Electronic Gaming Monthly's Top 23 Disney Games (8-Bit Edition)

Disney's The Emperor's New Groove (Game Boy Color)

#23

“Here is a textbook example of a perfectly average 2D platform game. The Emperor's New Groove features solid control, but absolutely nothing in it stands out as interesting or inspired. Barring the license, there's no compelling reason to choose this game over any of the other character-driven action titles available on the Game Boy Color. Most gamers will want to look elsewhere for their Disney fix.” (5 out of 10)

Disney's DuckTales 2 (Game Boy)

#22

“DuckTales 2 was a good idea, but it gets quickly lost on the tiny screen! You get a sense of grand adventure, but the game gets tiresome quickly with so-so graphics and OK control! Capcom has been good at some Game Boy titles in the past (look at what they did with the Mega Man series), but DuckTales 2 doesn't cut it.” (5.8 out of 10)

Mickey's Dangerous Chase (Game Boy)

#21

“It appears Mickey will be a hit no matter which system he appears on. Mickey's Dangerous Chase is a fun game to play, sometimes even silly! The option to pick Minnie is different, since Mickey is always SAVING her in other versions. No matter, though, this is a good all-around cart.” (6 out of 10)

Mickey's Speedway USA (Game Boy Color)

#20

“Micro Machines-style racing featuring cute little Disney characters is what you get with Mickey's Speedway USA. The other portions, such as driving school, only serve as a mild diversion and certainly don't hold as much weight as the racing. So, essentially, if you're not a fan of the ever-tricky overhead perspective, you'll end up frustrated here. The problem, of course, is the limited amount of track visible on the screen at any one moment. The direction arrows help somewhat, but in the end, it's all about memorizing each and every turn.” (7.2 out of 10)

Disney's The Jungle Book (Game Gear)

#19

“Making the rounds on seemingly all systems, this version of the popular Disney title holds-up pretty well here, although the control needs some fine-tuning. The levels are huge and graphically well done, and the distinctive characters are all recognizable. Mastering the attack does take some time, but overall this is a fine Disney conversion.” (6.2 out of 10)

Mickey's Ultimate Challenge (Game Boy)

#18

“It may be a bit easy for the more experienced player, but even a veteran in my age group can appreciate the different puzzles. Sure, it's Game Boy, but the version I played was colorized so it wasn't too bad. The graphics are pretty cool, yet the sounds are mediocre. I really enjoyed the variety of games, but it seemed to end too quickly. Yet, the puzzles can get tough on Hard Mode. A neat little game to pass the time.” (6.75 out of 10)

Disney's The Little Mermaid (NES)

#17

“I've got to review this game with the right attitude, because, after all, it is for little girls. Beyond the fact that the action is really toned down, there aren't a lot of bad things to say about Mermaid, other than it does get somewhat boring after a while. Little girls should love it. I don't.” (6.75 out of 10)

Disney's The Jungle Book (NES)

#16

“This is the NES? Where did that animation come from? Seriously now, I've never seen a Nintendo Entertainment System game that looks or plays like this game does! There are loads of items to use and the levels themselves are very challenging. However, you really have to be precise in the timing of jumps, or it's a long way to the bottom. The music is decent for an NES game as well. One of the best buys for the NES out there.” (6.75 out of 10)

Disney's Beauty and the Beast: A Board Game Adventure (Game Boy Color)

#15

“Don't be turned off by the kiddie license ... this game isn't half bad. Like a shrunken and dummied down Mario Party, Beauty and the Beast is a simple board game that's ideal for more than one player. Shoe, Crispin and Shawn all took turns on the thing and had a decent time. Shoe and Crispin liked the Game & Watch Gallery-style mini-games. They could see picking this game up every once in a while when really bored. Shawn, on the other hand, took on the role of the “Beast” too seriously and frightened us.” (7 out of 10)

Disney's DuckTales 2 (NES)

#14

“Alright! DuckTales 2 is enough to make you want to dig out your NES again. The gameplay is wonderfully smooth for an NES game. The game has colorful graphics and has challenging puzzles to solve. The music isn't very annoying, either. It may seem a bit tough for the smaller tykes, but makes a great game otherwise.” (7 out of 10)

Disney's Chip ‘n Dale's Rescue Rangers 2 (NES)

#13

“For an 8-bit platform, Rescue Rangers comes off rather well and, if anything, makes you wish for a 16-bit version. Capcom has always done well with cartoony characters and themes and this is certainly no exception!” (7.2 out of 10)

Deep Duck Trouble Starring Donald Duck (Game Gear)

#12

“This version of Donald Duck and his wacky antics comes off rather well. After Uncle Scrooge brought home a mysterious pendant, something strange happened to him and Donald must help him. Very large levels with nifty icons to find really spice up the game. There's lots of cool bosses and the game is just plain fun.” (7.4 out of 10)

Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland (Game Boy Color)

#11

“Alice in Wonderland is what a kid's game should be. All too often, half-rate games come along that say they're for kids, but they just plain suck. Alice in Wonderland, however, is well-made and should provide hours of fun for any youngster. Could it also be for an older gamer who's a fan of Disney games? You could get away with playing it, and a couple of the levels would prove to be either mildly difficult or insanely repetitive, but overall, it REALLY is made for kids.” (7.5 out of 10)

Disney's Tarzan (Game Boy Color)

#10

“One of the most amazing things about this game is how it emulates the opening sequence of the actual movie itself. That's right. FMV on the Game Boy Color. Flashy intros aside, Tarzan reminds one of Aladdin for the Genesis, with its fluid animation and lush graphics. While the first few levels are painful exercises in ‘finding the banana,' the game picks up later as you can play as Tarzan, Jane and Terk. The controls are simple and responsive enough, making this a painless experience for fans of the movie. A well-down portable alternative to the PlayStation game.” (7.5 out of 10)

Disney's Aladdin (Game Gear)

#9

“Not bad, Sega. It's no Genesis conversion, but it's still a blast nonetheless. At first play, I thought the game play only consisted of chase type scenes, but I was happy to see that there were action scenes as well. The animation is very good, although the levels seem to be a bit short. The tunes are OK, but hey, they're 8-bit. If you buy one Game Gear game all year, Aladdin is definitely a good choice.” (7.5 out of 10)

Legend of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (Game Gear)

#8

“Game Gear games seem to be getting better every time I look at them, and here is the proof. This game plays wonderfully and almost has the looks and playability of a 16-bit game. I like all the Mickey games, from their cute graphics to the loads of technique. Even on the Game Gear, the crisp color of the characters and tons of interaction keeps you impressed. Young or old, this is great for long trips.” (7.5 out of 10)

Disney's The Lion King (Game Gear)

#7

“Ahhh! Now for some color! The Lion King is another fairly decent portable. It follows the story of the film and has some graphic changes from the 16-bitters. The most notable of which is the stampede scene. It's a little easier, but that's okay, it was kinda tough before. As far as playability, The Lion King holds its own and can hang with the others. Veteran gamers can get into it easily as well as kids.” (7.75 out of 10)

Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (Game Gear)

#6

“Mickey Mouse finally brought justice to die-hard Master System fans, and this loose translation of the same code shows that the Game Gear will be able to deliver a great game. The action scenarios are supported by all kinds of techniques and graphics that do make the Game Gear look good.” (7.75 out of 10)

Disney's Chip ‘N Dales Rescue Rangers (NES)

#5

“Capcom does it again with another Disney title that first looks like a kiddie game, but ends up turning into one of the better Super Mario-style action games available. Great cartoon graphics and superb gameplay blend together giving you a cart packed with fun!” (7.75 out of 10)

Land of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (Game Gear)

#4

“The fluidity of this game is really pretty incredible for the Game Gear. Both the gameplay and the animations are rendered in a smooth, high-quality form that compliments the simple, yet multi-faceted technique. This game is a nice addition to the Game Gear library and one of the better action titles available for any system!” (8 out of 10)

Disney's Donald Duck: Goin' Quackers (Game Boy Color)

#3

“Leave it to UbiSoft to show Game Boy Color developers how a real platform game should be made. Fans of the genre should rejoice at the release of Goin' Quackers, a cart good enough to make Nintendo's pocket-sized system your console of choice for days on end. Surprisingly fluid animation and vivid color put this one in an aesthetic league comparable to the classic Sega Genesis carts bearing Donald Duck's name. Portable games rarely get better than this.” (8 out of 10)

Disney's DuckTales (NES)

#2

“DuckTales appears as though it was created with younger players in mind with options such as selecting any level at the beginning of the game. This doesn't detract from the superior graphics and play mechanics, however, and despite some easy areas, DuckTales is too good to ignore.” (8 out of 10)

Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (Sega Master System)

#1

“EXCELLENT!! And who thought the Sega Master System was dead?!? Anyone with any decency should get this game! The graphics are marvelous. The music is stupendous. The control is amazing. This game is almost every bit as good as the Genesis version! Nuff said!!” (8.5 out of 10)