The island has its share of challenges as the heroes swim, jump, wall-jump and much more through various obstacles. Each character has unique abilities, but everyone can grind on rails, swing from vines, and more. Based on the trailer alone, the hand-drawn art style looks incredible, while the orchestral score captures that classic Disney feel.

Though not showcased here, there are bosses to battle and puzzles to solve. Players can also assist each other in co-op with unique abilities like Rope Drop and Leap Frog.

Disney Illusion Island launches on July 28th for Nintendo Switch. Check out the last major trailer here.

In order to know more about the game, GamingBolt caught up with Jonathan Mintz, who is the Lead Designer on Disney: Fantasia Music Evolved. Check out his response below.

Rashid Sayed: Given that rhythm games are a rarity these days, what was the inspiration behind developing Fantasia: Music Evolved? 

Jonathan Mintz: Disney approached Harmonix with an ambitious goal: reimagine Walt Disney’s classic film as a 21^st century interactive experience. We couldn’t pass up an opportunity like that. Harmonix’s goal is to give people new ways to experience and connect with music, and this project was a perfect way to continue that mission.

Rashid Sayed: I find it interesting that Fantasia: Music Evolved is exclusive to Xbox platforms. Was there any specific reason skipping the PlayStation versions? 

Jonathan Mintz: The game was built from the ground up as a motion gaming experience. We really want players to feel like they are physically shaping music and using it to transform worlds. While we’d love to bring the game to more platforms in the future, the Kinect is the best tool for allowing us to realize that vision right now.

"There’s a huge range – everything from classical masterpieces to classic rock, hip-hop to pop. Walt originally intended for Fantasia to grow and change over time, with new music being added over the years. When choosing our soundtrack, we imagined where we might have ended up today if he’d been able to realize that vision."

Rashid Sayed: I am sure you must be aware that Harmonix is going to release Amplitude which will be a PlayStation bound. But it seems that they won’t reach their Kickstarter goal. Considering that they are also developing Fantasia: Music Evolved do you think that the market for rhythm based games is on a decline? 

Jonathan Mintz: Everyone at Harmonix is incredibly grateful to our Kickstarter backers, and the Amplitude team is really looking forward to creating the premier next-gen rhythm-action game. In Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved, song performanceis similar to the focused beatmatch play of Amplitude, but it also feels like the active play of something like Dance Dance Revolution. And the interactions in the realms are similar to more experimental games like Electroplanktonor Proteus.So while the core audience for rhythm-action might be small (but dedicated,) I’m hopeful that we’ll find players interested in exploring our uni\que and varied music and gameplay.

Rashid Sayed: The trailers actually gave me the vibes of it being a straight forward dance game but it seems to be a bit more open ended. What can you tell us about that? 

Jonathan Mintz: This is a very tough game to introduce to new people! We’ve spent a long time working on how the game helps you learn to play, but it’s even more challenging to explain it via video or text. Here’s ashort overview: the game invites you to become the new Sorcerer’s Apprentice, learning how to perform a wide variety of great music. Once you demonstrate your skill in basic performance, though, you’ll soon discover how you can remix songs and add new solos to them as you perform. And from there, you’ll gain the ability to explore the realms of Fantasia and create brand-new music with their characters and creatures.

Rashid Sayed: What can you tell us about the different types of music in the game?

Jonathan Mintz: There’s a huge range – everything from classical masterpieces to classic rock, hip-hop to pop. Walt originally intended for Fantasia to grow and change over time, with new music being added over the years. When choosing our soundtrack, we imagined where we might have ended up today if he’d been able to realize that vision.

Rashid Sayed: Tell us about the basic gameplay mechanics. How has the game changed ever since its showing at E3 last year? 

Jonathan Mintz: The game asks players to move their hands in time with musical cues, trying to make them feel like Mickey Mouse conducting the heavens and oceans in the original Sorcerer’s Apprentice segment. The better you do at this basic play, the more musical control you get over the sound of the song. Since E3 last year, we’ve refined the motion detection and feedback, adding and tuning cues to ensure that players know what to do, feel good when they’re succeeding, and really connect with the music in each song and remix.

" Once you discover songs and remixes in the realms, you’ll be able to access a Song Library where you can play multiplayer. Two players can perform a song together, competing for control of the mix and cooperating to record solos."

Rashid Sayed: Can you please explain the concept of ‘overworld’ in Fantasia: Music Evolved? 

Jonathan Mintz: Players will travel to the realms of Fantasia and explore them by moving in front of the Kinect. Using the Muse, a magical orb that lets you reach out and touch the realms, you’ll be able to dive into songs, perform them, and then draw their magic back into the realms. This will transform the realms, opening new hot spots where you can record your own compositions as well as many other surprising musical interactions.

Rashid Sayed: The game is supposed to have co-operative elements. Can you please explain how that will work? 

Jonathan Mintz: Once you discover songs and remixes in the realms, you’ll be able to access a Song Library where you can play multiplayer. Two players can perform a song together, competing for control of the mix and cooperating to record solos.

Rashid Sayed: Fantasia: Music Evolved won’t have a scoring system. How do you plan to reward the player then? 

Jonathan Mintz: Song performance does have a scoring system. Getting high scores will unlock remixes. To get the best possible scores, you’ll need to fully perform every cue and choose the hardest remix each time you have a choice during the song. You’ll earn a point bonus for your longest streak as well. Beyond that, you’ll earn collectibles and find other secrets as you explore the realms.

Rashid Sayed: Can you confirm the resolution and frame rate that Fantasia: Music Evolved will run on the Xbox One? 

Jonathan Mintz: We run at 1080p, 30fps.

Rashid Sayed: Did the development team face any issues due to the eSRAM of the Xbox One? How did you over came the challenges on developing on the Xbox One? 

Jonathan Mintz: Our game was built with the Xbox One in mind, so I don’t believe we encountered any particularly difficult challenges. We were mostly excited to be working with the extra horsepower of the console and the increase fidelity of Kinect for Xbox One.

"We believe that this game offers something genuinely unique, allowing players to experience music in a whole new way. "

Rashid Sayed: Do we have a fix release date for Fantasia: Music Evolved? 

Jonathan Mintz: October 21^st in the US.

Rashid Sayed: Given that Kinect is an important element of Disney Fantasia: Music Evolve, what is your reaction towards Microsoft’s recent announcement of a Kinect-less version? 

Jonathan Mintz: We’re hopeful that it will get more people to check out the Xbox One. Once they get excited about the system, they can always choose to pick up a Kinect and Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved later.

Rashid Sayed: Is there anything else you want to tell our readers about Fantasia: Music Evolved? 

Jonathan Mintz: We believe that this game offers something genuinely unique, allowing players to experience music in a whole new way. We’ve worked hard to live up to Disney’s legacy while also delivering on Harmonix’s mission of giving people amazing gameplay experiences. We’d love for you to try it and see for yourself!

With Kingdom Hearts III appearing for the first time on a Microsoft consoles, the title will be coming to the Xbox One as well as the PlayStation 4. There’s no official release date for the game, nor is there a rough estimation of the release date given that the title has only recently been officially revealed to be a product in development by game director, Tetsuya Nomura.

• 1. Development
• 2. Gameplay
• 3. Story
• 4. Characters

Development

As is the case with many of Square Enix’s titles, the development process of Kingdom Hearts III is strange and sometimes goes quiet for long periods of time, but despite this there are still some note worthy pieces of information worth covering. With Kingdom Hearts normally being developed by Square Enix’s Product Development Division 1 team (who previously developed Birth by Sleep and Dream Drop Distance as well as having worked on the HD1.5 Remix), Kingdom Hearts III is being handled by the Osaka based 1st production department of Square Enix.

Following the successful launch of Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, a Japanese exclusive re-release of Kingdom Hearts II that launched on March 29th of 2007 on the PlayStation 2, Tetsuya Nomura was approached by Disney who voiced their interests in having a sequel. Addressing the issue of releasing it, Nomura  stated that they had various ideas, but were not at a point where they can reveal something. However, at this time Final Fantasy XV (which was FF Vs XIII at the time) was (and may still be) a main concern for Nomura, likely consuming much of his time which is a contributing factor to the long gestation period for Kingdom Hearts III.

Speaking at a “Square Enix Presents” interview in 2013, the series producer Shinji Hashimoto said “So at E3 this year we announced Kingdom Hearts III and Final Fantasy XV”, “Both have Tetsuya Nomura as their director, so we can’t create these two big games at the same time”,”It’s a difficult job, as we want each game to be perfect in terms of quality.”

It was also announced that Kingdom Hearts 3DS (Dream Drop Distance), which released in 2013 would be tying into Kingdom Hearts III, announcing that the game would not only tie in its story but also it’s gameplay mechanics. The game fell into a rather obscure period of silence where despite all the above, there was no official comment saying that Kingdom Hearts III was actively (or even passively) being developed.

This changed on June 10th 2013 when it was officially announced during Sony’s E3 press conference when they showed a teaser alongside the intent to release the game on the upcoming PlayStation 4. It was alongside this showing that they announced that this would be the first time that a Kingdom Hearts game would be coming to a Microsoft console, the intent being to port the PS4 game version.

This news however may well have arrived prematurely with Nomura expressing his displeasure with the games announcement. As stated, he didn’t intend to announce the game until certain goals were reached in other projects. Speaking to Famitsu he commented on this, saying that the announcement was purely to appease irritated and impatient fans (every impatient or upset fan is potentially a lost sale, so when this adds up a company must make a move or else they must re-evaluate their predicted sales targets), in an interview with Famitsu Magazine, Nomura stated that fan’s impatience was one of the reasons behind revealing the game.

Gameplay

While not much solid information is available regarding gameplay, some details are available given that gameplay will be similar to that of Kindgom Hearts II. Players will construct a party of warriors who all make use of different skills, talents and powers to combat  their opponents.

Players will engage the foe in a traditional RPG battle scenario with them selecting their next action from a drop down menu that the characters on screen avatar then enacts. The summoning feature will be returning, but will be in a different form than what is seen in other games. There is also stories of multiplayer being considered, but there hasn’t been much information made available in this matter.

Story

Kingdom Hearts III continues on and picks up where Dream Drop Distance left off, seeing Sora returning alongside Riku, Donald Duck, Goofy, and King Mickey as they search across various Disney and non-Disney landscapes. While this is going on king Mickey and Riku are searching for individuals who have previously wielded Key blades as they plan to thwart  Master Xehanort’s evil schemes.

Characters

Sora: A young 14 year old boy, Sora has been chosen to be the wielder of the Keyblade. A large key shaped weapon used to combat the darkness. Sora makes repeat appearances through the series and is often the key character in the development of the game.

Riku: Riku is one of Sora’s friends and is also a wielder of a Key blade.

Donald Duck: A Disney character with an iconic history plays the roles of the courts wizard in Kingdom Hearts.

Goofy Goof: Another Disney character of legendary status, Goofy fulfils the role of Captain of The Royal Guard.

King Mickey: Perhaps the most well-known cartoon character of all time, Mickey Mouse leads with the role of King Mickey Mouse.

Note: This wiki will be updated once we have more information about the game.

Castle of Illusion centers on Mickey Mouse, who is forced to enter the harrowing and confusing castle of illusion in order to save his beloved Minnie Mouse, who has been captured by the evil witch, Mizrabel. The game featured classic side-scrolling game play, with Mickey’s main method of attack being to “bounce” on his opponents. Mickey also utilizes projectile weapons to combat his foes within the castle.

As we can see from this video, SEGA and Disney are taking extra care to ensure that this most recent reboot (There was a SEGA Saturn reboot in 1998) remains as true to the original as possible, while still employing the most up to date graphics and mechanics.

The Castle of Illusion remake is set to release in August of 2013 for Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

The game was released across 7th generation of hardware and multiple platforms including the Nintendo Wii U, Wii and 3DS as well as the PS3, Xbox 360, PC and iPad. Given the variety of platforms and it’s widespread release, the game was published by three bodies. They are Disney Interactive Studios, Bandai Namco Games in Japan and Microsoft Studios on Xbox 360 and PC.

• 1. Development
• 2. Story
• 3. Gameplay

Development

Disney Infinity involves using real-life figures and scanning them in order to use the characters in-game. The origins of how Disney infinity came from the idea on developing a potential tie-in game to Pixar’s Toy Story 3, say.

While coming up with various ideas on they realized rather than making a game that followed the events of the story, they focused on the possibility of playing with the Toy Story characters ,like playing with actual toys. Different characters had different abilities, and tests revealed that children play testing the game would learn how to use the abilities together in emergent, evolving gameplay.

Activision’s vice president of consumer marketing, John Coyne, told in an interview We are thrilled by the incredible success that the Skylanders franchise has had in such a short period of time, “We are also flattered that one of the leading family entertainment companies is joining our toys to life category. We continue to focus on delivering innovative and immersive entertainment experiences to kids around the world and are pouring more creativity into our games. As a result we are well positioned to continue leading the category.” [reference]

The game expands upon the idea that basing the game around the idea of imagination and interaction between the various Disney intellectual properties that include Cars pal around with Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean who can be visited by Mr. Incredible[reference]

Story

There is no set story per-se but players will take on the role of a variety of popular characters Here are some of the names  of the characters that will make an appearance in Disney infinity.

Bullseye-Woody’s horse from Toy story

Buzz Lightyear-one of the main protagonists from Pixar’s Toy Story franchise.

Captain Barbossa-The undead captain of the Black Pearl.

Dash Parr-Dash is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Incredible. He can run very fast.

Davy Jones-Davy Jones is the squid-like creature of the Pirates of the Caribbean series of films. He is captain of the ghost ship The Flying Dutchman

Dumbo- As Appeared as a summon character in Kingdom Hearts

Edna Mode-A fashion designer for the super heroes in The Incredibles.

Emperor Zurg-Sworn Enemy of the Galactic Alliance is an evil villain from the Toy Story series.

Francesco Bernoulli-A character in Cars 2. Not an antagonist, just very rude to Lightning.

Grem-one of the antagonists in Cars 2

Holley Shiftwell-A young British agent in Cars 2.

Jack Skellington-is the tall, skeletal ruler of Halloween Town. He’s hospitable, but his repetitive life causes him to do things he doesn’t quite understand, just for variety.

Jack Sparrow-The main character of Pirates of the Caribbean.

Jessie-Jessie is one of Woody’s best friends & Buzz’s girlfriend

Joshamee Gibbs-Often refered to as Master Gibbs. He is Jack Sparrows right-hand man.

Lightning McQueen-The main character from the Pixar movie Cars. This car, although only a rookie, has big dreams of winning the Piston Cup race and getting sponsored by Dinco.

Luigi-The character in Cars, he likes Ferrari cars and racing. He change tires as a job.

Maccus-the first mate aboard the flying dutchman under Davy Jones.

Mater-This tow truck from the Pixar’s Cars movie, is Lightning McQueen’s best friend.

Mirage-Mirage is Syndrome’s right-hand.

Mr. Incredible-His real name is Bob Parr,he is a powerful superhero with super strength.Mr. Incredible is the father of Violet, Dash, and Jack jack Parr.

Sulley-the lovable blue monster from the Pixar film ‘Monsters Inc.’ who scares small children with help from his friend Mike Wazowski.

Violet Parr-the oldest daughter of Mr & Mrs. Incredible, she has the ability to make herself invisible. Violet is also able to make force fields to protect herself or someone else.

Gameplay

The player can place their Disney Infinity Figures onto the Disney Infinity Base to jump into the game and make them come alive in it have adventures. There are two main modes in the game, Play Set and Toy Box.

Play Set Mode has Disney Infinity Play sets of films. The player takes control of characters and plays as them in original adventures in different worlds. The player can battle enemies, complete a variety of other unique quests while solve puzzles, overcomes obstacles. Each play set is essentially a world in itself, and is based on a specific movie or series with recognizable characters, game plays, and storylines. Characters from one world cannot enter into another world, but players can put any character together in Toy Box Mode.

While Toy Box Mode allows the player to create their own world and stories, similar to Toy Box Mode in Toy Story 3: The Video Game. It will allow the player to mix characters from different franchises.

The game has a two-player mode, though four players can play online. The player can also add new Disney Infinity Figures, or also use Disney Infinity Power Discs to unlock character powers, gadgets and new ways to customize their world.

In summing up what exactly is Disney Infinity gameplay : There is one part of the game that is driven by missions and the desire to unlock new items: and another part Garry’s Mod, the sandbox

Physics game that offers a breadth of creative possibility and finally where you can exercise your creativity through design (aesthetic or play environments), programming (a whole host of basic logic programming space) or in collaboration with others (up to four players can play at once through a two-player split screen that can also connect to two others over wifi. [reference]

This wiki was last updated on 2nd, January, 2015.