Developer(s) – SEGA AM7
Publisher(s) – SEGA
Director(s) – Emiko Yamamoto
Producer(s) – Patrick Gilmore
PEGI – 3
Released as a Sega Genesis exclusive, unlike its predecessors Castle of Illusion and Land Illusion, World of Illusion is the third game in the series, which puts players in the shoes of not only Mickey Mouse but also his companion Donald Duck. Offering two different experiences depending on which character the player chooses at the start. It was released to rave reviews back in 1992 with critics praising the graphics and multiplayer. But it also had one or two detractors in addition. With some labeling the single-player mode as dull or bland.
Growing up, World of Illusion was the Illusion game I spent the most time on. And as a prerequisite, I enjoyed it very much back in the day. Nostalgia aside, I still enjoy playing it. In terms of quality, I put it in between the original two. It’s not quite as good as Land of Illusion. But it’s slightly better than Castle of Illusion in my opinion.
Graphics – 8/10
The first thing to notice right off the bat compared to the other two Illusion games is that the graphics outstrip both of them on the technical side. Everything from the environment to the characters looks better than they ever had done before. Showcasing in spectacular fashion what the Sega Mega Drive was capable of as the fourth generation was well and truly established. On the conceptual level, it still impresses, having been influenced by a number of Disney films such as Fantasia, Alice in Wonderland, and Sleeping Beauty to name but a few. Similar to how Castle of Illusion was put together. But on a greater scale.
Gameplay – 9/10
The gameplay also follows a very similar formula to that of Castle of Illusion, being a traditional 2D sidescroller offering two different adventures. One as Mickey Mouse and the other as Donald Duck. It’s nowhere near as open-ended as Land of Illusion is. But both playthroughs offer a very different experience to one another. As Donald Duck is forced to find alternative paths across each level due to his having different capabilities from Mickey Mouse. The multiplayer is also an outstanding experience to indulge in as it requires slightly more cooperation to progress through than in other side scrollers of the time.
Controls – 9.5/10
The only minor fault I found with the controls, as I discussed in my review of Castle of Illusion, was the crawling mechanics. Whenever the player character crawls, it seems way too dragged on and nowhere near as fluent as a normal movement. But as I said, it’s only a nitpick. It doesn’t hinder gameplay to the point of it being unplayable. Regular movement is as fluent as it is in any of the best platformers released at the time.
Lifespan – 7.5/10
Clocking in at around an hour, World of Illusion lasts about the same time as Land of Illusion despite its linearity, which for the time is pretty impressive in all fairness. Especially compared to what is essentially a Metroidvania. It racks up around the average lifespan of a game back in its time. So it may seem like nothing compared to what gamers will be used to in this day and age. But, for the time being, it’s impossible to complain about too much.
Storyline – 7/10
The story of the World of Illusion is almost identical to that of the Land of Illusion. It involves Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck being swept away on yet another adventure, as they are taken by an evil magician in the form of Mickey’s long-standing arch-nemesis Pete. Again, like in the previous Illusion games, the cutscenes do as good a job as what could’ve been expected to tell the story as effectively as possible. But with respect to the game’s story, it falls a little short in terms of uniqueness.
Originality – 7.5/10
The aspects in which this game doesn’t fall short of in terms of uniqueness, however, are in both the graphics and the gameplay. The conceptual design, despite the fact they were inspired by several different Disney films, still feels like it’s its own cohesive idea as opposed to it feeling like a mish-mash of different previously conceived elements. Although the game isn’t quite on par with Land of Illusion in terms of gameplay, it’s necessary to appreciate the fact that the developers tried something new instead of simply giving the players the same experience all over again.
Happii
In summation, World of Illusion holds a lot of nostalgic value to me personally. But in the grander scheme of things, it’s still a great game to play. The multiplayer is immersing, the graphics look great, and whilst the story isn’t very original. Especially by Disney’s own lofty standards, there’s more than enough here on offer to make up for it.