The Disney Afternoon Collection (PS4 - PSN, 1st completion)
The Disney Afternoon Collection is a 2017 compilation release of six 8-bit NES games developed by Capcom from 1989-1994, all based on four cartoons from The Disney Afternoon time block. The Disney Afternoon was a big part of my childhood and for millions of others of my generation. It debuted September 10, 1990 and lasted until August 29, 1997. I was starting third grade at the time and the first four cartoons we were given in the first 1990-1991 season were: Adventures of the Gummi Bears, DuckTales, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, and the debut of TaleSpin. The blocks were based upon the year of their original release. In September 1991, Gummi Bears was no more (it was released in 1985) as the blocks shifted forward to allow Darkwing Duck to debut. The Disney Afternoon usually ran from 3-5pm - which was a problem since my school day ended at 3pm. To rectify missing some of Gummi Bears as I was walking home from school, my father taught me how to program our VCR to record that day's episode so I could watch it later. As school was pretty close by, I usually got home about 10 minutes after 3pm from where I lived in North Delta at the time. I started to lose some interest in The Disney Afternoon after the debut of Goof Troop in 1992 and Bonkers in 1993. Goof Troop was "meh" to me but Bonkers was irritating to watch. The last real great cartoon to come from Disney in the latter years was Gargoyles, but by this time I was more into stuff coming from Fox Kids. My teen years was a mix of Fox, YTV, and later Teletoon. But early Disney Afternoon was a big part of my childhood years and was an ingenious way for Disney to establish themselves as a brand for kids my age outside of their animated feature films. After a long day at school, to come home and be greeted by quality cartoons, whatever happened just melted away and you could unwind. Capcom had the license to develop games based from The Disney Afternoon at the time (I should point out that DuckTales and Rescue Rangers originally debuted before The Disney Afternoon was created, but TaleSpin and Darkwing Duck did come from it) and for the most part, did a great job on them. The Disney Afternoon Collection retains all six games' original style and gameplay, but the compilation also includes the ability to rewind game time to correct mistakes, and time attack and boss rush modes, in which players are able to compete in online leaderboards. Additionally, the compilation includes concept art, music, and additional assets created for the original games! My reviews below are in chronological release, which was how I played them. I've beaten all games and finished all boss rushes to gain most trophies, but didn't bother doing the time attack mode for each game. One flaw I should point out is that the collection tends to crash at random times when loading a game or saving a state. Not a deal breaker, but inexcusable nonetheless.
The actual TV opening and closing credits of The Disney Afternoon below:
Click to viewTo see all six games beaten (Xbox One version) plus some content from the Collection shown, go here or below:
DuckTales (1989)
Graphics/Art-8
Sound/Music-9
Control-8
Gameplay-9
Fun/Story/Misc-8
Music Samples:
DuckTales Theme
The Amazon
Transylvania
African Mines
The Himalayas
The Moon
Boss Theme
The first Disney Afternoon game to be released by Capcom was 1989's DuckTales. It was one of the first 5 or 6 games I owned after getting my NES - getting the game from Target at Bellis Fair Mall in Bellingham, WA probably in early 1990. I remember the game made the cover and was featured in issue 8 of Nintendo Power magazine (my first issue as a subscriber was issue 7). I don't remember the last time I played this game in the past 20 years. The story involves Scrooge McDuck traveling around the globe and outer space to collect 5 valuable treasures while outwitting his rival Flintheart Glomgold to become the world's richest duck. Scrooge is able to attack enemies and get around using his cane. On the ground, Scrooge can swing his cane to attack enemies and to break open or throw certain objects. While jumping, Scrooge can bounce on his cane similarly to a pogo stick and attack enemies from above. This also allows him to reach higher areas as well as bounce across hazardous areas that would hurt his palmate. Along the way, Scrooge can find various diamonds, hidden inside treasure chests or appearing in certain areas, to increase his fortune and ice cream that can restore his health. Scrooge will also encounter his family and friends along the way including Huey, Duey, Louie, Webby, Launchpad McQuack, etc. who have a variety of roles, such as providing hints, offering useful items, or opening access to new areas. The game features five levels: African mines, The Amazon, The Himalayas, Transylvania, and the Moon. Like the Mega Man series, Scrooge can visit any of the destinations to pursue the treasures in any order. However, The African mines and Transylvania must be revisited to acquire certain essential items. Each destination's treasure is protected by a boss that Scrooge must defeat to retrieve. Upon completing the game, you'll receive one of three endings based on your performance: a regular ending for simply clearing the game, a great ending for clearing the game with at least $10,000,000, and a bad ending for clearing the game with $0 (there are techniques to pull this off though I've never tried it). The game's graphics and backgrounds are nice but the music has aged very well, especially the popular "The Moon" track which has gotten a lot of remixes in over 20 years. The controls aren't bad, they're pretty responsive though having to press "down" to activate Scrooge's pogo cane while jumping I've never much cared for. Given enemy placement and movement, they are angled in such a way to hit you as your hit detection must be square on top of them - being a few pixels below that will likely mean getting hit. While a short game with a little bit of replay value to see the other endings, there are three difficulty levels though they don't affect the ending. This game got a big remaster in 2013 by WayForward Technologies and I plan to play it next year on PS3!
Total: 42/50 (Grade Level: B)
The Wikipedia entry for DuckTales is here.
Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers (1990)
Graphics/Art-9
Sound/Music-9
Control-9
Gameplay-9
Fun/Story/Misc-8
Music Samples:
Full OST
After the success of DuckTales, Capcom released the next game in The Disney Afternoon in June 1990: Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers. This one also was on the cover and featured in Nintendo Power in issue 14. While I rented the game in either later 1990 or sometime in 1991, I bought a used cartridge of the game in the late 90's from some Willow Video location (either in Langley or the long-closed Guildford one). This one might be my favourite of the whole bunch, simply because it is a fun romp and just so damn charming! The Rescue Rangers are going on a mission to retrieve a missing kitten for a girl named Mandy. As Gadget goes on ahead to scout the area and Monterey Jack is sent to investigate sightings of strange mechanical dogs with Zipper, Chip and Dale proceed through the streets and into a laboratory, where they are attacked by a crazed robot. After defeating the robot, Fat Cat appears and reveals that "Mandy's kitten" was just a distraction so he could kidnap Gadget and force her to work for him. Fortunately, Gadget is able to contact Chip and Dale by building a wireless phone and sending a map to them via carrier pigeon, allowing them to navigate through the treacherous landscape and reach Fat Cat's casino where she is being held. After rescuing her, Gadget provides the chipmunks with a rocket that sends them towards Fat Cat's hideout so they can defeat him. While DuckTales is single-player only - with the option of selecting Chip or Dale, Rescue Rangers has a 2-player cooperative mode so both of them are on-screen (Controller 1 is Chip, Controller 2 is Dale). You can choose which levels to access via a map of various locations throughout the city. Each individual stage is set up as a side-scrolling action game where Chip and Dale can walk, jump, duck, and pick up objects such as acorns, crates, barrels, and balls to throw at enemies and bosses. Each character can withstand only three direct hits before they lose a life, and there are no passwords. The rest of the Rescue Rangers also appear to support Chip and Dale. Monterey Jack will occasionally appear to break down certain barricades, while Zipper grants you temporary invincibility when found. Gadget, though in Fat Cat's captivity, provides tips and advice for the chipmunks in each stage. The graphics were a step-up from DuckTales, featuring better backgrounds and more variety in its levels with faster action. I do like the music in this game and the controls are very easy and responsive. It's too bad there is only one ending and there is no reward in completing all levels, which I recommend doing for a fuller experience as this is a very short game. In fact, when I first rented it as a kid all those years ago, I beat it the following day before it had to be returned.
Total: 44/50 (Grade Level: B+)
The Wikipedia entry for Rescue Rangers is here.
TaleSpin (1991)
Graphics/Art-8
Sound/Music-7
Control-7
Gameplay-7
Fun/Story/Misc-7
Music Samples:
Full OST
Total: 36/50 (Grade Level: C+)
TaleSpin was hardly mentioned back during its 1991 release. It had no fanfare, even Nintendo Power barely covered the game. I think it came down to two things: 1991 saw the North American release of the Super Nintendo so eyes were fixed on that, and the gameplay style may have turned some off. Baloo and Kit are delivering cargo for Rebecca Cunningham, Shere Khan hires the Air Pirates, led by Don Karnage, in an attempt to sabotage their business. The gameplay consists of maneuvering Baloo's plane "The Seaduck" through each level, fending off incoming enemies and avoiding obstacles. Items can be collected for extra lives or to add to the total cash score. The plane can be rotated upside to traverse back through the level, but only on horizontally scrolling areas. At the end of each level, you're required to fight a boss enemy by repeatedly shooting its weak points. After beating a level, you have the option to buy upgrades for Baloo's plane with the money collected, before proceeding to the next level. In bonus levels you control Kit on an airfoil to pop balloons for bonus points. The graphics are colourful and have some decent detail, but the music is just okay. The controls were quite stiff, especially when you try to rotate the plane or trying to make quick movements. The game is also quite difficult, having to use save states to get through. I never owned nor rented the original NES cartridge and played it a few times via emulation in the 90's. Back then, I thought maybe I missed out on a hidden gem but I'm glad I didn't bother getting this game despite loving the cartoon show. There were two other TaleSpin games for the Sega Genesis and TurboGrafx-16, developed by Sega in 1992 and NEC in 1991. Both were platform games but didn't get much fanfare either. The NES game isn't terrible, but falls short of the greatness of all the other games in this collection.
The Wikipedia article for TaleSpin is here.
Darkwing Duck (1992)
Graphics/Art-8
Sound/Music-9
Control-7
Gameplay-8
Fun/Story/Misc-8
Music Samples:
Full OST
Total: 40/50 (Grade Level: B)
Unlike TaleSpin, Darkwing Duck did get some attention despite the Super NES being well established in late-spring of 1992. It even made the cover of Nintendo Power's issue 36 and would be the last Disney Afternoon game to do so. This is another NES game I didn't own and played through emulation only. I did remember enjoying the game and found it pretty challenging. A mysterious crime wave has hit St. Canard and S.H.U.S.H. requires the services of the caped crime fighter Darkwing Duck to stop it as it appears that F.O.W.L. and their valued operative Steelbeak is behind the uprising. They have hired six of Darkwing's greatest foes to wreak havoc in different areas throughout St. Canard. Darkwing must subdue each of these criminals in order to find Steelbeak and save the city. The gameplay is based on typical platforming while using a Gas Gun to take down enemies. You may choose from three different stages at the start of the game with another set of three becoming available after that. Once all six stages are clear, Darkwing proceeds to F.O.W.L.'s Floating Fortress for his final confrontation with Steel Beak. Darkwing begins with his standard Gas Gun but can collect different types of gas throughout each stage: Thunder, Heavy, and Arrow. Each special gas requires having ammunition and take up different amounts and function differently, but you can only have one type of special gas at a time. Picking up a different type of special gas replaces the one Darkwing currently has. You can freely switch between the special gas and the standard gas by hitting Select. Darkwing can also deflect certain projectiles with his cape by hitting Up on the control pad. The graphics are decent but the music is quite catchy. The controls can feel stiff at times, but the gameplay is quite fun. The only other Darkwing Duck game to be released at the time was for the TurboGrafx-16 and while it has superior graphics, was panned for its controls and gameplay. Even the Angry Video Game Nerd did an episode on it here or below:
The Wikipedia entry for Darkwing Duck is here.
DuckTales 2 (1993)
Graphics/Art-8
Sound/Music-8
Control-9
Gameplay-9
Fun/Story/Misc-8
Music Samples:
Scotland
Niagara Falls
Mu (Hidden Treasure)
Mu
Glomgold's Ship
Final Boss D-1000
Egypt
Boss Theme
Bermuda
Total: 42/50 (Grade Level: B)
I think a lot of us back then were surprised that Capcom released a sequel to DuckTales (and Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers below) late in the NES life cycle. In 1993, it would make so much more sense to develop for the SNES as you would have enhanced graphics and sound plus a controller with extra buttons that could have opened gameplay possibilities. It's not to say DuckTales 2 is a welcome addition on the NES, but it meant more of the same. As the game opens, Huey runs to his Scrooge with a torn piece of paper, which is a piece of a treasure map drawn by Fergus McDuck. Inspired to discover the hidden treasure left by Fergus, Scrooge starts an expedition to find the missing pieces, unaware that his archenemy Flintheart Glomgold is also after the lost treasure of McDuck. Scrooge travels to Niagara Falls, a pirate ship in the Bermuda Triangle, Mu, Egypt and Scotland. Each area has its own unique treasure that is guarded by a boss. Like its predecessor, DuckTales 2 is non-linear and allows you to choose and complete all levels in any particular order. The controls are the same as the previous game, albeit the cane jump is easier to perform. Scrooge can now use his cane to interact with various objects, such as pulling levers, firing cannons and using springy flowers to cross large gaps. Other new mechanics include hooks that Scrooge can hang from and rafts that can move Scrooge across water. Unlike the first game, you can return to a level that has already been completed to collect more money and items. In addition, upgrades for Scrooge's cane can be obtained from Gyro Gearloose to grant him access to new and hidden areas in each level. When a level is completed, you can visit a store to buy recovery items, extra lives, and other such items using any money you have collected. In addition to the unique treasures, each stage has a piece of the map that is hidden in a treasure chest. Locating all of the map pieces is not required to complete the game, but collecting all of them opens up an optional sixth stage in which the lost treasure of McDuck can be found. While a short game, there are some nice improvements over the first, especially the controls - you no longer have to press down to activate the pogo cane, just press and hold the "B" button! The graphics are better but the music isn't quite as good as the previous game. I remember the game getting a decent feature in Nintendo Power issue 47. Despite its somewhat rarity - I do in fact own a used cartridge of this game! I managed to snag it from Willow Video's old Guildford location back in 1999 or 2000. I don't remember what I paid for it but it's around $200 on average on Ebay these days.
The Wikipedia article for DuckTales 2 is here.
Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers 2 (1994)
Graphics/Art-8
Sound/Music-8
Control-9
Gameplay-9
Fun/Story/Misc-8
Music Samples:
Full OST
Total: 42/50 (Grade Level: B)
Probably the last physical NES game Capcom produced for the console in 1994, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers 2 was another surprise release we didn't expect. It was also a sign of things slowing down for both The Disney Afternoon and Capcom producing games based on those cartoons. There was Goof Troop on the SNES in 1993 but for whatever reason, this collection doesn't include it. Rescue Rangers 2 was a decent parting between Capcom and Disney as they wouldn't produce any games on the newer cartoons added into The Disney Afternoon. This was probably a good idea as most of the cartoons after Darkwing Duck in 1991 were shitty. Anyways, the Rescue Rangers catch a news report stating that a bomb has been set to explode at a local restaurant. At once, Chip, Dale, Gadget, Monterey Jack, and Zipper set off to defuse the explosive before it goes off. While there, they manage to corner the rabbit responsible for setting the bomb, who admits that it was Fat Cat who ordered him to do it (having broken out of prison the night before) so he can steal a relic called the Urn of the Pharaoh from a docked cargo ship. The gameplay is very much the same as before, still featuring single and 2-player cooperative modes. As with the first game, each individual stage is set up as a side-scrolling action game where Chip and Dale can walk, jump, duck, and pick up objects such as acorns, crates, barrels, and balls to throw at enemies and bosses. Each character can withstand only three direct hits before they lose a life, though it is possible to earn more hits over the course of the game. Unlike the first game, there is no map screen as the stages are set in a linear order. The only exception is at the amusement park, in which the first three stages can be played in any order before entering the final stage. A new feature added to this game from the first is the ability for one player to pick up and throw the other as a weapon. The graphics were okay with better large boss sprites, but the music isn't as memorable compared to the first. The boss fights take a lot longer, requiring better skill than before. The final boss takes a long while to bring down, which can feel like overkill.
The Wikipedia entry for Rescue Rangers 2 is here.
There is no Disney Afternoon Collection website but the Wikipedia article is here.
Next Game: Dragon's Curse (Wii Virtual Console - TG-16)
Currently playing: Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection (PSP)
