Despite the treasure trove of classic Disney memories and the feature role of the world’s most famous mouse, we think that Epic is actually the most important word in the title of Disney’s Epic Mickey for Wii.  The game just feels like you as the player are in control of a blockbuster experience, which you actually are given the game’s emphasis on the fact that “playstyle matters.”  The way you play the game and the decisions you make can alter the game’s storyline and ending.

Epic Mickey is a single-player game that makes use of the Nunchuk and Wii-mote.  Mickey can jump with the A button and do spin attacks by shaking the Wii-mote, but the real power of Epic Mickey comes in using the “B” trigger button on the Wii-mote and the “C” trigger button on the nunchuk.  One of these controls Mickey’s “paint,” which has the power to re-animate objects or bring them to life, while the other is used to dispense “thinner,” which erases characters and obstacles. The result is a feeling of great power as you control Mickey through the game’s Wasteland of abandoned rides and forgotten Disney characters.

The game carries an E rating, but the themes in this one are very dark.  Kids who can control the popular Lego games should be able to handle Mickey’s controls (and will likely want to erase everything they can), but it’s the older kids that will understand that the game is teaching them a lesson about consequences of their actions as they go on.

There’s also quite a bit of detail in the character descriptions and variety of enemies as described to you throughout the game by Gus the Gremlin.  Combined with the heavy use of buttons and the combination of using the controllers AND pointing at the screen to aim, it definitely takes a player with good coordination to succeed.

We should also note that in our playsessions, even good coordination wasn’t always enough.  There are times when the game switches from a view behind Mickey in which you can maneuver in 3D space, to a side view, in which you need to push left and right to control.  The problem is, you’ll often overcompensate by switching the way you’re running, and sometimes get off track and even fall a bit.  Additionally, it definitely does take getting used to the fact that you need to point the Wii-mote at the screen to aim your paint and thinner.  We saw a few players whose instincts were to casually hold the controller in their laps, forgetting about the need to point at the screen.

Despite the difficulty figuring out where you need to go, Disney’s Epic Mickey still feels incredibly, well, epic.  And that’s precisely why we think this is such a great game for families with older kids and tweens to play together, even though it’s one player only.  Be prepared for some dark moments and choices, but all in all, Disney’s Epic Mickey left us feeling like we were in control of the next big Disney movie.

***We saw this game at the 2010 E3 trade show in Los Angeles in June, and here's what we had to say about it then:

Disney Epic Mickey is a platform style game that sees a 3D Mickey Mouse running around a world called Wasteland, which resembles a dilapidated theme park/cartoon set.  Mickey must use a combination of paint and thinner to erase objects and retore things.  Utilizing the Wii-mote and nunchuk, each trigger button is used for either applying or removing paint.

There are familiar Disney characters, but also lots of things that are just a little bit different.  In the example we saw, there were Peter Pan characters and a version of the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse.

There’s a hub world and then action zones, which are the missions that Mickey goes on.  While each “Action Zone” is loading, there’s a mini-level called a travel zone that plays like a side-scrolling (think Super Mario Bros.) style game inspired by classic Mickey cartoons, such as Steamboat Willy.

The overall tone of the game seems a bit dark, and promises to heavily emphasize moral choices.  If players do lots of erasing, for example, other characters will take note of your reputation.

The feel we got from our demo at the E3 video game trade show in Los Angeles in June is that this will be a title for tweens and up.  Although Mickey will appeal to younger kids, the complexity and themes are better suited for older kids.

INFORMATION FROM COMPANY FACT SHEET
Product Overview
Disney Epic Mickey is an action-adventure platforming game for the Wii console that sends Mickey Mouse on an epic journey of creativity and discovery.  As Mickey, the player is propelled into Wasteland, an alternate world made up of Disney’s forgotten creative efforts, and is given the power to wield paint and paint thinner to dynamically change the world while determining Mickey’s path to becoming an epic hero. 
 
Through the use of this unique paint and paint thinner, the key components of animation and Mickey’s tools for impacting his world, players will have the ability to shape how the story unfolds as they discover the concept of “Playstyle Matters” – an innovative style of gameplay created by Disney Interactive Studios’ Junction Point, led by industry luminary Warren Spector, where players creatively tackle different challenges in the world to explore all the possibilities and storylines – but with consequences for their chosen actions.
 
Product Features
• Use paint and paint thinner to change the world, interact with friends and enemies and solve challenges
• Choose the best path to become an epic hero because “Playstyle Matters” and choices will change the outcome of the game
• Explore and solve challenges in an alternate Disney world ruled by Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Walt Disney’s first cartoon star
• Travel between lands in Wasteland through classic platforming levels inspired by animated films and shorts
• Experience an innovative mix of platforming, action-adventure and light role playing game elements
• Collect over 75 virtual Disney pins in the game by completing specific challenges, quests and discovering hidden collectibles