World of Illusion

World of Illusion StarringMickey MouseandDonald Duck
World of Illusion StarringMickey MouseandDonald Duck
	European Mega Drive box art
Developer(s)	Sega
Publisher(s)	Sega
Director(s)	Emiko Yamamoto
Producer(s)	Patrick Gilmore
Designer(s)	Emiko Yamamoto; Yagami
Artist(s)	Takashi Yuda; Mikarin Nishida
Composer(s)	Haruyo Oguro; Tomoko Sasaki
Series	Illusion
Platform(s)	Genesis
Release	EU:December 14, 1992; JP:December 18, 1992; NA:March 1993;
Genre(s)	Platform
Mode(s)	Single-player,multiplayer

World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck^[a]is aplatform gamedeveloped and published bySegafor theSega Genesis.The game was released in December 1992, and is part of Sega'sIllusionseries ofMickey Mousegames. The game was included on theSega Genesis Mini.

Plot

Whilst preparing for a magical act,Mickey MouseandDonald Duckdiscover a magical box. This turns out to belong to an evil magician (Pete) who sends Mickey and Donald to a magical world. Mickey and Donald must now work together in order to find a way back home.^[4]

Gameplay

Mickey and Donald in the first level. The cards represent the characters' health and are turned face-down when they take damage.

Players can either play solo as eitherMickey MouseorDonald Duck,or co-operatively with two players controlling Mickey and Donald while sharing from the same pool of tries. Mickey and Donald can run, jump, or attack by flourishing their capes. Enemies defeated in this way turn intodoves,cards, or other harmless objects depending on the enemy. After defeating thebossof each level, a new magic spell is learned, allowing the pair to traverse the next level; i.e. flying on a magic carpet or going underwater in an air bubble. The gameplay changes significantly depending on the characters chosen. For example, Mickey can squeeze through certain gaps, while Donald must find a different route, leading him to entirely different realms. When playing in two-player mode, the players can stand on each other's shoulders and use ropes to help each other out, and Mickey can pull Donald through gaps his (evidently very stiff) tail feathers prevent him from fitting through.

World of Illusioncomprises five principal stages named the "Enchanted Forest", "Among the Clouds", "Underwater Adventure", "The Library" and "The Magic Box".^[5]There also exist, within these five stages, three sets of sub-stages (some of which are optional) which are accessible only while playing either as Mickey or as Donald in one-player mode, or in two-player mode.

Design

The game's music, artwork and animation shows influences from Disney animated films, includingSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs,Pinocchio,Fantasia,Sleeping Beauty,The Sword in the StoneandThe Little Mermaidas well as variousSilly Symphoniesshorts. Some of the influences are directly literal, such as the appearance of the playing-card soldiers from Disney's 1951 film adaptation ofAlice in Wonderland,in the castle-garden section of the "Magic Box" stage.

Reception

MegaTechgave the game 90% and a Hyper Game Award, saying that it had "the best graphics of any Disney game yet", but said that it was very easy to finish.^[6]^[7]Megagave the game an 82% score, saying it was "very easy to complete, and dull in one-player, but fantastic for a couple of youngsters".^[8]Bad Influence!scored it a full 10 out of 10 stars.^[9]In 2017,Gamesradarranked the game 22nd on their "Best Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games of all time" list.^[10]

References

^Released in Japan asI Love Mickey & Donald: Fushigi na Magic Box(アイラブミッキー＆ドナルドふしぎなマジックボックス,Ai Rabu Mikkī & Donarudo: Fushigi na Majikku Bokkusu,lit. "I Love Mickey & Donald: Mysterious Magic Box" ).

^"GamesMasterIssue One pg. 14 ".Sega Retro. January 1993.Retrieved5 July2016.
^"GamesPro#44 pg. 39 ".Sega Retro. March 1993.Retrieved6 March2016.
^http://gmlabels.blogspot.com/2013/10/world-of-illusion-starring-disneys.html- On the back of the first image "Only for use with PAL and French SECAM [...]"
^SEGA,World of Illusioninstruction manual, pp. 6-10
^SEGA,World of Illusioninstruction manual, pp. 38-46
^MegaTechrating,EMAP,issue #12
^"Game Index".MegaTech.No. 42 (June 1995). 31 May 1995. pp. 30–1.
^Megareview,Future Publishing,issue #3, page 48, December 1992
^"Main Review: Mickey & Donald (World of Illusion)".Bad Influence!.Series 1. Episode 7. 10 December 1992. Event occurs at 3:51.ITV.CITV.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-21.Retrieved14 October2021.
^GamesRadar Staff (2017-06-21)."Best Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games of all time".gamesradar.Retrieved2022-02-25.

External links

World of IllusionatMobyGames

[4] Released in Japan asI Love Mickey & Donald: Fushigi na Magic Box(アイラブミッキー＆ドナルドふしぎなマジックボックス,Ai Rabu Mikkī & Donarudo: Fushigi na Majikku Bokkusu,lit. "I Love Mickey & Donald: Mysterious Magic Box" ).

[1] "GamesMasterIssue One pg. 14 ".Sega Retro. January 1993.Retrieved5 July2016.

[2] "GamesPro#44 pg. 39 ".Sega Retro. March 1993.Retrieved6 March2016.

[3] ttp://gmlabels.blogspot.com/2013/10/world-of-illusion-starring-disneys.html- On the back of the first image "Only for use with PAL and French SECAM [...]"

[5] SEGA,World of Illusioninstruction manual, pp. 6-10

[6] SEGA,World of Illusioninstruction manual, pp. 38-46

[7] MegaTechrating,EMAP,issue #12

[8] "Game Index".MegaTech.No. 42 (June 1995). 31 May 1995. pp. 30–1.

[9] Megareview,Future Publishing,issue #3, page 48, December 1992

[BI-10] "Main Review: Mickey & Donald (World of Illusion)".Bad Influence!.Series 1. Episode 7. 10 December 1992. Event occurs at 3:51.ITV.CITV.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-21.Retrieved14 October2021.

[11] GamesRadar Staff (2017-06-21)."Best Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games of all time".gamesradar.Retrieved2022-02-25.

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