Disney Parks Inspire Disney Epic Mickey Game

Heather Hust Rivera

by , Vice President, Consumer Products

Warren Spector, Creator of Epic Mickey Video Game

Last Friday, the creator of the new Disney Epic Mickey video game, Warren Spector, led a media tour at Disneyland park to show how the Park inspired him and parts of the game. We’re treating you to an inside look here on the Disney Parks Blog.

“The game is all about honoring our individual and collective memories of Disney magic,” Warren said on the tour, “and I knew I had to allow players to explore places they’d find familiar – strange, of course, but familiar.”

Before I share highlights from the tour and screenshots from the new game, it’s helpful to have some background. In the action-adventure platforming game for the Wii console, Mickey Mouse ventures on an epic journey of creativity and discovery. As Mickey, the player is propelled into Wasteland, an alternate world made up of Disney’s current and long forgotten characters and attractions. It’s a place ruled by Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Walt Disney’s first cartoon star. As Mickey, the player uses paint and paint thinner to dynamically change Wasteland.

Warren began the tour at Disneyland park on Main Street, U.S.A., and explained that this was his inspiration for “Mean Street” in the world of Disney Epic Mickey. Warren stated: “I wanted players to be able to stand in the main square, look around and say to themselves, ‘I’ve been here before!’”

'Mean Street' in Epic Mickey Game

When I look at the image above, I see a combination of Main Street, U.S.A., and Mickey’s Toontown. What do you see in the image?

'Bog Easy' in Epic Mickey Game

Next, Warren took the group to New Orleans Square and pointed out that elements of this land can be found in the game’s Ventureland location, as well as a part of Wasteland called “Bog Easy.” Warren describes Ventureland as a “pirate-like and ghost-like place in Wasteland, where Oswald centralized all the Pirates stuff and Ghost stuff, toon and animatronic, that fell into Wasteland.”

'Lonesome Manor' in Epic Mickey Game

At the Haunted Mansion tour stop, Warren noted that the attraction is one of his favorite rides in the Parks and it had to be included in the game. In Disney Epic Mickey, the Haunted Mansion takes the form of “Lonesome Manor” and actually includes elements from all the different mansions from the Parks around the world.

'it's a small world' Clocktower in Epic Mickey Game

The Disneyland attraction, “it’s a small world,” served as the inspiration for Gremlin Village in the game. Warren explains why he chose to include this attraction: “Exiting the Small World ride, I looked at the almost unnaturally, unnervingly cheerful face of the Clocktower and immediately thought, ‘Wow, there’s our first boss!’ I thought it would be amusing to see a symbol of love brought to life as an adversary, and you can always turn it into a friend, if you choose!”

There are many more surprises to discover in the game, but what do you think of these screenshots and our insider’s look? Which images do you like best?

Comments

  • I speak for a family of *huge* Disney fans, and this game looks like more Disney fun for us; however, IMHO if Disney really wants to make their fans happy they’d bring back VMK, or something similar to it, so that their fans could once again share in the Disney magic and fun right from pcs with people all over the world. Our family really misses being connected to other Disney fans in such a magical way that VMK once provided. We would have *gladly* paid to keep playing on VMK. It was so much more fun than say Disney’s online Toontown.

  • I’ve reserved the Collector’s Edition of Epic Mickey!
    Thank you Mr. Spector for delivering a title that will rival Super Mario for years to come! Nintendo and Disney should work together more often, they’re so much alike!
    Also fingers crossed for a sequel in EPCOT!

  • I have a WII, but this game’s graphics look too good for The Low Definition Wii. I’m waiting for the PS3 version!

  • I’m still hoping this game will come to the PS3!

  • This game looks amazing! Any chance that this game might have a chance to be ported to PS3? The PS Move would be be able to give the same controls as the Wiimote right? just thought i’d ask!

  • Wow, this game is a Disney Parks / Video Games fan’s dream come true!

  • So can’t wait for this game…the paintbrush nunchuck arrived in my mailbox yesterday!

  • Already have my copy pre-ordered!

  • This looks fantastic. I love the integration of the parks into a video game, and what a great way to do it.

  • The game looks very cool! 🙂

  • I’m a BIG Kingdom Hearts fan, but I’m super excited for this game! I love Disney parks and the gameplay looks really neat. Looks like it’s time for me to get a Wii!

  • I am not a gamer at all but I am so excited for this game. Sadly I think Wii is the one consul my brothers don’t have, will it be coming out on any others?

  • As a HUGE fan of both video games and Disney, I cannot wait for this to come out. I’m still kind of in shock (months later) that Warren Spector is helming this title. I am loving all of the Disney Parks influences in the game. I’m going to be at WDW this weekend and will definitely be making the trip to Downtown Disney’s Festival of the Masters to check this out!

  • Can’t wait for this! The graphics appear to be some of the best yet on the Wii. The paintbrush nunchuck and wiimote charger are must haves as well!

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