Turn on your television any Saturday morning and you'll find cartoons featuring stiff-legged characters moving jerkily through a background devoid of details — sort of like a lot of video games you may have played. Then tune into a Disney cartoon or animated film, and see how smooth the movement is, how the scenery looks like a rich painting, and how much creative thought went into even the smallest detail.That's the difference between The Castle of Illusion and most other video games. The graphics are totally gorgeous and the animation is astounding: screen shots just can't do them justice. Trite as it may sound, you really have to see this game in action to appreciate its landmark artistry.Now, don't let Mickey's starring role mislead you: this is definitely not just for little kids. There are some real mind- stumping challenges here.
The game play requires dexterity and quick thinking, like when Mickey flips the entire screen upside down in Toyland: you wipe out all on-screen enemies, but now you have to think upside down, too!All ages will be entranced with the superb details. Mickey flails his arms when he's off balance, the lights go off and on when he swings from lamp chain to lamp chain, and there's a cartoony 'clunk' when he hits his head. It takes a sophisticated eye to catch all the details!In the story, the evil witch Mizrabel is holding Minnie captive in the tricky Castle of Illusion. The only way Mickey can defeat the witch is to find the seven Gems of the Rainbow hidden in the castle and guarded by Mizrabel's Masters of Illusion.Inside the castle, Mickey is faced with five doors that open on fantasy worlds filled with some deceptively innocent-looking enemies (who'd suspect cute little mushrooms or colorful clowns?).
Illusion (イリュージョン, Iryūjon) is a company from Yokohama, Japan famous for developing eroge with 3D graphics. Originally, its games were not allowed to be sold or used outside Japan,. Illusion Official Website (in Japanese); Illusion Official Download Website (in Japanese); Illusion Soft at The Visual Novel.
Within each world are several scenes. At the end of each final scene, you face off with a different, powerful Master of Illusion to acquire the Gems.Before you start, you might want to try the Practice mode to get used to the game's special features.
The Practice is a streamlined version of the first three levels. We'll be giving you an in- depth strategy for The Castle of Illusion in a future VISIONS, but here's a sneak peek: Mickey starts out in the Enchanted Forest, where trees and killer mushrooms dance down the road, deadly tulips sprout lethal seeds, and spiders wait to pounce. Don't be afraid of ghosts: bounce off them to get to the tree top, where you'll find a power star, diamonds and enemy-fighting apples.The second door leads to Toyland, a pastel wonder of massive blocks, animated wooden soldiers, clowns on unicycles, and wind-up airplanes. Find the key all the way at the top of the first level to continue your journey through Toyland.In the second level, when you hit the red gelatin pools, keep bouncing or you'll suffer a sticky death.
In the third level, learn the value of being topsyturvy! By far, this is one of the most unique game playing features that has ever been designed for any home video game.Now it's on to the third door, which takes you to The Storm. This world is full of pits, crumbling bridges, and sharp- toothed Bonefish yearning for a taste of mouse flesh.