Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
Encyclopedia
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse ( Castle of Illusion - アイラブミッキーマウス ふしぎのお城大冒険, Castle of Illusion - I Love Mickey Mouse: Great Wonderland Castle Adventure ) is a video game first released in 1990 for the Mega Drive/Genesis
which was developed by Sega of Japan. It was amongst the second wave of games initially released for the platform which helped seal the console's reputation within the period until the release of Sonic the Hedgehog.
The game is a side-scrolling game putting the player in control of Mickey Mouse
in a magical quest to save Minnie Mouse
from the evil witch named Mizrabel, who kidnapped Minnie to steal her youth.
Each level exists within the large titular castle and the player must defeat enemies and bosses by jumping on them, or collecting apples and marbles
to use as projectiles. The player can also collect icons to increase health, collect extra lives, or gain bonus points. After defeating a boss, the player is given a gem. When all seven gems are collected, the player can build a rainbow bridge that allows Mickey to walk into the castle's tower for a final battle against the witch, who in her youthful form resembles the Queen Grimhilde.
, featuring different game mechanics, levels and graphics. The Game Gear release is almost identical to the Master System version as the cartridge contains a modified version of it, invoking the console's compatibility mode.
Castle of Illusion was re-released in 1998 in Japan as part of the Sega Ages
: Mickey Mouse & Donald Duck for the Sega Saturn
, which features both Castle of Illusion and Quackshot
.
gave the Genesis/Megadrive version of the game a positive review, awarding the game a score of 95%, specifically praising the games graphics and playability. ACE called the Game Gear version "basically an unadulerated Mario
clone — and not a bad one at that", giving it a score of 8 out of 10. According to GameSpot
in 2010, "it wasn't just the levels that made this game so good. The music, the controls, and Mickey's superb animation all contributed to one of the very best Disney games that would heavily influence those to follow."
, was released for the Master System
in 1992 and for the Game Gear
in 1993.
Sega Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
which was developed by Sega of Japan. It was amongst the second wave of games initially released for the platform which helped seal the console's reputation within the period until the release of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Story and gameplay
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
in a magical quest to save Minnie Mouse
Minnie Mouse
Minerva "Minnie" Mouse is an animated character created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney. The comic strip story "The Gleam" by Merrill De Maris and Floyd Gottfredson first gave her full name as Minerva Mouse. Minnie has since been a recurring alias for her. Minnie is currently voiced by actress Russi...
from the evil witch named Mizrabel, who kidnapped Minnie to steal her youth.
Each level exists within the large titular castle and the player must defeat enemies and bosses by jumping on them, or collecting apples and marbles
Marble (toy)
A marble is a small spherical toy usually made from glass, clay, steel, or agate. These balls vary in size. Most commonly, they are about ½ inch in diameter, but they may range from less than ¼ inch to over 3 inches , while some art glass marbles fordisplay purposes are over 12 inches ...
to use as projectiles. The player can also collect icons to increase health, collect extra lives, or gain bonus points. After defeating a boss, the player is given a gem. When all seven gems are collected, the player can build a rainbow bridge that allows Mickey to walk into the castle's tower for a final battle against the witch, who in her youthful form resembles the Queen Grimhilde.
Other versions
A redesigned version of the game was also released for the Sega Master SystemSega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
, featuring different game mechanics, levels and graphics. The Game Gear release is almost identical to the Master System version as the cartridge contains a modified version of it, invoking the console's compatibility mode.
Castle of Illusion was re-released in 1998 in Japan as part of the Sega Ages
Sega Ages
Sega Ages refers to a number of compilations or re-releases of classic video games from developer and publisher Sega.-Saturn version:Sega-AM2 released several Sega Ages games for the Sega Saturn in Japan:...
: Mickey Mouse & Donald Duck for the Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
, which features both Castle of Illusion and Quackshot
Quackshot
QuackShot is a platformer released for the Sega Mega Drive on December 19, 1991. It stars Donald Duck and his three nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie, as treasure-hunters....
.
Reception
At the time of the games release, Mean MachinesMean Machines
Mean Machines was a market-leading multi-format gaming magazine released between 1990 and 1992 in the United Kingdom. Its style was popular with gamers of the time for its irreverent humor, anarchic editorial tone and style, and its sometimes outrageously outspoken reviews.- Origins :In the late...
gave the Genesis/Megadrive version of the game a positive review, awarding the game a score of 95%, specifically praising the games graphics and playability. ACE called the Game Gear version "basically an unadulerated Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
clone — and not a bad one at that", giving it a score of 8 out of 10. According to GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
in 2010, "it wasn't just the levels that made this game so good. The music, the controls, and Mickey's superb animation all contributed to one of the very best Disney games that would heavily influence those to follow."
Sequel
A sequel, Land of IllusionLand of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse
Land of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse is a platform game released by SEGA for the Sega Master System in 1992 and Sega Game Gear in 1993. It is a sequel to Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, which was also released for Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.-Story:...
, was released for the Master System
Sega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
in 1992 and for the Game Gear
Sega Game Gear
The was Sega's first handheld game console. It was the third commercially available color handheld console, after the Atari Lynx and the TurboExpress....
in 1993.