Disney Infinity - Video Review by IGN (Xbox 360 version)

Disney Infinity was released in North America two days ago on almost every platform, including the Wii U. The game features "Play Sets" and the "Toy Box." The Play Sets have specific challenges and puzzles for players to tackle, with unlockable characters, vehicles, and gadgets as rewards. The "Toy Box" allows players to create their own environments which can then be shared with friends.

The Xbox 360 version currently has a Metacritic average of 75 based on reviews from 14 critics. As of this writing, there aren't any reviews of the Wii U version by professional critics, but there are a few customer reviews on Amazon which you might want to check out.

IGN has released their video review of the game, and they highly recommend it. The video features the Xbox 360 version, but the Wii U version should be pretty much the same. You can watch it after the break.

DuckTales Remastered features better storytelling and longer levels than original game

DuckTales Remastered has a lot of hype around it due to the fact that it's a remake of one of the best NES games of all time. As you can imagine, developer WayForward Technologies are under a lot of pressure and are doing their best to retain the feel of the original while making it more appealing to modern players.

Joystiq recently interviewed some of the staff of WayForward about the changes they're making, and it sounds like they're all for the better. For one, the story is being fleshed out to help make the narrative more cohesive.

"Before the show, I was a fan of the Carl Barks comics. So when the game came out, there were two points to refer to: Some of the things seem to be taken from the DuckTales TV show, and some of it seems to be taken from the old Carl Barks stories. So when we started production of this game, one of the first things we did was look at various ideas that made it into the original Capcom game and tried to figure out what they were referencing ... So we tried to piece all that stuff together and fill in some of the gaps. And that's where a lot of the story decisions came from – reinterpreting the meaning they were going for in the first place." - Matt Bozon, WayForward's creative director

In addition to better storytelling, the development team is also trying to give gamers more to do by adding material to the levels to make them longer and more satisfying.

"We expanded all of the levels. One of the directives we got from Capcom – that we decided early on – was that we wanted to make the game a little bigger. And so, the rule of thumb we've been going off of is 65 percent from the original game, and 35 percent new content.

All of the levels designs are intact, [like] the original. Anyone who played the PAX demo will see the mummy section of the Transylvania level... it's a little longer. There's a few more mummies, a few more treasures to collect."" - Austin Ivansmith, director

And of course, the game wouldn't be DuckTales if it didn't include the famous "Moon theme." The audio department is making sure that it can be "as good as it can be."

"Believe me, our musician, Jake – he was feeling the pressure. Because, to him, it's a very iconic song. So [The Moon theme] was the first thing he did, and then he did all of the music in the game, and then he touched [The Moon theme] up again. Because he wanted to make sure it was as good as it can be, and it sounds incredible. That's all I can say at this point." - Matt Bozon, WayForward's creative director

For those of you haven't seen it yet, you can find the announcement trailer after the break.

Source: Joystiq

Sega reveals Castle of Illusion HD, doesn't mention Wii U or 3DS versions

Sega recently released a trailer which teased an HD remake of their classic game Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, and the company has now confirmed that they are, in fact, working on said remake. In terms of content it will be mostly unchanged, but there will be a few new gameplay mechanics and the graphics have obviously received an overhaul to be more appealing to modern audiences.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the sidescrolling classic, it was originally released on the Sega Genesis and tells the story of Mickey Mouse's quest to save his beloved Minnie Mouse from the evil Mizrabel.

The announcement trailer clearly states that the Disney title is coming to the Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and PC, but there is no mention of the Wii U or 3DS. This doesn't necessarily mean it won't come to either of Nintendo's systems, so we'll just have to wait and see. Trailer after the break.

Source: Joystiq

Sega teases Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey of Mouse

Last week, it was widely reported that Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse had received a rating in Brazil which stated it was coming to the Wii U. And now, Sega, has posted a video on YouTube which certainly seems to confirm that their classic Disney game is being remade with enhanced graphics, very much like WayForward's forthcoming DuckTales Remastered.

The video consists only of animated 3D models with no mention of solid details or even a title. However, it does say that the project should be expected in Summer 2013, and just before the teaser trailer ends, the name Disney appears in the lower-right corner of the screen, which is pretty much a giveaway. Video after the break.

Disney's Planes coming to Nintendo platforms, including Wii U

Disney Interactive Studios have announced that their game Disney's Planes, which is based on the upcoming CGI film of the same name, is coming to the Wii U, Wii, 3DS, and DS in August. The movie-based title will be released in North America on August 6th, just days before the family flick hits theatres on August 9th.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

From above the world of “Cars,” “Disney’s Planes” video game takes players on a high-flying, action-packed, fun-filled adventure with Dusty, a big-hearted, speed-loving crop duster who is voiced by actor and comedian Dane Cook. Players will take to the skies with Dusty and other characters, including Ishani, voiced by actress Priyanka Chopra; Echo, voiced by actor Anthony Edwards; and Bravo, voiced by actor Val Kilmer, as they embark on global missions, air races and grand adventures around the world.

In “Disney’s Planes” video game, players travel through breathtaking environments and play as one of 10 cast of characters on console and one of 6 cast of characters on handheld in either single-player, on all platforms or race against one another in two-player drop-in and drop-out gameplay on console. Players will roll, turn and loop their way through mission-based objectives in exciting modes of play including a narrative based Story mode and a score-based mini-game that challenges the player’s precision flying skills called Balloon Pop. The exploratory Free Flight mode and racing based Air Rallies mode are exclusive to the consoles and the objective achieving Challenge mode is only offered via the handheld platforms.

Source: Joystiq

Disney shuts down LucasArts

Not too long ago, Disney acquired Lucasfilm and LucasArts for $4.05 billion dollars. Now the company has announced that they have shutdown LucasArts and will be creating future Star Wars games based on a licensing model.

"After evaluating our position in the games market, we've decided to shift LucasArts from an internal development to a licensing model, minimizing the company's risk while achieving a broader portfolio of quality Star Wars games."

"As a result of this change, we've had layoffs across the organization. We are incredibly appreciative and proud of the talented teams who have been developing our new titles."

-Disney representative

LucasArts had been around since 1982, and while known primarily for their many Star Wars games, they also created a number of original IPs over the years, including the Monkey Island series and Grim Fandango.

The last project announced by the company was Star Wars 1313, which received a lot of attention from the press in spite of the fact that relatively few details were revealed about the title. There had been rumors that it had been cancelled following Disney's acquisition of the franchise, and it appears that they were true.

As for Disney itself, the company is currently focusing on Disney Infinity and mobile games, although there can be no doubt that new Star Wars titles will be announced in the near future.

Source: Joystiq

DuckTales Remastered details and possibility of more Capcom-Disney remakes

In an interview with Polygon, producer Rey Jimenez shared quite a few details about DuckTales Remastered, and how it will be "modernized" while remaining faithful to the original. Some of the more interesting points are as follows:


-The default difficulty level will be lower
-The game is going to be more accessible to today's gamers
-Maps will be available to help guide players
-The infamous Transylvania level, which had to be played three times, has been reworked to require only one play through.
-An entirely new level will be included, and serves as the final stage
-Almost all of these features can be disabled in the options menu or difficulty setting for those who want to experience a more faithful recreation of the game

Jimenez also said that if the remake is successful, it could open the door for more of Capcom's classic Disney games to be remade in similar fashion. Chip 'N Dale Rescue Rangers, DuckTales 2, and Darkwing Duck are just a few of the possible candidates to be recreated in HD if all goes well. As for which one might come next, Jimenez had this to say:

In a purely hypothetical world. I think Chip n' Dale would be the next logical one. It makes sense because it's the next in the hierarchy.

You can check out the article in its entirety via the source link below.

Source: Polygon

Capcom would need permission to re-release classic Disney games in original form

Gamers are excited over the revelation that DuckTales Remastered, a remake of the legendary NES game, is in development, and many are wondering if Capcom will be able to release the game in its original form, along with their other popular Disney games. Unfortunately, it appears that is not the case.

A member of Capcom-Unity asked the company about the prospects of seeing more of their classic Disney games on the Virtual Console, and corporate officer/senior vice-president Christian Svensson replied that the agreement is only for DuckTales Remastered.

Question: Is it now possible for Capcom to release their old Disney games on Virtual Console?

Svensson: At the moment, sadly no. Our agreement with Disney is just for Duck Tales in its new form. It does not allow us to rerelease these other projects on new platforms.
Sorry.

Source: Capcom-Unity

DuckTales Remastered coming to Wii U eShop

Capcom has announced that DuckTales Remastered is coming to the Wii U eShop, Xbox Live Arcade, and PlayStation Network this summer. It is an HD remake of the NES classic DuckTales which was released in the late 1980s. Remastered will be priced at $15 on Nintendo's platform.

WayForward Technologies, the company behind the hit eShop game Might Switch Force! Hyper Drive Edition, is handling development of the title. The new character sprites are hand-drawn, and the world itself has been recreated in 3D. In this version, voices will be provided by Disney's official voice actors. In addition, the game's original 8-bit songs are being remastered by WayForward's Jake Kaufman. There will be some new material as well, including a tutorial; Scrooge's Money Bin, which gamers can play in; and a museum.

Capcom revealed the game at their PAX East panel, and they have reassured fans that it will play just like the original.

"We're literally pouring our heart and soul into this title. It's going to play just like you remember."
-Rey Jimenez, Capcom

During the announcement, a trailer was shown which features plenty of gameplay footage, complete with the theme song from the animated series. You can watch it after the break.

Source: Polygon

Retailers taking pre-orders for Disney Infinity

Disney Infinity is scheduled for release in August, but a few retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, and GameStop are already taking pre-orders for the game. Starter packs, figures, play sets, and power discs are all available for pre-order, and as you might expect, there are bonuses for those who do so. Here's a quick summary of what's available:

Starter Pack: Includes game, Infinity Base, four figures, three play sets, a Power Disc, and a Power Pack
Figures: Available in three-figure packs or sold individually
Play Sets
Power Discs

Pre-order bonuses
-Amazon offering free figure along with a power pack for pre-ordering Starter Pack
-Best Buy and GameStop offering a single figure for free


Sources

Disney Infinity - Amazon

Disney Infinity - Best Buy

Disney Infinity - GameStop

Disney Infinity delayed until August

Disney Infinity has been delayed until August, reportedly at the request of retailers who want it released closer to the holiday season. The multiplatform project was originally supposed to launch in June to coincide with the release of Pixar's animted film Monsters University.

John Pleasants, co-president of Disney Interactive, has given a new release date of August 18th for North America, while it will go on sale in other regions on August 20th. Pleasants says the two-month delay will allow developer Avalanche Software "a little more time to add bells and whistles and make sure it really sings and pops."

Disney Infinity was announced in January, and allows players to bring Disney and Pixar characters into the game by placing toys on a wireless sensor. Many have compared it to Activision's successful Skylanders series due to the similarities. However, unlike Skylanders, Disney Infinity features sandbox-style gameplay which allows players to create their own scenarios. Trailer after the break.

Source: Polygon


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Disney Infinity - Lightning McQueen trailer

Disney Infinity announced for Wii U

Disney Infinity - Lightning McQueen trailer

A new trailer for Disney Infinity has been released which shows off Lightning McQueen from Pixar's hit Cars movies. The video also shows a glimpse of the play set based on locations from the film franchise, and they appear to be pretty faithful to the source material. Trailer after the break.

Disney confirms Epic Mickey developer has been shut down

Disney has confirmed that Junction Point Studios, the developer of the Epic Mickey games, has been shut down, with all 160 employees being let go. Here is the official word from a representative of Disney:

It was with much sadness that we informed our teams today of changes to our Games organization, which include the closure of Junction Point Studios. These changes are part of our ongoing effort to address the fast-evolving gaming platforms and marketplace and to align resources against our key priorities. We're extremely grateful to Warren Spector and the Junction Point team for their creative contributions to Disney with Disney Epic Mickey and Disney Epic Mickey 2.
-Disney Representative

It has also been confirmed that Warren Spector, the founder of the studio, has left Disney Interactive following the closure. The latest entry in the series, Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, received mostly negative reviews and sold poorly.

Source: Polygon

Rumor: Epic Mickey developer shuts down

Update: Disney has confirmed that Junction Point Studios has been shut down.

Original Story
There are rumors circulating that Junction Point, the developer behind the Epic Mickey games, has shut down. Epic Mickey 2 received a mostly negative response from critics and gamers alike, and sales were reportedly very poor across all platforms. Roberts Space Industries, a Star Citizen crowdfunding platform, tweeted the following message earlier today:

Second 21 gun salute for a studio in 7 days.Fare-the-well Junction Point!We hope that you all find new studios soon!
-Roberts Space Industries

George Broussard of 3D Realms is often among the first to post about such matters, and he has tweeted about the subject, noting that there has been speculation for quite a while now that Junction Point would be shut down.

The Junction Point rumors have been circulating a while. Warning signs when you give employees 2 months off after shipping.
-George Broussard

 It should be emphasized that this is all a rumor for now. If there is an official confirmation, we will post an update.

Update: Disney has confirmed that Junction Point Studios has been shut down.

Sources: Twitter (1), Twitter (2)

Disney Infinity coming to Wii U

Disney has announced that their upcoming multi-platform title Disney Infinity will be coming to every major platform, including the Wii U, Wii, 3DS, PS3, Xbox 360, PC, and mobile devices. Like Skylanders: Giants, it will feature collectible figures that are entered into various game worlds, all of which are based on various Disney properties, including movies and cartoons. It will be released sometime in June.

Two areas will be available: "Play Set" areas, and the "Toy Box." Play Set areas will have specific challenges and puzzles for players to tackle, with unlockable characters, vehicles, and gadgets as rewards. The "Toy Box" allows players to create their own environments which can then be shared online with friends, and it appears they can even be shared offline.

Disney has referred to the project as a "platform" and will expand on it for years to come by releasing additional Play Sets and figures as the months go by. The game will initially have 40 collectible figures. Here is a brief excerpt from a fact sheet for the title.

Disney Infinity will initially introduce a line of 40 collectible interactive figures - characters, “Play Set” pieces and power discs - that allow players to expand and customize their play experiences. Over time, Disney Infinity will release additional characters and “Play Sets” and this platform will constantly evolve.

• 17 interactive character figures allow players to experience a variety of their favourite characters in each ”Play Set” and in "Toy Box" play
• 3 “Play Set” pieces that add new Disney and Disney•Pixar “Play Set” locations
• 20 power discs enhance environments, add gadgets and more

Trailer after the break.

Source: Disney via Nintendo Life

Warren Spector wants to make Epic Mickey 3

In an interview with Red Bull, Warren Spector said he would really like to make another Epic Mickey game, and even suggested that Oswald should have a game of his own. Here are a few excerpts:

“Oh man, there are so many aspects of Disney’s history to draw from, we’ll never run out of material. There are all sorts of forgotten characters, concepts from films that were never made, rides that have been retired from the Parks or never built at all. We could map games for the next 80 years about Disney’s last 80.”

“I’d love to see the Disney Epic Mickey series continue – there are plenty of stories still to tell about Wasteland and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Mickey Mouse! I’d love to see some Oswald games, where he’s on his own. He deserves a shot at solo stardom. Then there are the ‘duck’ games – Donald, Scrooge, etc – that are just waiting to be made. And a bunch of us at Junction Point have thoughts about Goofy and the Gremlins and a hundred others.” -Warren Spector

Source: Red Bull

If you would like to see more posts about Epic Mickey 2, click here.

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two - Video Review by IGN

IGN has posted their video review of Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, and it appears to be a mixed bag from their point of view. They praise the graphics and co-op, but they say the gameplay is very repetitive which is made worse by the fact the game is 20 hours long. The camera is also said to be quite a problem which can make things frustrating at times. The footage in the video review is from the PS3 version, but the Wii U version should be pretty much the same as it's a port. Other sites and magazines are posting their reviews of the game and, as of this writing, the highest score is a 70 given out by Xbox 360 Magazine. You watch IGN's video review after the break.

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two - Inkwell trailer

Here's the Inkwell trailer for Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two. Inkwells allow you to coat Mickey and Oswald in different types of ink, which makes them invisible or invincible. Video after the break.

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two - PlayStyle Matters trailer

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is one of the Wii U launch day titles, and Disney has released a new trailer for the game which shows a few puzzles, some platforming, and even a little combat. Video after the break.

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two - Reconstructed Wasteland trailer

That paintbrush can do a lot.

Disney has released yet another short trailer for Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two. This vignette shows the two heroes using the creative abilities of their tools of the trade: Mickey's paintbrush and Oswald's remote control. Video after the break.