Common Sense Media Review
By Chad Sapieha
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gorgeous, nostalgic, but sadly frustrating Disney adventure.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
Based on 11 kid reviews
Kids say that the game is primarily designed for two players, as the AI companion can be frustrating, and some users feel it lacks the charm of the original. While it has enjoyable moments and good quests, many also mention its short length and difficulty level, suggesting it's better suited for older or more experienced young players.
- two player focus
- frustrating ai
- short gameplay
- high difficulty
- suitable for older kids
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's It About?
Disney's iconic mouse returns to Wasteland with his magical paint- and thinner-spraying brush in DISNEY EPIC MICKEY 2: THE POWER OF TWO. Once he's back in the land of forgotten cartoons he finds much of it in ruin, having suffered a terrible quake. The Mad Scientist -- villain of the first game -- is on the scene claiming he knows who is responsible, but few are willing to trust him. Mickey teams up with Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, an old Disney cartoon he met during his last visit, and the two go on a mission to deduce what's really happening. Taking on enemies and puzzles together -- a second player can control Oswald, who wields a magic remote control that can shoot electric blasts and interface with machinery -- they travel through nostalgic and long lost Disney locales, meet plenty of forgotten characters, and face difficult decisions that will leave a lasting mark on Wasteland and its characters.
Is It Any Good?
Pity the heartless soul who doesn't want to love this game. Its lush and beautiful cartoon world is filled with nostalgia for older players and fresh animated wonders for younger ones. It is an ode to all things Disney. What's more, it attempts to bring more to the arena of kids' games than just unthinking, reflexive action. It wants kids to think about what they do, how they want to do it, and what the results of their actions might be. It's a game of immense potential.
Which makes it all the sadder that it fails in so many ways. Players aren't provided nearly enough direction in many of the game's puzzles, which lack meaningful visual clues and audio cues. As a result, you're often left wandering in a frustrating search for something that will let you progress. And Oswald, poor Oswald, is a bit of a dummy. If he's not under the control of a player, the computer will have him do all sorts of silly things -- fall off ledges, use his propeller ears for seemingly no reason -- while you wait for him to catch up and perform some necessary tandem action. It's a shame solo players can't just switch to Oswald as needed. Put simply, this game just never finds that ol' Disney magic.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about cooperation. What sorts of things do you like to have help with? When do you like to do things on your own? Are there times when you're shy about asking for a bit of assistance?
Families can also discuss making thoughtful choices. Everything you do in life has repercussions, large or small. Do you think about how your actions affect others, or how their actions affect you? How do you ensure the things you do don't keep others from doing what they want to do?
Game Details
- Platforms : Mac , Nintendo Wii , Nintendo Wii U , PlayStation 3 , Windows , Xbox 360
- Skills : Collaboration : cooperation , teamwork , Thinking & Reasoning : defining problems , investigation , solving puzzles
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Disney Interactive
- Release date : November 18, 2012
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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