idea on a deeper, probably extra essential degree.

The human arms that drew the mouse’s ears

As I watched the credit for The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse upon my most up-to-date replay, I used to be taken by all of the pseudonyms that Capcom’s workers had been recognized to make use of on the time. A Planner was listed as “MX-5 (Crushed By Cat) Kamecha,” which could possibly be one or three individuals, I can’t inform. There was additionally “Tall Nob,” who apparently labored on Capcom’s model of Aladdin as properly. And people are simply the primary names.

It actually strengthened to me simply how a lot this sport seems like Capcom reasonably than Disney. The individuals of this firm actually knew tips on how to converse the language of video video games, even in 1992. So in an inadvertent method, tying Mickey Mouse to their very own id is what actually bought me on this character. Mickey didn’t have to be a common mascot that adhered to pages of strict fashion guides. He may as a substitute be a mirrored image of the individuals utilizing him on the time. And for somebody who occurred to love the work of those builders, that actually resonated with me.

I do know that The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse is finally a glorified industrial for Disney merchandise. However Capcom’s method felt like they needed Mickey to take a seat on the similar desk as another character they owned, with all of the character and polish that entails. I wasn’t actually a Disney child, so this model of Mickey with seemingly boundless potential spoke to me. Mickey regarded, performed, and felt like a correct online game hero. And since I didn’t actually relate to the pursuits of loads of children in my rural hometown, this gave me at the least one thing I may discuss with my Disney-loving classmates at lunch.

I don’t assume a lot about Mickey Mouse these days, nor do I’ve any actual attachment to the character. However for one time limit, Capcom bought me invested on this mouse and offered nice reminiscences within the course of. So maybe it will be extra correct to say that the true hero wasn’t Mickey himself, however the builders who knew tips on how to make him relatable to a brand new viewers. I don’t know the place “MX-5 (Crushed By Cat) Kamecha” or “Tall Nob” is at the moment. However I hope they’re having fun with a relaxation match for legends.