Retro Disney Games That Will Make You Nostalgic

The Wonderful World of Disney has received amazing games over the years, especially back on retro consoles. From running around in Olympus as Hercules to fixing the Wasteland as Mickey with a paintbrush, Disney fans can find treasures from games of a past era. You won’t need a Mousekatool to check out these games, thankfully.

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7

Disney Epic Mickey

Paint and thinner save or ruin the day

Epic Mickey is a surprising Wii 3D platformer that features Mickey in a dark environment called the Wasteland, the place where forgotten characters head to. Unfortunately, due to Mickey’s antics in Yen Sid’s study, paint thinner ravages the land and ruins the lives of many. The game features an interesting mechanic that allows you to paint to bring back items in the environment or remove them with thinner.

While paint and thinner can help Mickey with his platforming, they also have a morale system attached to them. Thinner also lets you see hidden items behind walls that were previously there. You can check out the game on Wii or on modern platformers with a stellar Rebrushed remaster.

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The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse

A classic Disney game

Mickey Mouse has a great history within the video game medium with yet another title on this list. The icon is on his way to save his pet dog Pluto from the evil clutches of Pete. He’ll have to make his way through some imaginative levels, however, on this grand adventure. The platforming feels responsive, and the graphics are bright and colorful. As you’d expect from a Disney game, you also have brilliant animation.

You can throw items towards foes like boxes and bounce on objects like clouds to get from one place to the next. The game continues to excite Disney fans as Mickey changes into different outfits. The Turban, for example, gives him magical powers.

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Hercules

2 words. A great game!

One of the best Disney games on PS1 features the Greek hero Hercules running across Thebes and taking down mythological monsters. He can use his sword to strike down foes, utilize his superstrength to remove rocks and ride the minotaur boss to eliminate him. This Hercules game does well with the PS1 tech with visuals inspired by the movies. The hero can run through multiple layers, going into the background to find new routes in the level.

The platforming is also electric as Hercules swings on poles and overcomes the rocky environments of the Greek environment. The enemies have plenty of personality as well, and the city of Thebes level is staggering as it showcases the busy crowds.

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DuckTales

Woo hoo!

Capcom is the developer behind many classic Disney games from the NES and SNES era, and DuckTales is one of its highlights. This title has Scrooge McDuck satisfyingly jumping on top of foes and obstacles with his walking cane. The bounce is perfect as you nail Capcom’s platforming challenges. It in fact later inspired the treasured Shovel Knight, which received acclaim during the 2010s. Its levels are fun and imaginative. They’re still fun to play, despite them originating on the NES, a console that has many failed licensed tie-in games.

One level that many gaming fans are fond of is the Moon. There are spikes to bounce on to reach hard to reach areas, and flying enemies that can be a challenge to deal with. What’s most memorable about The Moon level, however, is its phenomenal theme that has an exciting composition throughout. Many cover artists have played the song for YouTube, Spotify and other music platforms. It was even referenced in the rebooted show on Disney Channel.

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Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse

One of the best Sega Genesis/Megadrive games.

Mickey Mouse and the platforming genre are like peanut butter and jelly. They just work together. This Genesis platformer features pretty environments for the protagonist to explore as he bounces on mushrooms and toy soldiers. He can also throw apples at his enemies. He makes his way through a toy maze that mirrors his movements vertically. He jumps up and down through a cave of waterfalls and rushing rivers, trying to take him out in a flash. The mouse also has to work his way through a land of candy, using floating wafers to proceed. This game constantly surprises you on what’s coming next.

Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse received a remake on the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. While it did not match up to the original, it was received well by critics. It’s thankfully backwards compatible on Xbox Series X|S.

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Disney’s Aladdin (Sega Genesis)

You don’t need three wishes to play this game.

The ’90s were a magical time for Disney fans, and both the movie and the game for Disney’s Aladdin were part of that. The “streetrat” leaps and bounces on all manner of obstacles and enemies in a thrilling manner. He can also swing his sword (which he never does in the movies, but we’ll accept it) and throw apples at various foes like the sultan’s soldiers. Agrabah looks amazing in this Sega Genesis game.

Aladdin jumps across lava rocks, bounces off camels, avoids pots thrown out of windows and climbs on ropes to proceed in the level. He also has an exciting level in the Cave of Wonders as he tries to escape the area on his fast-paced carpet.

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Kingdom Hearts 2

A magical Disney game.

The best retro Disney game and most memorable is Kingdom Hearts 2. This RPG has you play as Sora, exploring all manner of Disney worlds like Mulan’s The Land of Dragons, Aladdin’s Agrabah, and The Lion King’s Pride Rock. This fifteen-year-old keyblade wielder makes an impact with each character he meets, forming strong friendships with the Disney characters we know and love. It’s fascinating to see how the storyline of the Kingdom Hearts series can change the plotlines we’ve grown up with. For example, it’s interesting how Xaldin plays with The Beast’s heart. Add in an engaging original story, and you’re in for a treat.

Kingdom Hearts 2’s combat system is also thrilling. The reaction command system has Sora fighting the heartless and nobodies in cinematic fashion. You can also utilize powerful magic like Blizzard and Fire to take down his enemies. This is a retro Disney game you should play if you haven’t already; maybe start with the first game, though.

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