Epic Mickey [Wii - Beta / Concept / Unused Animations]

Epic Mickey is a platform/action-adventure game designed by Warren Spector (of Deus Ex fame) and developed by Junction Point Studios exclusively for the Wii. The game was released in November 2010. As the title suggests, it stars the world-famous cartoon character Micky Mouse, however, after toying around with a magic paintbrush on a model of Disney Land made by a wizard named Yen Sid (“Disney” spelled backwards), he accidentally creates the Phantom Blot. He tries to erase it with paint-thinner, but he spills more paint on the model in the process, creating a portal with the paint/thinner mixture, which The Phantom Blot enters. Eventually, Micky gets pulled into it by the Phantom Blot, finding himself in a dark world known as The Cartoon Wasteland, populated by Disney characters who haven’t seen the light of day in years, even decades, not the least of which is Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.

Pre-production started in 2007 when the company was bought by Disney. Some concept arts were leaked in Summer 2009 from a former employes’ resumes, but the final game doesn’t really look like these. It’s possible that parts of the original concept were cut.

As we can read at the Escapist Magazine, the Epic Mickey project originally started out as a PS3 / Xbox 360 / PC game, but later the developers decided to go with a Wii exclusive:

Speaking to Official Nintendo Magazine, Epic Mickey developer Warren Spector revealed: “The reality is that we started Wii development in 2008, but before that we were a PC, PS3, and 360 title.” Spector told Disney Interactive Studios boss Graham Hopper that to develop a true success, “it’d be awfully nice if we could focus on one platform.” Everything was switched up when a Wii port of the game was discussed, with Spector rightfully believing that a regular port wouldn’t cut it due to the unique, arm-flailing nature of the Wii, so Hopper suggested that Epic Mickey go Wii exclusive.

Thanks to Robert Seddon for the contribution!

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