A couple of days ago, Disney announced a new game that’s currently in production and slated for release this coming fall. The game is called Disney Universe, and the best way it has been described, so far, is that it brings its players a combination of Traveler’s Tales‘s LEGO branded games and Media Molecule’s LittleBigPlanet. One look at the teaser trailer will be more than enough to understand the comparison to LittleBigPlanet. Basically you play as this little blue, sackboy-esque character that you can dress as a number of different Disney characters. I think the number announced was 40 different Disney characters, though I would imagine there’s a big possibility for more through DLC.
The comparison to the LEGO games is more just taking Disney’s word on what they plan to deliver. No gameplay videos are out as of the writing of this post. So, what the game actually delivers is still pure speculation. Right now, the comparison to the LEGO games can’t be taken as anything more than a good marketing strategy.
Nevertheless, Disney has my interest peeked, even if it is with the biggest of grains of salt. I do have to keep in mind that it wasn’t all that long ago that I had extremely high hopes for a game known as Epic Mickey. Those hopes were based on nothing more than a similar press release and some early concept art. Those hopes didn’t pan out. So, I have to restrain myself from being all-in at this point with Disney Universe. But, I’m pushing at my stack of chips. I just need a little bit more to make the move.
The other big reason I hope Disney Universe lives up to the potential I see in the teaser trailer is that my daughter is slowly creeping up on the age where she’ll start to grasp the concepts required to play video games. She already has her own pink Xbox 360 controller, and she’s pretty good at mimicking me when I’m playing a game. So, I expect to be able to sit down and enjoy some quality father/daughter co-op time in the not-so-distant future. I already plan to introduce her to the previously mentioned LEGO games; that’s a certainty. But, after seeing the teaser trailer, four or five times, my mind is filled with idealized scenarios of what our gaming time together can be in Disney Universe. Her, running around dressed up as Mater, which is her current Disney obsession. Me, running around as Stitch, or Buzz, or even Tink — you know, just to get a laugh of course. It seems like it would be a blast.
Please give me a chance to fulfill these moments, Disney. That’s what you’re about, right? “Magical Moments.” It’s time to start seeing some video games out of you that deliver the magical moments your theme parks thrive on. Let Disney Universe be the start.
Great article, thank you again for wrtiing.
I had no idea how to approach this before-now I’m locked and laoedd.