Castle of Illusion is one of the classics from the Mega Drive era and was ripe for re-imagining in high definition. The magical world created for this remake is so magical and enchanting it feels like a Disney cartoon that you control.
The story remains the same. Mickey and Minnie are enjoying a picnic when evil witch Mizrabel kidnaps Minnie and plans to use her to regenerate her youth. Mickey follows Mizrabel into the Castle of Illusion where he must work his way through the many floors collecting diamonds to create a rainbow bridge to Minnie's prison cell. The levels are 2.5D recreations of the Mega Drive counterparts all with a warm narration which makes it feel like a bedtime storybook as well as a cartoon. The level of detail in the levels is astounding, though, strangely, it feels more like a remake of World of Illusion (which I prefer) in many parts.
Grant Kirkhope's fairy tale score is full of cheerful melodies and compliments the visuals perfectly. The atmosphere and cheer generated by Castle of Illusion make it the perfect Xmas game, I think Sega could have made it a bigger hit releasing it closer to December, or at least offering an Xmas-themed DLC. The game is very short, so I feel that future DLC would be a great idea.
A must-have for fans of the original, for fans of platforming games, and for parents who need a safe game for kids with no violence or sexuality. Castle of Illusion is one of the most harmless games I have played in a long time, and for a change that works in its favor.
Graphic A+ Sound B+ Gameplay B Lasting Appeal B
