The Glade 4.0

My kids have a Wii. One of the local Blockbuster video stores was shutting down, and had a big sale. I picked up this game for $12.

What a peice of artistic genius. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised -- Wii or not, this is a Warren Spector game. You know, the man behind the Wing Commander series, Ultima VII, Thief, System Shock, & Deus Ex?

The concept is simple enough. The Sorcerer Yen Sid (Fantasia, The Sorcerer's Apprentice) had created a fantasy world of things that had once been forgotten, using a magic paintbrush, magic paint, and magic paint thinner. Mickey gets sucked into his lab by accident, and in curiosity accidentally spills the magic paint and thinner all over the fantasy world, creating "The Wasteland." Mickey must now travel to The Wasteland, using the magic brush and paint & paint thinner to correct all the damage he has done (or not) and get out.

The settings are...brilliant. Right from Dark Beauty's Castle (a macabre version of Sleeping Beauty's Castle, complete with a minor-key spooky version of her signature "Once Upon a Dream,") to various theme park rides (so far I've seen the Dumbo flying elephants ride and "It's a small world") are bits of artistic genius. The focus is on older Disney material and physical theme park locations, some levels are even in black and white, which makes the lack of hi-def almost appropriate in places (but not really.)

The controls are not quite accurate enough for some of the more complex puzzles, and the game would be so much prettier in hi-def (why-oh-why did you make this for the Wii and not 360/PS3 or PC, Warren?), and the camera angles are wonky at times, but this is a brilliant, brilliant game. If you're looking for a reason to dust off the Wii, this is it.

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Well Ali Baba had them forty thieves, Scheherezade had a thousand tales
But master you in luck 'cause up your sleeves you got a brand of magic never fails...
...Mister Aladdin, sir, What will your pleasure be?
Let me take your order, Jot it down -You ain't never had a friend like me
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This game always looked interesting to me. And the fact that Spector was behind it made me take notice when I first heard about it.

Glad to hear it's an enjoyable experience.

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Les Zombis et les Loups-Garous!

Greater access to the target audience. Also, the Wii controls add a lot to a game when implemented properly.

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Buckle your pants or they might fall down.

Or, because Disney said so, apparently. (possibly as a result of "access to the target audience, as you said.)

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Well Ali Baba had them forty thieves, Scheherezade had a thousand tales
But master you in luck 'cause up your sleeves you got a brand of magic never fails...
...Mister Aladdin, sir, What will your pleasure be?
Let me take your order, Jot it down -You ain't never had a friend like me
█ ♣ █

We own it, but would not have bought it for any other platform.

While it is pretty and I agree with Talya on how well certain aspects are incorporated (i.e. it's a small world), I am find much of the mid game repetitive and tedious. I'll see things and know where I want to go, or eve nsee how I have to get there, only to miss a jump or or have a slight timing issue and be forced to try again and again (and again).

Now that I 've lost interst I doubt I ever finish it. At least I liked it at the beginning.

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Gorse

I may be skeptical, but I read it like this. "Development on the Wii started in 2008. When the idea of addressing a Wii port of the game was raised, Spector replied that a straight Wii port would not be viable, remarking that many of the "design ideas just won't work on the Wii, we need to give the Wii its dues". Then Disney pulled up in a gigantic truck full of money. "Warren then decided that development solely on the Wii would be in his best interest."