Image via Complex Original
Disney Infinity drops today and you bet your Pluto loving ass that legions of howling six year olds will be dragging their parents to the nearest Toys"R"Us to shell out for the new action figure/video game hybrid.
Disney has actually been in the video game, um, game for years now. A long history of quality video games based off their legendary properites have graced consoles from the Genesis to the Wii. These ten, however, remain stand outs thanks to their iconic characters and nostalgia inducing visuals.
Again, Disney's lineup of games is pretty well stacked, and we don't have much to complain about. We're all happy Mousketeers.
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Quackshot
Year of release: 1991
Publisher: Sega
System: Sega Genesis
Easy as sin, but incredibly satisfying. This old school platformer had you playing as Donald Duck as you hopped and used your special gun, which could shoot special items like popcorn and plungers. A lot of the game was very much like Indiana Jones in its level structure, and it was fun all the way to the conclusion. In the end, it was between this game and Adventures in the Magic Kingdom for the number 10 spot. We chose Quackshot, but just by a hair.
Mickey Mania
Year of release: 1994
Publisher: Traveler's Tales
System: Super Nintendo/Sega Genesis
Going through the history of Mickey Mouse, from Steamboat Willie to the, then, recentThe Prince and the Pauper, this platformer from Traveler's Tales, has their signature all over it. It's fun, it's quirky, and it's very character-centric. A foreshadowing for their later Lego titles. What else could you possibly want from a Mickey Mouse game?
Fast fact: This is the first title David Jaffe ever worked on. Can't you just see the similarities between this game and God of War? Captain Peeeeeete!
The Little Mermaid
Year of release: 1991
Publisher: Capcom
System: NES
Sure, you could say that The Little Mermaid was a cash grab foucsed on getting a younger female demo to bug their parents for an NES title of their own. Surprisingly the game actually ended up being a decent piece of licensed merchandise.
But this is no Barbie or Mary Kate and Ashley title (Read: a video game with little to no substance). The Little Mermaid is a Capcom title. And back in 1991, Capcom was a name you could trust. Who knew that swimming about and putting your foes in bubbles could be so much fun? Well, Capcom did, and that's why we have this thoroughly awesome title today.
The Lion King
Year of release: 1994
Publisher: Virgin Interactive
System: Super Nintendo/Sega Genesis
Wow. This was back in the day when movie related titles could actually be pretty damn good. The Lion King was an excellent platformer that followed the movie closely, from baby Simba, to adult Simba. And it didn't feel forced.
Every level, whether you were being chased by wildebeest in a gorge or fighting Scar on a mountain, felt organic to the story. It all just worked. Hell, you could even play as Timon and Pumba in the bonus stages. An all-around, great game, no question.
Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers
Year of release: 1990
Publisher: Capcom
System: NES
Another Capcom game? Yep. Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers was just solid across the board in terms of 8-bit platforming. Ignore the fact that plot took a back seat, it was the NES era, you were lucky if the game was in English.
You could play as either Chip or Dale, as you picked up items and threw them at your enemies. That's seriously pretty much it. If that description of the game doesn't sound fun, then you didn't grow up in the 80s and 90s. These were pretty much the only kinds of games we had back in the day, and we loved them.
Sega's Aladdin
Publisher: Virgin Interactive
Year of release: 1993
System: Sega Genesis
There were two entirely different versions of Aladdin back in the 16-bit era, one for the SNES, and one for the Sega Genesis. And while the Genesis version actually had better graphics than the SNES version, which wasn't much of a shocker back in the day, we prefer the SNES version. That's not to say that the Genesis version wasn't amazing, because it was. It really was.
You spent the game slashing your sword, which was satisfying as all hell. This Genesis version was made by Virgin Interactive (which also later made the stellar Lion King game), while the SNES version was made by Capcom. There's the difference.
Aladdin
Year of release: 1993
Publisher: Capcom
System: Super Nintendo
The other Aladdin title, as we mentioned earlier. The two side by side exist as a pair of inherited step children from a previous marriage, but we prefer this one to the Genesis version. The SNES play is very similar to its sibling on the Genesis. Aladdin hops and bops on foes with a certain degree of Olympian acrobatic panache.
The game also prominently features our favorite mode of transportation; the magic carpet. Dopeness with minimal interference by Robin Williams.
Epic Mickey
Year of release: 2010
Publisher: Junction Point Studios
System: Wii
A rather recent Disney title, Epic Mickey just came out of nowhere a few years back (But please let us not speak of its terrible sequel). Re-introducing Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Epic Mickey kind of plays like Super Mario Sunshine, what with its paint and paint thinner qualities. It also incorporates a morality system similar to that of Infamous.
It's a unique and rather ingenious spin on Mickey Mouse that resparked our love of the mouse. We approve!
Duck Tales
Year of release: 1989
Publisher: Capcom
System: NES
A Capcom/Disney joint so good, that Capcom just recently brought it back with a beautiful remaster. Duck Tales is nearly the greatest Disney game because of the perfectly balanced combination of music, level design, and tight control. From a technical standpoint, the title was massively influential as a platformer. Industry vets such as Cliff Bleszinksi site Duck Tales as one of the reasons he got into game design.
The gameplay is that solid. You could select any stage, a la Mega Man, and the main goal was to get as much loot as possible before beating the boss at the end of the stage. There was a sequel that was also very good, but nothing compares to the immaculate original. Gotta dig that Moon theme.
Kingdom Hearts
Year of release: 2002
Publisher: Square Enix
System: Playstation 2
While some here at the office think Kingdom Hearts has fallen off as a franchise, there's no denying the power and charm of this first title. With the announcement of a new entry into the series during E3, it is with a ctirical eye we turn back to the first title.
Sora stars in this JRPG alongside Donald Duck and Goofy. You travel through various Disney locales: Olympus' Colosseum from Hercules and Agrabah from Aladdin, stand out in particular. The whole game is a one giant love letter to Disney. This is also before the series got really, really confusing in terms of narrative. It's a top-notch game and one of the very greatest to feature Disney characters.