This year at the Disney booth, they had many movie adaptation type games which comes as no surprise. There were also a few other games that were extensions of Disney properties. What made a big impact in their booth though was the presence of Epic Mickey 2 The Power of Two. Not only did they have many stations dedicated to the game, there was also a stand in their booth that was giving away Oswald ears. Each day, the line for the ears wrapped around their entire booth. Also adding to the buzz was the return of artist David Garibaldi that entertained the crowd with his unique way of painting. I had but a sample of what was on display.
Epic Mickey 2 The Power of Two
Version Played: PlayStation 3 (Move)
Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii
Release Date: Fall 2012
Back for another adventure is Mickey Mouse and with him is Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Mickey still has the power of paint and thinner, but his decisions to either fill in or void an area will impact the game more greatly than before I’m told. What’s truly new this time though, is the fact that there is drop-in/drop-out co-op available. This means the instant Oswald lands in your game, anyone can pick up the other controller and help you out. In co-op mode, the screen splits so that both players can see what’s going on as you platform your way across the levels. Oswald doesn’t have the same abilities as Mickey, but can use his ears as a propeller of sorts, helping to boost and carry both of you to higher areas. He’ll also play a helpful role during boss fights, though I was too busy trying to stay alive to see exactly what that entailed.
According to the demonstrator I talked to, Junction Point learned their lesson about the much complained about bad camera angles and worked on them. The new camera will follow you around the corner now, but I found in tight areas, it would zoom in much too closely to be able to see clearly what’s going on. Even when hitting the reset camera button, it didn’t do much to help the viewing angle. I can only hope this is looked at before the game is released in the fall.
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Brave
Version Played: Xbox 360
Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Nintendo DS, Windows PC/Mac
Release Date: June 19, 2012
Brave puts players in the role of Princess Merida. Although it seems likely it would be based on the upcoming movie, it’s actually meant as a stand alone game. The small portion I was introduced to was a small wooded area. You control Merida and view her nearly top down as she uses her bow to attack enemies. There is no auto-aim, but the game is generous enough when the direction of the shot is near a foe. The game is also meant to be kid friendly, so while obstacles such as water will hurt and “kill” you, there are infinite lives. To avoid falling victim to those hazards, Merida can double-jump and use charms based around the elements to help her along. These charms will also be used to solve the puzzles that are spread throughout.
Perhaps one of the more interesting aspects of the game is when the bear is summoned to help you in certain areas. In this portion, you’ll become the bear and have powerful attacks. You’ll be able to charge, swipe, and ground-pound the enemies as they approach. Even though this character isn’t quite as agile as Merida, it’s nearly impossible to be significantly harmed.
A note of interest: The PS3/360 versions will have archery using Kinect and Move respectively, while this is not present on Wii.
Disney Princess: My Fairytale Adventure
Version Played: Wii
Platforms: Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Windows PC/Mac
Release Date: Fall 2012
My brief experience with this title immediately made it clear that if you or your loved ones enjoyed Disney Princess: Enchanted Journey, My Fairytale Adventure is practically more of the same. This time though, you’ll be using the magic wand to help Cinderella, Rapunzel, Ariel, Belle and Tiana, though Tiana is an unlockable. During the demo, I was skipping around in Belle’s world, zapping the bugs with my wand to stop their mischievous ways. There were also quests of sorts, which I was led to by a path of glittering gold dust at my feet. Although the game is quest driven, there is room for exploration. As for the world itself, the art looks spot on to what you’d expect to find in Beauty and the Beast.
