Review: Disneyland Adventure Kinect

Hello ladies and germs (deal with the puns, t’is flu season). I am here to sooth your runny nose and your call for death with something so overly cheerful that you’ll reconsider your entire life. I speak mostly to grouchy pants out there. While most of my online friends are enjoying the latest Halo’s and Battlefield’s, yours truly tried something else. So without any further delay, I’ll present to you my Disneyland Adventure!

Who didn’t dream of going to Disneyland as a child? If you were like me, you probably called around to order travel catalogues just so you could see pictures of the place! This was before the internet mind you. I grew up in a family of five, with a single mother, so you can imagine that all we could do is dream about the place.

Let’s continue this walk through my wondrous childhood by fast forwarding to my graduation ceremony. Where I made a decision that projected me to continue the same lifestyle of financially avoiding Disneyland, I became an artist. So, now in my 30’s I realize that affording a trip there with today’s job market is slim at best.  This injustice of depriving children of Disneyland has finally come to a stop! With the release of a game that actually has been called “An amazing replica of the park itself!”

Well, since I’ve played it let me tell you that you’ll need some imagination to pull that off.  I mean disregard the experience of actually “being” there, it’s actually quite pleasant. My husband started expressing his emotions to me more often after a mere hour spent in Disneyland adventures.

You start at the entrance of the park where a flying ticket guy introduces you to the game. The controls are fairly simple, unless you suffer from involuntary twitches, you should be fine. The turning is still a hassle like it is in most Kinect games, so there was no surprise there. You’d figure that Disney, with now owning everything and being everywhere, would actually put some more money into developing a better way to look/turn left and right. The character creation is very limited. It doesn’t matter anyway, all brats look the same.

Anyway, so you’ve got your basic controls down, now you get to talk to Mickey Mouse himself! He gives you a quest to gather Donald Ducks and Goofys autograph! What is this?! My first visit to Disneyland and the prick of a mouse already wants me to work for him? What, is it not  enough that he gets the money I spent importing a used game?! I guess children should be conditioned to do as they are told and do the bidding of a giant mouse. I was all fine with that till he revealed to me that he is running for Mayor of Toon Town, that is why he cannot get the stinking autographs himself. Unbelievable! This giant mouse has a political agenda.  As if I wasn’t fed up with politics already.

Like a good little slave, I didn’t get Donalds autograph. However, I did give Donald a hug, because he is one of my favorite characters after all.

It doesn’t stop there! After an hour gameplay of running aimlessly (like children do) I find that my arms are starting to cramp up! I’ve been doing so much hugging of random Disney characters that I needed to take a break.

After my much needed break, the adventure continues. I decide now to take on a few mini games. One ride always wanted to try was Splash Mountain! Off we go pass the long line (this is without a doubt the best part, no lines) and onto the ride.

Once there you are intercepted by Brier Rabbit, where he takes you running….

…Yes, running. This saddened me gravely and I now had to run and jump, following him in hope that my reward will be to ride the splash mountain. No such luck! After running you come to the next part, to row downstream. I see what they are trying to do here. Make rides into small mini games, I get it. But there should’ve been a choice to just experience the darn ride!

Once I exited the ride/mini game, I noticed a bearded man in a wheelchair. I guess Disney cooperation really wanted to show that Disneyland is for everyone.  I have no particular opinion on that. It’s just funny how a game is trying to please everyone. The graphics are do able, not impressive to the point of breakdancing in awe. However, when you move around too quickly, the game does tend to lag up. It can be a bit annoying when you are out questing for different characters.

All in all I deem this a really great game.

The modeling of the park is without question, like the real thing. The attention to details makes the child in me chortle with glee and the adult in me feel embarrassed of my inner child. I really liked it, because as a fan of Disney, the game captures what I believe, is the spirit and imagination of its magic that we grew up loving. Everyone you love and remember is there, Baloo, Pooh, Aladdin, sleeping beauty, all very huggable. Sure, I might seem like a psychopath to hug imaginary friends, but I survived my childhood this way. Take pictures, discover secrets and just enjoy the sheer fun!  I cannot wait for my niece to visit me in a week so we can play this together.

I am glad that they make games like this, because it tailors really to everybody. Shooters, RPG’s and other popular genres are great for a more adult audience, but we cannot forget the little ones that are the future lil gamers.

I am off, second start to the right, and straight till morning.

Originally posted on: gamertagradio.com