Trivia / Donald in Maui Mallard

• Acclaimed Flop: As stated several times, the game was received very well but the issues listed under Screwed by the Network ensured everything surrounding the game's release worked against it and caused it to bomb sales-wise.
• Executive Meddling:
  • Due to Nintendo's exclusivity rights for the game in America, and them publishing it prevented the physical release of the Sega Genesis version in the U.S, and instead relegating that version of the game to the Sega Channel.
  • The execs at American Disney are to blame for the releases of the game from the SNES on pretending Maui Mallard and Donald Duck are completely unrelated, due to their concern that Donald wasn't "hip" enough with the kids.
• Keep Circulating the Tapes: Because the game did not sell well, it was not officially rereleased for many years. Finally averted when the PC port was made available on Steam.
• No Export for You: The Genesis version was never physically released in America, and was only available on the Sega Channel, apparently because Nintendo had exclusivity rights over the game in America. Interestingly, the version released in Brazil might be a cancelled American version, as it isn't exactly the same as the European one.
  • Said Brazilian version was released in America, for Microsoft Windows.
• Screwed by the Network: For a game Disney wanted to become a franchise, they sure seemed rather intent that everything worked against its favor:
  • The game was released near the end of 1996, the point in time that The Fifth Generation of Console Video Games hype was kicking into full swing, making the decision to release it as a fourth generation sidescroller ill-advised at best. It would have been one thing had it been a budget title meant to satisfy people who weren't willing to move on yet, but Disney clearly poured a lot of money into this game and it's bizarre they would choose to target aging hardware.
  • Secondly, there was the fact that the game was SNES exclusive in the US, simply because Disney opted for the cheaper option on producing cartridges at the expense of it being exclusive to the console. This further limited its reach and Nintendo fans likely had all their eyes on the newly-released Nintendo 64 by the time it came out.
  • Finally, the Market-Based Title change that removed Donald's name from any of the advertising effectively ensured the game would have no potential brand recognition to work off of. Many of the past Disney games succeeded just fine when the same recognizable characters were name dropped like Castle of Illusion and the Magical Quest series, so Disney's odd choice to suddenly worry about the Animation Age Ghetto seemed rather unwarranted and probably did more harm than good.
• Stillborn Franchise: There were plans for a sequel and even a Maui Mallard animated series but they were all scrapped due to the game's poor sales.
• What Could Have Been:
  • The game's design document mentions Practice Mode wouldn't offer a full playthough. Hard mode is called "self-abuse" mode in the doc.
  • The design doc mentions plans of having the cutscenes play out like a musical, complete with a theater background and characters singing Maui's praises with a bouncing ball over subtitles so players could sing along.
  • In the design doc, Ninja Training Grounds is the first stage after a prologue. Hectic Hex, Luau, Shabuhm Shabuhm Temple, Maui's Flashback and Mystic Mountain are stages that didn't make it to the final game.
  • The Babaluau Baby bonus stage in the Mega Drive version is a remnant of Luau, and the shield character who knocks Maui around is originally from Shabuhm Shabuhm Temple. The only other remainder of Shabuhm Shabuhm Temple in the final game is a mention in the hidden level select menu of the SNES port.
  • Maui was supposed to be Disguised in Drag to infiltrate the Luau and the female-exclusive Temple. Upon being caught, he would be sent to The Test of Duckhood and then get sacrificed to the volcano.
  • Hectic Hex was supposed to be some kind of Escort Mission comparable to Lemmings.
  • The Realm of the Dead is referred to as the Zombie Graveyard.
  • Mystic Mountain is stated to be a secret stage in five parts that would award the player with a special ending.
  • According to David Bergantino, Maui Mallard was first created as a cousin to Donald, but a "Duck Committee" within Disney that manages all the Duck characters decided on Maui simply being Donald playing a role.
  • Turns out there was indeed a sequel in the works, but it was cancelled due to the game's failure at market. It had the working title "Maui Mallard and the Lost City of Dread", was planned for the Playstation and its development was repurposed for the Hercules game.

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