The Nintendo 3DS has it’s fair share of life simulation games. There’s Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Tomodachi Life, Pokemon X & Y, Fantasy Life etc. Well here’s another contender that’s sure to be a hit with kids and older Disney fans alike. This is Disney Magical World and it’s only available on the 3DS. So if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to live in Magic Kingdom, then using your Mii character (or create a new one from scratch) you are invited by Mickey Mouse to run a cafe in the town of Castleton, a place where all your dreams come true.
The object of the game is to walk around Castleton and the four connected worlds , talking to famous Disney characters and completing side quests to earn more stickers. I should mention that earning these stickers will open the four connected worlds (Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Aladdin and Winnie the Pooh), which are locked in the beginning of the game. You’ll be learning to fish with Donald Duck, planting vegetables with Rabbit from Winnie the Pooh or scaring off ghosts in a haunted forest.
At the beginning of the game you receive a cafe in Castleton to customise as you see fit. With the stickers that you collect through completing side quests, you can choose furniture, uniform for your employees, recipes for creating food and you can even throw parties when the party meter is full. This is great because certain Disney characters may make a special appearance, who you can then talk to and receive special items.
Collecting stickers is an important part of the game, which can sometimes feels tedious but makes you fully explore all what the game has to offer. For me the system is great as it does allow you to take on multiple tasks, thereby giving players the ability to pick and choose which tasks they want to complete in whatever order they see fit.
Most of the gameplay is controlled you the 3DS’s face button, but there is the option to use the stylus when navigating the menus and there are some rhythm games that just require use of the stylus. The difficulty of these games are perfectly created for their intended audience. Whilst I may be able to speed through the repetitive tasks, Elizabeth and Alison would find them easy and rewarding at the same time.
You may want to go hunting for those AR (Augmented Reality) cards that came with the 3DS, as they unlock new costumes, recipes and decorations for your cafe. On a similiar note, the game’s release elsewhere in the world has seen DLC (downloadable content) become available so you can purchase more costumes and recipes. Hopefully we’ll see an Elsa costume on the Nintendo eShop at some point this Christmas (I know Elizabeth would go crazy for that!).
To sum up Disney Magical World I would say that it’s one big collection game. Whether your helping out Disney characters, who always seem to need a specific item to solve there problems, or you yourself need something to further enhance your cafe. Also, you can only undertake certain tasks at a specific time of the day, as the game uses the 3DS system’s internal clock. It’s not as extensive as Animal Crossing but the Castleton town square can be decorated to show that it’s a certain time of year in the real world.
Disney Magical World isn’t ground breaking but there definitely a solid game to be played here for both young and older gamers. You’ll be sure to receive hours of entertainment with all the collecting of items and stickers, as well as the fulfilment you get from personalising your own cafe. Nintendo also offer the ability to upload your cafe online, so you can invite your Mii friends over for a bite to eat and to show off what you’ve created. The same applies if you want to visit someone else’s cafe.
If you’re buying a 3DS for your children this Christmas, or even if they have one already, Disney Magical World is sure to cater for their ability. Also, whether your an old or young Disney fan, there’s something here for you too.
You can buy Disney Magical World from most online retailers and some high street shops. The recommended retail price is £29.99 and it is PEGI rated 7. You can also download the game from the Nintendo eShop for £34.99.