Lots and lots of Epic Mickey details

Details on new levels, the story, inspiration and more

The latest issue of Nintendo Power has revealed some details on the upcoming Disney Epic Mickey game. And by some details, we mean a lot of details.

First up are the story details. In Epic Mickey the wizard Yen Sid creates a fantasy land for all his forgotten creations to live and thrive in. However, Mickey accidentally spills paint thinner and paint on the model of this new land, corrupting it and all the creations inside it, turning it into a Wasteland. Years later, the Phantom Blot kidnaps Mickey and brings him into the Wasteland. Here, Mickey must rid the place of evil. The three main antagonists in Epic Mickey are Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Walt Disneys first creation, the Mad Doctor and the Phantom Blot.

There are two types of levels in Epic Mickey: Action Maps and Travel Maps. Action Maps make up the bulk of the game and are fairly lengthy, whereas Travel Maps only take about a few minutes to complete, are 2D and have branching pathways that either lead to your destination or collectable rewards such as film strips etc. They have been described by lead designer Warren Spector as a "kind of a palate cleanser between the 3D maps. They’re a fun way to let players experience Mickey in a different light and present something that feels sort of like a classic Mario game."

Two Travel Maps were revealed: one based on the 1937 short, Lonesome Ghosts, and the other based on the 1933 short, The Mad Doctor. Two Action Maps were also revealed: The Lonesome Manor, in which Mickey has to enter a spooky mansion, and a Jungle-themed Action Map based on The Jungle Book and the Lost Boys’ hideout in Peter Pan. In the two Action Maps, whether or not you help out characters will affect Mickeys character and how the characters interact with you.

Warren Spector has stated that the intention of Epic Mickey is "to make Mickey the hero he deserves to be in a video game… [and] to reintroduce Oswald to the world." He also mentioned that the game will be a linear adventure, stating that hes "a big believer in linear storytelling that progresses from beat to beat in the same way for all players."

Theres a stack more information taken straight from Warren Spector down in the link below regarding why he used the characters for the game that he did, a bit about the forgotten characters themselves and some story elements. Its pretty in-depth, but give it a read if you dont mind having the first few levels of the game spoiled.

Source: NeoGAF via Nintendo Power