![]() If Disney had released a paid copy of Magic Kingdoms where I was able to simply complete challenges and build my park without all this constant waiting around, I guarantee you I would have been first in line to buy it. Freemium is the bane of my gaming life at this point, and I know I’m not the only one who feels this way. When the game was first announced I imagined it to be almost exactly what I’ve been presented with, and while the Disney Parks fangirl in me is still giddy at the prospect of building my own Magic Kingdom, I can’t help but be disappointed in Disney for going down this route. None of this is new territory for a freemium game. Many of the rides and other features are also gem-only purchases, which for anyone hoping to build their own version of the real Magic Kingdom will mean a substantial outlay of real money, or wait times likely to stretch across months. Set your characters off on quests, go do something else for a few hours, check back later. This means that Magic Kingdoms is a game that can only be played in very short bursts. Even the most basic of character tasks take 60 minutes to complete, and after only a few plays I’m already seeing wait times of 6 to 24 hours unless, of course, I’d like to spend some real money to speed up the process. Gems can be earned by completing tasks in the game as well, but, as is usual with freemium games, at a decidedly glacial pace that is frustrating to adults and positively unbearable to small children. All the tasks can be sped up with the use of gems, premium in-game currency with a real-world cost. Of course, this is where we start getting into the inevitable negative aspects of the game. A few classic attractions can also be spotted waiting in the wings including It’s a Small World, and Space Mountain. For Disney parks purists like myself, however, seeing an attraction like California Screamin’ in the Magic Kingdom is an annoyance all by itself because it belongs in a different park! Initially, only the Toontown area of the park is available to build in, however, a quick look around the periphery of the game reveals the edges of Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Frontierland, and Adventureland. Mickey’s Philharmagic and California Screamin’ are some of the earliest ones players will encounter. This magic can be spent on building new items for the park, unlocking new characters, and to clear areas of the curse when they become available.Īs you progress through the game, more and more attractions and other buildings are unlocked, many of which Disney Parks fans will know from the real life parks. Fulfilling the wishes of park guests (meeting characters, riding attractions, etc.) generates laughter which unlocks bonuses such as parades, and percentage bonuses to magic generated by items in the park. To do that we need to earn magic, generated by buildings and attractions, and by characters completing tasks. The villains have taken over the Magic Kingdom and it’s up to us good guys to clear the park of their curse. ![]() The basic plot of Magic Kingdoms is reminiscent of the popular Kingdom Keepers book series from Ridley Pearson. Disney Magic Kingdoms Gameplay During a Parade, Image: Disney At release, the rest of the Fab Five are included in the game, as are characters from Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., Wall-E, Peter Pan, and Tangled, however, most are not initially available to buy–you need to complete other quests to unlock them. Each character can be leveled individually, adding more tasks which they can complete and opening up additional quest targets. You begin, naturally, with Mickey Mouse, but quickly add Goofy and Woody to your personal character collection. Rather than the single quest lines I’ve played in other freemium games, Magic Kingdoms has multiple characters each running their own stories. There’s an awful lot going on here to keep you interested. While the game offered a lot to make me smile, I also encountered many of the problems that have become expected from a freemium game.įirst, let’s take a look at the positive aspects of the game. As someone who counts both management simulation video games, and Disney theme parks among their greatest interests, the release of the Disney Magic Kingdoms app last week was hugely exciting for me.
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