POSTED 5/11/11


DISNEY UNIVERSE

Disney Interactive
PS3 (also on Xbox 360, Wii, PC)

“Disneyland? Nah, sounds too small. Disney World? Better, but... Disney Universe? Yeah! Now you’re talkin’, THAT’s a brilliant name for the theme park!”

OK, somebody got all that arse about, so the awesome theme park name became a game.

Ever wanted to dress up as a Disney character like those peeps ambling about Disneyland and Disney World all day? Nah, us neither, we’re obviously missing the plushie gene. But hey, if you have, Disney Universe may be a half-decent alternative to felt, zips, fluffy stuffing and the wa-hey!

What’s it all about, Mickey? Well, imagine LEGO versions of Ratchet & Clank doing Disney drag. 3D platform around, smashing junk for currency, smashing baddies for more currency and constantly questing to unlock more stuff (minigames, puzzles, keys, costumes...) Levels are tighter, with six Disney or Pixar worlds – Pirates of the Caribbean, WALL-E, Monsters Inc, Aladdin, The Lion King and Alice in Wonderland (the bonkers Tim Burton incarnation) - each divided into three smaller bits. All can be tackled by up to four simultaneously, helpfully or hinderingly.

Remember that these are little Muppetesque fuzzballs dressing up as Disney characters, so when your little Donald Duck-encrusted floppet goes glub into the drink, you can’t cry fowl – erm, foul. Mind you, the controls can be downright pernickety, so you’re entitled to a bit of a general whinge – we certainly did. Any jump with potential death beneath it’s a complete leap of faith – be prepared for whomever or whatever you worship to shaft you repeatedly.

Disney Universe looks ace, sounds ace and there’s a neat-o sense of humour burbling away throughout – and, crucially, it’s aimed at children. Despite our grown-up grumbles, let any munchkin up to around 10-years-old loose on this and they’ll probably get happy. Unless they’re already smack addicts. Sigh. Kids grow up so fast nowadays.

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