Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Disney banks on more retro remakes with Genesis classic ‘Castle of Illusion’

Anthony John Agnello
By

8145ImageAsset (1)Disney Interactive is backing away from video game development at speed, and it continues axing developers left and right. Epic Mickey studio Junction Point fell in January and recently the hearts of longtime gamers were broken when LucasArts fell just two short weeks ago. Why incur the costs in running your own studio when it’s cheaper to contract outside studios like Disney Infinity developer Avalanche Studios, or simply license out popular properties like Star Wars for big money and zero risk? Disney is also swiftly catching up to other companies like Nintendo who re-release old games rather than making brand new ones. Case in point: This summer’s remake of Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse.

Developed by Sega and released on the Genesis console in 1990, Castle of Illusion was one of a number of 2D platformers licensed by Disney that retain a fan base even today. The game was developed by AM7, one of Sega’s storied internal development teams that later became Overworks, the team behind Streets of Rage and Phantasy Star. 

Recommended Videos

With AM7 busy making Japan-only arcade and Nintendo 3DS games like 7th Dragon 2020, the HD remake of Castle of Illusion will be handled by Sega Studios Australia, whose last game was London 2012, Sega’s tie-in games for last summer’s Olympics. But just because the old team isn’t banging out this remake, which mixes 2D and 3D elements much like WayForward’s recently announced DuckTales Remastered, that doesn’t mean there isn’t any input from them. The original designer known as Emirin, who worked on all of Sega’s Disney games, is working with Disney Interactive on the production. 

Related

Sega is an appropriate partner for Disney, as that company is also starting to rely more heavily on its catalog of games rather than making new ones. Like Disney, Sega laid off a large number of staff members in 2012, shuttering studios, and cancelling games, while it bolstered its release schedule with HD remakes and remasters of games like NiGHTS into dreams and Jet Set Radio.

Disney is building up its re-release schedule now. This summer will see Castle of Illusion and DuckTales hit Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. What other vintage Disney games do you want to see, and will the company recognize the potential in HD remakes of its lucrative LucasArts catalog?

Editors' Recommendations

Anthony John Agnello
Anthony John Agnello
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Anthony John Agnello is a writer living in New York. He works as the Community Manager of Joystiq.com and his writing has…
VR headset deals: Meta Quest 2 and VIVE XR
htc vive vs pro headphones

While VR may not be as big as was predicted back in the early 2000s when the original Oculus Go was released, there is still a considerable market these days, and some great VR games like Half-Life: Alyx that you can have fun with. Of course, VR headsets remain expensive, and while options like the Meta Quest don't necessarily require a high-end gaming PC, they can still be a bit pricey for those who just want to put a foot in the hobby. Luckily, there are some good deals you can take advantage of, even on some of the best VR headsets, so be sure to check out all your options below.
Meta Quest 2 -- $199, was $200

Even though the Meta Quest 3 came out quite recently, the Meta Quest 2 is still a pretty powerful contender, especially since it has a wider library and app support than the Quest 3 currently has. Even more so, the Quest 2 is a lot cheaper than the Quest 3, and with the latest permanent discount down to just $200, that's a whole $300 or so difference from the Quest 3. Of course, the Quest 3 does have more advanced AR and slightly better performance with software and Wi-Fi, but that may not be worth the extra cost for some. Either way, be sure to check out the breakdown between Quest 2 and Quest 3 to get a better sense of what you should pick up.

Read more
BlizzCon 2024 is not happening despite Blizzard’s strong 2024 lineup
A still from World of Warcraft The Worldsoul Saga's reveal tralier.

World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch maker Blizzard Entertainment confirmed that BlizzCon 2024 will not be happening.

BlizzCon was a convention that Blizzard Entertainment held almost every year between 2005 and 2019 to celebrate its games and make new announcements. The pandemic and hostile workplace allegations against Blizzard meant that no shows were held in 2020 or 2022 (2021 was digital-only), but BlizzCon made its grand return in 2023. We attended it last November and had the opportunity to speak with developers and learn more about Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer's first visit to Blizzard, upcoming plans for franchises like Diablo and Warcraft, and more. Although Blizzard never outright confirmed that it would hold BlizzCon in 2024, the event was expected to continue after its return last year.

Read more
How to unlock fast travel in Another Crab’s Treasure
Kril with a coconut shell

Another Crab's Treasure is a fantastical soulslike set deep under the ocean where danger lurks around every corner. And like other games in the genre, it's often brutally difficult to overcome the various challenges you'll encounter. As such, you may find yourself wanting to backtrack for level grinding, to uncover new secrets, or to buy additional items in the game's main hub. However, you may notice early in the game that you haven't yet unlocked the ability to fast travel between the multitude of Moon Snail Shells (aka "bonfires") you've found. Here's how and when you'll unlock fast travel.
How to unlock fast travel
In the opening hours of the game, you may notice that you can access your skill tree, which will show a skill called Shelleportation. But you may be discouraged to see that you aren't able to apply any points to it yet. That's because the game doesn't open up this feature until you've advanced a few hours into the story.

To unlock fast travel, you'll need to work your way through the first few main areas of the game until you reach a boss called the Polluted Platoon Pathfinder. After beating this baddie, you'll soon find yourself teleporting to the Moon Snail's Domain. Here, you'll learn about the power of Umami, as well as unlock access to your skill tree.

Read more