"The game is not just you interacting with a bunch of pixels. It's about your connection to characters that even you forgot about as Mickey Mouse."
Warren Spector, describing the emotional core of Epic Mickey
Sure, a good portion of the game's production art and behind the scenes tells us not only will this game be horrifically Nightmare Fuel-inducing, it will also tug at your heartstrings (like a good Disney work should).
- It's touching and kinda creepy at the same time that even though Oswald hates him, he was good enough to build a house in OsTown for Mickey for whenever he ends up forgotten. If the house was built relatively early, then he figured that the same fate would await Mickey and at least he'd have a home too.
- The Happy Ending
, full stop. - If Mickey defeats the fake Shadow Blot with Paint, a cutscene ensues where the Blot grabs Mickey, holds him to his face... and happily hugs the mouse in the most adorable way ever. Who knew that paint could make something as frightening as the Blot end up giving us the warm fuzzies? Even Mickey's stunned by this redemption.Gus: Huh? He's actually kind of... sweet.
- The way Mickey's face lights up when he sees the Walt Disney statue, bearing in mind that Walt is essentially Mickey's dad. Until the Mood Whiplash, when he finds Oswald's statue instead of himself holding hands with Disney.
- The fact that Oswald built that statue anyway is pretty touching itself. It shows that while he's a major case of The Resenter, he really wanted to have his father love him the same way he loved Mickey. The statue shows how much he wants that affection — it's based on a real statue at Disney World of Walt and Mickey holding hands in a father/son manner. Oswald just replaced Mickey with himself.Oswald: Now I really do see why he liked you.
- The fact that Oswald built that statue anyway is pretty touching itself. It shows that while he's a major case of The Resenter, he really wanted to have his father love him the same way he loved Mickey. The statue shows how much he wants that affection — it's based on a real statue at Disney World of Walt and Mickey holding hands in a father/son manner. Oswald just replaced Mickey with himself.
- Hearing Warren's love and passion for the characters will put a smile on your face every time.Warren Spector: I just feel in this weird sort of way that I'm giving them their hearts back. Their hearts are going to appear in their chests again and they're going to pop back into the real world and people out here are going to love 'em.
- Seeing Mickey and Oswald eventually fix their relationship and work together. The scene when it happens doubles as a Funny Moment as well. They're about to shake hands, but then Oswald pulls his away.Oswald: Wait. Any more confessions?Mickey: No.Oswald: You didn't create the Mad Doctor?Mickey: No!Oswald: Kidnap anybody?Mickey: NO!Mickey: SHAKE!
- The ending. Yen Sid enchants Mickey's side of the mirror so he can see the Wasteland and Oswald again, feeling that one day they can fully see each other as brothers.Yen Sid: Oswald and Mickey are in some ways each a mirror for the other. Brave, resourceful, and good of heart. I hope they become friends, and perhaps more, perhaps even brothers...
- Assuming that you didn't decide to be a crazy bastard and send a fricken' chandelier crashing through Oswald's throne room earlier in the game (yeah, you can do that), Oswald will be absolutely full of these moments once you first reach him at the top of Dark Beauty Castle. Not the least of which is giving you a pin for helping the Wasteland and officially proclaiming Mickey his brother.
- How about the part at the end where Oswald gives up his one chance to leave Wasteland and not be forgotten by giving Mickey back his heart so that he can return home. After resenting him for so many years and having the one thing that he needed from Mickey in order to escape the Cartoon Wasteland and his forgotten status, he does the right thing by giving his half-brother back his heart and giving him the means to return home instead of taking the chance to escape himself.
- Mickey's Heroic Sacrifice - giving up his heart to the True Shadow Blot to save Oswald and Gus. If you look past the fact that his heart was suctioned right out of his chest, and he was clearly in pain when it happened, it's rather touching that he was willing to do this for two people that he hasn't known for that long. It's this selfless act that ultimately turned Oswald's opinion of him around.
