The Mickey Magic Mirror is an augmented reality device that allows children to interact with their favorite Disney characters. It is a mirror-shaped device that can be placed on a wall or table, and when activated, it projects a virtual world onto the mirror's surface. The main idea behind the Mickey Magic Mirror is to create an immersive and interactive experience for children. By using the device, children can see themselves in the mirror alongside characters like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy. They can play games, take pictures, and even have conversations with the characters. The Mickey Magic Mirror uses a combination of cameras, sensors, and projectors to create the augmented reality experience.
If there was ever a game that deserves the “kiddy” epitaph, Magical Mirror is it. Unlike some games that simply have a graphical style that some would associate with children’s entertainment, Magical Mirror also has gameplay that is squarely aimed at youngsters. That’s not to say that adults couldn’t enjoy the game, but I suspect that the number of adults who can will be very limited. As a game for kids, especially young ones or kids with little experience playing video games, Magical Mirror is above average though.
If you move the cursor on any area of the screen that will cause an action, the cursor lights up or changes appearance doors cause the cursor to turn from a hand into a door, for example. I did encounter a few mini-games while playing that contain really basic real-time gameplay, but they were few and far between and not all that satisfying.
The Mickey Magic Mirror uses a combination of cameras, sensors, and projectors to create the augmented reality experience. The cameras track the movement of the child and adjust the virtual world accordingly, while the sensors detect touch and gestures to enable interaction with the characters. The projectors then display the virtual characters and animations onto the mirror's surface.
Mickey magic mirror
by David Trammell - September 3, 2002, 2:41 pm EDT
Although Magical Mirror is a very good game, there are some significant drawbacks that gamers should be aware of.
If there was ever a game that deserves the “kiddy” epitaph, Magical Mirror is it. Unlike some games that simply have a graphical style that some would associate with children’s entertainment, Magical Mirror also has gameplay that is squarely aimed at youngsters. That’s not to say that adults couldn’t enjoy the game, but I suspect that the number of adults who can will be very limited. As a game for kids, especially young ones or kids with little experience playing video games, Magical Mirror is above average though.
The gameplay itself is primarily point and click via a dynamic on-screen cursor. The game starts when Mickey gets up in the middle of the night and enters the mirror on his dresser (it’s clear that he’s dreaming the entire game). From here, you progress through the game by clicking on things. If you move the cursor on any area of the screen that will cause an action, the cursor lights up or changes appearance (doors cause the cursor to turn from a hand into a door, for example). Often when you click something, Mickey will go through some absurdly long animation where he conveys that he’s thinking. Sometimes it’s a visible action, but things often seem to take far too long. The only break from this comes in the way of the “trick system”. As you progress through the game you can collect stars that fill up your trick meter. During certain animations, the screen will start wobbling and a certain number of stars in your meter will highlight red, giving you a few seconds to find the correct thing to click on. If you click on it in time and have enough stars in your trick meter, you can cause some “trick” to happen. This is generally how you progress through the game.
I did encounter a few mini-games while playing that contain really basic real-time gameplay, but they were few and far between and not all that satisfying. However, they would make the perfect introduction to real-time gaming for a younger child. Aside from the trick system, the gameplay feels a lot like Resident Evil, only without the things that makes Resident Evil worth playing. There is never a sense of threat in the game, much less an actual threat. There is no real time control to keep you engaged as you move around the environments. Magical Mirror can link up with Magical Quest (GBA), but the connection is limited to transferring a few non-vital items from the GBA title to Magical Mirror.
For extremely young children the game features a “kids” mode. This contains sanctions that make the game even easier (free trick points), and it gives a parent the ability to use the second controller to guide their child through the game, but saving is disabled and there is an hour time limit (why these limitations were placed on kids mode, I don’t know).
Graphically, the game isn’t stunning from a technological point of view, but it does have some artistic merit and a few technical tricks. The game has a cartoon appearance, but it isn’t cel-shaded. Although the graphics are real-time, the camera is often not moving. It usually doesn’t move until you activate a trick. The frame rate appears to be rock solid, but it wouldn’t be much of an issue given the game’s limited motion anyway.
The sound effects are good and should be especially pleasing to really young kids. (I’d love to give specific ages, but I’m not some kind of Ph.D. on kids or anything.) The sound is basically cartoony in nature with over the top traditional cartoon sound effects throughout. The music is surprisingly well written and varied. The music is mostly melodic rather than atmospheric, which is a big plus to me. Capcom’s teams often have good musicians on board.
I can’t really say that Magical Mirror is a bad game, because it isn’t. However, I can’t recommend it to most gamers either because it likely won’t appeal to them. Parents looking for a game for children may find that it is far too short (although a young child would play it much longer). If you think that you’ll have the patience to play a point and click adventure that doesn’t have a very steep difficulty (although it can be difficult to max out the game by finding all the secrets), then by all means check it out. You can always rent Magical Mirror since it shouldn’t take more than one or two rentals to beat it, even if you rent the GBA title Magical Quest at the same time for the connectivity.
Score
| Graphics | Sound | Control | Gameplay | Lastability | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 8 | 7.5 | 7 | 6.5 | 7 |
Although Magical Mirror is a very good game, there are some significant drawbacks that gamers should be aware of.
One of the key features of the Mickey Magic Mirror is its educational aspect. The device offers various learning games and activities that help children develop their cognitive, motor, and social skills. For example, children can solve puzzles alongside Mickey Mouse, learn about colors with Minnie Mouse, or practice counting with Donald Duck. These activities are designed to be both fun and educational, making learning an enjoyable experience for children. Overall, the Mickey Magic Mirror is a revolutionary device that combines technology and the magic of Disney to provide children with a unique and interactive experience. It allows them to see themselves alongside their favorite characters, play games, and learn in a fun and engaging way. With its innovative design and educational features, the Mickey Magic Mirror is sure to delight children and offer them endless hours of entertainment..
Reviews for "From Mickey Mouse to Mickey Magic Mirror: A Retrospective on Disney's Technological Evolution"
1. Sarah - 2 stars
I was really disappointed with the "Mickey magic mirror" toy. The mirror itself was small and made of cheap plastic, which made it feel really flimsy. It also didn't work half the time, and when it did, the sound quality was terrible. The images appeared blurry and distorted, and it was impossible to get a clear reflection. Overall, it felt like a waste of money and I wouldn't recommend it.
2. Mike - 1 star
I cannot express how much I disliked the "Mickey magic mirror". It was advertised as a fun interactive toy for kids, but it barely held their attention for a minute. The games were repetitive and lacked any real educational value. The mirror prompts were confusing and poorly executed, leaving children frustrated rather than entertained. The whole concept seemed underdeveloped and rushed, and I regret purchasing this toy.
3. Emily - 2 stars
I had high hopes for the "Mickey magic mirror" but it fell short in many ways. The controls were clunky and difficult to navigate, making it frustrating to use. The voice recognition system was hit or miss, often failing to properly understand commands. The graphics were mediocre, and the image quality was lacking. Additionally, the battery life was disappointingly short, requiring frequent replacements. It's a shame because the idea was promising, but the execution was lacking.