Disney Magical Kingdom

Genre: Misc.

Players: 1, Content Sharing (Local Wireless / Online)

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Review:

Disney Magical Kingdom, a family-friendly game released on Nintendo 3DS in 2014, is a difficult game to define. The closest point of comparison to this game is almost certainly Animal Crossing, but that comparison seems to be lacking, as this does feel like a different experience, even if it has some strong similarities to Nintendo’s easygoing “lifestyle” Management Simulation.

Players see their Mii character being welcomed into a small kingdom filled with both Mii-style characters and various Disney characters, and running with a real-time day-night cycle. Here, they will run errands for the various people of the kingdom, gather plants and other items to sell or use for crafting, fish, shop for outfits or furniture, or even manage their own small cafe. There are other activities too, such as small Action-RPG-style dungeons to fight through, but for the most part, this feels like an experience very similar to Animal Crossing.

There’s something about this game that feels curated and managed, where Animal Crossing is relaxed and aimless. You don’t get the feeling the others here are residents so much as they’re… well, like Disneyland mascots filling their intended roles, pointing you in a direction rather than living their own lives. And while players are technically free to act as they please, the game is far more structured than Animal Crossing, with specific goals to accomplish.

But I suppose the biggest difference between this game and Animal Crossing is a feeling of ownership and personalization. While Animal Crossing has players interacting with their town or island as if it was theirs, Disney Magical Kingdom feels more like a theme park you’re visiting than a living town you’re living in. Even your ability to craft or buy new outfits and furniture feels like they greatly limit your creativity – you don’t really place furniture in your cafe, you essentially change the skin of its already-placed furniture. And the overwhelming majority of outfits and furniture you buy seems to be emblazoned with the mark of a Disney character in one way or another, with even the simplest of outfits being adorned with Mickey Mouse ears. It feels like a constant reminder that none of this is yours, it’s all his.

I’m of the opinion that a game shouldn’t just be rated based on what it isn’t, and it’s not wholly fair to rate Disney Magical Kingdom based on the ways it isn’t Animal Crossing, but I point out these differences because without the freedom, the personalization, the sense of ownership, and the feeling of community that Animal Crossing offers, what Disney Magical Kingdom offers in its place is mainly the structure formed by the tasks it gives you to do, as well as, of course, the appeal of the Disney characters and worlds contained within.

To that end, the presentation in Disney Magical Kingdom is good, but has some issues. This game uses full 3D visuals for its world and characters, but there seems to be a disconnect between the simple-looking Mii-style characters and the more -detailed cartoony anthropomorphic animals that much of the Disney cast is. It also doesn’t help that the framerates chug on occasion, struggling to keep up with these visuals. These visuals are joined by brief voice clips of the Disney characters, and backed by a repetitive but somewhat catchy soundtrack. It’s not ideal, but it’s not terrible.

Probably my biggest complaints about the game is that without the feeling of ownership and personalization, all the game’s busywork just feels like… well, busywork. And it doesn’t help that the game’s pacing is dreadfully slow, particularly in the earliest hours of the game, where the game’s way of pushing you through slow introductions to its mechanics feels like it takes forever.

In the end, Disney Magical Kingdom… well, obviously is not Animal Crossing. What it is is still enjoyable, but without much of what makes Animal Crossing so delightful, this game feels like it’s lacking much of that game’s heart and soul, and in its place is slow, plodding busywork. If you’re a fan of slower-paced games and you love Disney stuff, this game may appeal to you. But most players are better off sticking with… well, Animal Crossing.

tl;dr – Disney Magical Kingdom is a family-friendly game that has a lot of similarities to Animal Crossing, but with a slew of Disney characters and more structured goals. Unfortunately, the way this game feels impersonal and curated makes it harder to have the same feeling of investment and ownership you get in Animal Crossing, and in its place is busywork and tediously slow pacing. It’s not a terrible game by any stretch, but it’s hard to see a reason to recommend this game over Animal Crossing, unless you’re a huge Disney fan.

Grade: C+

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