Great Circus Mystery Starring Mickey & Minnie

Mickey Mouse and the Genesis have quite a storied history together. Beginning with the grandeur of Castle of Illusion and continuing on to the great World of Illusion and Mickey Mania, the famous mouse has made a home of the 16-bit wonder. Sure, there have been some hiccups along the way (read: Fantasia), but the majority of Mickey's outings have been highly playable and fun. Capcom's foray into the Disney rodent arena, The Great Circus Mystery Starring Mickey and Minnie not only has one long title, it's also a great little two-player romp. Read our full review for all the details on this solid platformer.

I was surprised to find out that this game even existed for the Genesis. I remember playing quite a bit for the SNES back in the mid-to-late 1990's (of course it was their copy). When I saw that it had came out for Genesis I was liek, WTF??? Sega had already released numerous Mickey games on Genesis/Game Gear/Master System, and Sony released "Mickey Mania" in the same year this was released. Needless to say, most preferred "Mickey Mania", at least on the Genesis.

The SNES version is better in terms of color palette and (arguably)music quality, but apart from that, as with Capcom's other SNES-to-Genesis ports, they're identical. As a matter of fact, the Genesis Great Circus Mystery and "The Wily Wars" are Capcom's best-sounding Genesis games IMO. If Capcom was capable of producing sound/music like this on the Genny, then what happened with SF2?

As a trade-off I suppose, the SNES has the worst version of "Mickey Mania". While it may be slightly more colorful than the Genesis/SCD versions, it has blatant LOADING TIMES. Yes, one of the few SNES games with LOADING TIMES. 5-10 sec. loading times.

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Originally Posted by Aarzak

I was surprised to find out that this game even existed for the Genesis. I remember playing quite a bit for the SNES back in the mid-to-late 1990's (of course it was their copy). When I saw that it had came out for Genesis I was liek, WTF??? Sega had already released numerous Mickey games on Genesis/Game Gear/Master System, and Sony released "Mickey Mania" in the same year this was released. Needless to say, most preferred "Mickey Mania", at least on the Genesis.

The SNES version is better in terms of color palette and (arguably)music quality, but apart from that, as with Capcom's other SNES-to-Genesis ports, they're identical. As a matter of fact, the Genesis Great Circus Mystery and "The Wily Wars" are Capcom's best-sounding Genesis games IMO. If Capcom was capable of producing sound/music like this on the Genny, then what happened with SF2?

As a trade-off I suppose, the SNES has the worst version of "Mickey Mania". While it may be slightly more colorful than the Genesis/SCD versions, it has blatant LOADING TIMES. Yes, one of the few SNES games with LOADING TIMES. 5-10 sec. loading times.

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yeah I was kinda surprised as well even although I have this game, I haven't played it though and probably that's why

I saw a boxed copy at Gamers. I'll have to pick it up next paycheck. :D

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Originally Posted by Aarzak

The SNES version is better in terms of color palette and (arguably)music quality, but apart from that, as with Capcom's other SNES-to-Genesis ports, they're identical. As a matter of fact, the Genesis Great Circus Mystery and "The Wily Wars" are Capcom's best-sounding Genesis games IMO. If Capcom was capable of producing sound/music like this on the Genny, then what happened with SF2?

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They're not. The rotating segment in the haunted house level was traded for a part where the house is falling apart and you have to avoid the debris. Actually a good change because it does something for the gameplay while the snes game just copies the rotating room in Castlevania IV. Also, the Genesis version has a more even difficulty curve (final boss is still a joke though).

Are you serious about Wily Wars? I mean, that game is infamous for having poor sound. I personally don't think it's all that bad but it's clear that it doesn't do justice to the nes games.

This game suffers from poor instrumentation and lack of sampled drums.. It's not easy to do something orchestral on MD but sega did a rather good job with the Illusion games so why couldn't Capcom?

there was an article saying that magical quest was comming soon to the genesis i dont kno why it was scrapped but the great circus mystery was fine it felt like the same engine

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Originally Posted by bohokii

there was an article saying that magical quest was comming soon to the genesis

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Yeah i remember seeing that too, i saw it in GamePro magazine back in the early 90's
man i waited so long for that game, i was loving World of Illusion at the time,
and Magical Quest 1 would have been friggin awesome on the Genny.

but alas, we got the 2nd game, not a bad game but the first one just reminded me a lot of World of Illusion.

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Originally Posted by Alianger

They're not. The rotating segment in the haunted house level was traded for a part where the house is falling apart and you have to avoid the debris. Actually a good change because it does something for the gameplay while the snes game just copies the rotating room in Castlevania IV. Also, the Genesis version has a more even difficulty curve (final boss is still a joke though).

Are you serious about Wily Wars? I mean, that game is infamous for having poor sound. I personally don't think it's all that bad but it's clear that it doesn't do justice to the nes games.

This game suffers from poor instrumentation and lack of sampled drums.. It's not easy to do something orchestral on MD but sega did a rather good job with the Illusion games so why couldn't Capcom?

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Right, I was watching a speedrun of the SNES version last night on YT and noticed some Mode-7 segments which obviously couldn't be translated to the Genesis.

I liked that both this and WW (and Slam Masters), sounded like their music and sfx were made with the Genesis in mind, and not as if they were shoehorning another console's music to play through the weaker Genesis sound hardware as with SSF2, and to a lesser extent SCE.

As for the composition, well that's another story......but the sound quality is loud and good.

This was never released in Europe and I only learned about its existance via emulation. Do you guys think that this game is better than Mickey Mania ? - It seems to be better to me.

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Originally Posted by Christuserloeser

This was never released in Europe and I only learned about its existance via emulation. Do you guys think that this game is better than Mickey Mania ? - It seems to be better to me.

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Eh, they're both decent games. I'd put them on par with each other, although Circus Mystery definitley doesn't have that feel of a Disney game like the Sega games and Mickey Mania. They're both great games though.

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Originally Posted by Christuserloeser

This was never released in Europe and I only learned about its existance via emulation. Do you guys think that this game is better than Mickey Mania ? - It seems to be better to me.

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I also learned of its existance via emulation and I haven't played it yet so I can't tell you on that yet

As eye-catching as "Mickey Mania" may look and sound, the game is HORRENDOUSLY difficult and requires a lot of patience to beat.

I never could without the Level Select.

"Great Circus Mystery" is much more easier and aimed at kids.

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Originally Posted by Aarzak

As eye-catching as "Mickey Mania" may look and sound, the game is HORRENDOUSLY difficult and requires a lot of patience to beat.

I never could without the Level Select.

"Great Circus Mystery" is much more easier and aimed at kids.

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The game isn't horrendously difficult as you make it sound out to be. It's tough, but even kids can beat it.

I still have nightmares about those damn skeletons in "The Mad Doctor". So many bones flying around everywhere, ANY of which hit you take away life.

This game's quite good. It has that classic Capcom feel to it.

The things about Mickey Mania that I don't like would be the controls (the screen scrolls even if you just turned around if I remember correctly), and yeah, there are loads of unfair passages like with the skeletons Aarzak mentioned.

Just got this game complete for $1 off ebay. $4.89 with shipping. Can't wait to recieve it in the mail.

Pretty Good Disney Platformer by Capcom, but not as good as SEGA's Disney games.

Just noticed something, I was looking over my draft of this game, and I seem to have it scored as an 8, but the site has it scored as a 7. And I can't remember if I changed my rating mid-way through, but I think there may be a boo-boo.

So in your minds, change my score to an 8.

I like this game very much it plays a lot like castle of ilusion for the sms
Only now you can play it with 2 players

I just got Magical Quest starring Mickey Mouse for my SNES last weekend and I can't believe how ridiculously hard the game is. It's more frustrating as Mickey Mania is at times. It's fun, but REALLY hard. Graphics look very similar to Great Circus Mystery though.

Quit your whining. its not that hard. you just have no skills.

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Originally Posted by Baloo

Graphics look very similar to Great Circus Mystery though.

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Thats probably because GCM is the sequel to Magical Quest.
there's actually 3 of them, for those who did not know yet.

Yeah, I want to get that for my Super NES one of these days. Mickey and Donald right?

The full name is Mickey & Donald - Magical Adventure 3.
Sadly it was a Japan only release.

I think its safe to assume that if it had been released in the west it would have been called something like..

"The Magical Quest 3, Starring Mickey & Donald"

Yea the 3rd game was pretty good too, also the easiest of the 3 games, so it should be be less challenging for Baloo :p

I think the third one came out for GBA in the US.

^^^
That it did. It came out virtually unnoticed though. It was published by Nintendo themselves, rather than Capcom.

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Originally Posted by Christuserloeser

The things about Mickey Mania that I don't like would be the controls (the screen scrolls even if you just turned around if I remember correctly), and yeah, there are loads of unfair passages like with the skeletons Aarzak mentioned.

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Played MM recently and while the camera is rather sensitive to movement, it's nowhere near as bad as in Aladdin or Earthworm Jim. Never had a problem with it personally.

I don't know, the controls in general don't seem very responsive and the hit detection is annoying. In comparison to Castle of Illusion or Circus Mystery it seems barely playable.

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Originally Posted by Christuserloeser

I don't know, the controls in general don't seem very responsive and the hit detection is annoying. In comparison to Castle of Illusion or Circus Mystery it seems barely playable.

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Well, i just popped it in to make sure i wasn't imagining things, and the controls are as responsive as i'd expect from a late title with no delays when crouching, walking or jumping. Mickey's acceleration is a tad slow when starting to walk, which can be a problem but with that many hit ponts it's not exactly game breaking. The camera adjusts to the speed and doesn't annoy me at all.
The hit detection is sometimes a bit forgiving, sometimes the opposite. But i can live with that when the animaton is as good as it is in MM.

Circus Mystery is tight too, but the camera is very stiff and you don't have as precise control over your jumps as in MM. Can't really comment on Castle, haven't played it in a while and i dont own a copy.

Magical Quest has slippery controls though compared to GCM. Mickey is just not easily controller, especially in those swimming levels.

Did anyone play the Japanese only SNES Donald Duck game?

That joint is amazing!
...IMHO

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Originally Posted by PimpUigi

Did anyone play the Japanese only SNES Donald Duck game?

That joint is amazing!
...IMHO

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Never even heard of a Japan-only Donald Duck game, so I looked it up. Are you talking about this?:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=110446905328

Yes, that looks like it.

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Originally Posted by PimpUigi

Did anyone play the Japanese only SNES Donald Duck game?

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Yeah i played it, you mean the one where he walks through Disney World and stuff?
I clearly remember a Pirates of the Caribbean kinda level and it being pretty good all in all.

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Originally Posted by NeoVamp

Yeah i played it, you mean the one where he walks through Disney World and stuff?
I clearly remember a Pirates of the Caribbean kinda level and it being pretty good all in all.

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Nah, I just tried it on an emulator and it seems to be some game where Donald does all these odd jobs to make money for a gift for Daisy.

After those odd jobs, it turns into a completely different game too.

Really awesome.

I think the Pirates level is from that Magical Quest 3 that has Donald in it.

have ya tried maui mallad?

That's funny.
I just saw the cover for Maui Mallard on LuLz.net

lol!