History VideoGame / CastleOfIllusion

''Castle of Illusion [[WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse Starring Mickey Mouse]]'' is a platformer developed by Creator/{{Sega}} in 1990 for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis and UsefulNotes/SegaMasterSystem.

* TheCameo: In the remake, WesternAnimation/{{Pluto|ThePup}}, Huey, Dewey, Louie, WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}}, WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck, Daisy Duck, Scrooge [=McDuck=], Chip, Dale and WesternAnimation/{{Pete}} can be seen watching the events of the game as a movie alongside Mickey and Minnie, most likely intended as a nod to the post-credits scene of the Genesis version.

[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/CastleOfIllusion_7214.PNG]]
[[caption-width-right:250:''[[ThisIsGonnaSuck Doggone it, Minnie...]]'']]

The game takes place within the eponymous Castle Of Illusion. Mickey must take it upon himself to rescue WesternAnimation/MinnieMouse from the clutches of [[PunnyName Mizrabel]] [[WickedWitch the witch]], who has kidnapped her in order to steal her youth and beauty. The player must battle through five stages and confront each stage's boss to collect the Seven Gems of the Rainbow. Only with these gems can he then build a rainbow bridge leading to the castle tower to face the evil witch in a {{final b|oss}}attle.

* RoguesGalleryTransplant: ''Legend of Illusion'' features Merlock the Magician, the main villain of the ''WesternAnimation/{{DuckTales|1987}}'' [[WesternAnimation/DuckTalesTheMovieTreasureoftheLostLamp movie]] as one of the bosses, though he is only referred to as Evil Magician.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: The witch Mizrabel in ''Castle of Illusion'' is an obvious stand-in for the Evil Queen / Witch from ''WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs''.

* HubWorld: Mizrabel's Castle of Illusion is this once you finish the introduction level.

** ''Land Of Illusion'' has the Phantom as the final boss...but he's a recoloured version of The Horned King from Disney's ''WesternAnimation/TheBlackCauldron''!

* SuperNotDrowningSkills:
** In the stages where you can swim, you never run out of air.
** Averted in the Master System sequel ''Land of Illusion'', where you have a standard OxygenMeter.

''Castle of Illusion: [[WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse Starring Mickey Mouse]]'' is a platformer developed by Creator/{{Sega}} in 1990 for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis and UsefulNotes/SegaMasterSystem.

* ToyTime: The second level of both games.

* WaterLevel: The third level of the Genesis game, which transitions from a lake with islands to flooded ruins.

Cue classic side-scrolling and all the glory of 16-bit graphics and sound. The 8-bit version, released for both the Sega Master System and UsefulNotes/SegaGameGear, keeps the fundamentals of its 16-bit big brother, while [[ReformulatedGame altering the level design and mechanics to fit better with the less powerful hardware]].

Cue classic side-scrolling and all the glory of 16-bit graphics and sound.

In 1992, it went and had two sequels: ''VideoGame/LandOfIllusion'' and ''VideoGame/WorldOfIllusion''. A few years later, an additional sequel was released known as ''Legend of Illusion''. 2012 saw a UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS companion game to ''VideoGame/EpicMickey2ThePowerOfTwo'' going under the name ''VideoGame/EpicMickeyPowerOfIllusion'', officially billed as both a fourth, direct sequel and an ''Epic Mickey'' game, in which the Castle of Illusion has been transported to the Wasteland and Mizrabel seeks to escape from it by draining the essence of popular Disney characters.

* AdaptationExpansion:

* RoguesGalleryTransplant: ''Legend of Illusion'' features Merlock the Magician, the main villain of the WesternAnimation/DuckTales [[WesternAnimation/DuckTalesTheMovieTreasureoftheLostLamp movie]] as one of the bosses, though he is only referred to as Evil Magician.

* AbnormalAmmo: The Genesis game gives you apples, marbles, and candles to throw at your foes.

* {{Backtracking}}: In one of the sections in the second level in the Genesis version, the door to exit is at the beginning of the level, but you need to climb all the way to the top to find the key. Thankfully, you don't need to retrace the level; when you pick up the key, the platforms turn into ramps and you slide down all the way back to the exit.

* TheCameo: In the remake, WesternAnimation/{{Pluto|ThePup}}, Huey, Dewey, Louie, WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}}, WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck, Daisy Duck, Scrooge [=McDuck=], Chip, Dale and WesternAnimation/{{Pete}} can be seen watching the events of the game as a movie alongside Mickey and Minnie.

** The Clockmaker, the boss of level 5, is a recolored version of [[WesternAnimation/FunAndFancyFree Willie the Giant]].

* FollowTheMoney: Diamonds in the Genesis version.

* LedgeBats: In the third level of the Genesis game. The bats have a tendency to jump out at you right as you're crossing a gap.
* LevelAte: The third level of the Master System game is entirely make of cakes, chocolate, and other confectionery, with a giant chocolate bar as a boss. The "milk bottle" section of the fourth level of the Genesis game is likewise made of assorted sweet foods.

* PaletteSwap: The Clockmaker boss is a recolored [[WesternAnimation/FunAndFancyFree Willie the Giant]].

* QuicksandSucks: In the ToyTime stage. Okay, it's more like Quick-Jelly, but it definitely Sucks.

In the wake of this release, Sega made a [[VideoGameRemake HD Remake]] of the original game and was released on the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 on September 3, 2013, while the UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} versions were released the following day. The game was delisted from these storefronts on September 2, 2016, due to Sega's contract expiring; it eventually resurfaced in April of 2017. The original version of the game and ''World of Illusion'' were both included as a part of the Sega Genesis classic in 2019.

* HyperactiveMetabolism: Cake in the Master System version. A slice of cake heals one star's worth of damage, a whole cake heals Mickey back to full health.

In the wake of this release, Sega made a [[VideoGameRemake HD Remake]] of the original game and was released on the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 on September 3, 2013, while the UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} versions were released the following day. The game was delisted from these storefronts on September 2, 2016, due to Sega's contract expiring; it eventually resurfaced in April of 2017. The original version of the game was included as a part of the Sega Genesis classic in 2019.

* CheatedAngle: In the HD remake, you can actually see Mickey's ears moving in impossible ways purely for the sake of keeping that iconic look of his head, known from animated shorts and comics.

* CheatedAngle: In the HD remake, you can actually see Mickey's ears moving on his head in impossible ways purely for the sake of keeping that iconic look of his head, known from animated shorts and comics.

In the wake of this release, Sega made a [[VideoGameRemake HD Remake]] of the original game and was released on the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 on September 3, 2013, while the UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} versions were released the following day. The game was delisted from these storefronts on September 2, 2016, due to Sega's contract expiring; it eventually resurfaced in April of 2017.

** The evil witch's character model is based on Queen Grimhilde from ''Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'' (better known as simply "the Evil Queen")--both in her "hag" guise when she's old, and in her normal incarnation when she's becoming younger in the final battle. The remake takes it further by having her say she wants to be the fairest one of all.
** The Clockmaker, the boss of level 5, is a recolored version of [[Disney/FunAndFancyFree Willie the Giant]].
** ''Land Of Illusion'' has the Phantom as the final boss...but he's a recoloured version of The Horned King from Disney's ''Disney/TheBlackCauldron''!

* PaletteSwap: The Clockmaker boss is a recolored [[Disney/FunAndFancyFree Willie the Giant]].

** In level 5 of the remake, the narrator brings up Mickey's [[Disney/ClockCleaners past experience in cleaning clocks]].

** Averted in the Master System sequel ''Land of Illusion''.