Equal parts whimsy and charm, Disney Illusion Island is a platformer that makes it nearly impossible not to love. Designed with a staggering amount of reverence and care by Dlala Studios, Illusion Island puts the “Fab Four” of Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy in players’ control and sends them off on a platforming adventure that is a treat for both the eyes and the reflexes.

In our earlier encounters with Disney Illusion Island, Dlala Studios was effusive in its praise for the Disney brand. The developers were careful to ensure that their new game honored the legacy of these iconic characters while still existing as its own thing. From the very first frame, it’s clear that Disney Illusion Island has the spirit of classic Mickey cartoons, from the characterization of each Fab Four member to the humor in the writing, but it also has a modern aesthetic that is colorful and full of carefully placed details.

The story in Disney Illusion Island sees Mickey and Friends journeying to the land of Monoth to help its denizens reclaim three stolen Tomes. Our reluctant heroes are willing to help out of the goodness of their hearts – Donald is a bit less enthused – and what follows is a semi-Metroidvania adventure that includes three main biomes (with smaller unique areas within them) and a lot of jumping, wall-kicking, groundpounding, and more.

Disney Illusion Island’s writing is strong enough that this could have worked as a movie or series all on its own. The introductory cutscene is genuinely hilarious and will put a smile on any Disney fan’s face. As well, any break in the action to get a little more story, to meet a new character, or just to have the Fab Four interact is a treat. Dlala has ensured that a game built in the shadow of Disney’s storied history takes time to let its characters shine through, even the original creations.

Of course, it’s the design and the gameplay of Disney Illusion Island that are what set it apart from a movie. The game is stunning to look at, with a beautiful blend of colorful foreground and background elements married with creative creatures and obstacles. Illusion Island’s animation is fluid and thoughtful, ensuring that, no matter if the player is controlling Mickey or Goofy, their personalities shine through. Like with the writing and the story, the visuals are strong enough to put the controller down and take in.

As a platformer with no combat, Disney Illusion Island creates a sense of momentum that is instantly engaging. Players are rarely standing still in the game; they are constantly bouncing from place to place and avoiding hazards along the way. The kinetics of the game are fluid and the responsiveness of the Switch controls ensure precision with every jump. It just feels good to play and that is essential for a platformer like this.

Dlala knows that its audience is going to be broad, so it has made a game that is moderately challenging but never punishing. Nothing about the game’s design ever feels cheap or trying to trick the player – every platformer section is fairly clear in its design. Obviously, there is a puzzle-solving element built into figuring out how to get from point A to point B, but Disney Illusion Island isn’t ever trying to make its players frustrated. Seasoned gamers might find the game a bit easy, but the experience is never dull.

The game does build on itself as any good Metroidvania game does, offering Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy new abilities like a ground pound and a wall jump. However, Illusion Island puts its own tiny spin on those concepts by giving each character a personalized tool for completing those actions. For example, Donald uses a rocket to double jump and Goofy uses a donut to groundpound. It’s those little Disney-fied touches that take what might seem like an otherwise standard side-scrolling platformer and make Illusion Island an easy recommendation for fans of these characters.

As players progress they will find themselves putting all their skills together and even backtracking to unlock new areas for collectibles. Boss fights build on those skills even further and can get quite complex in their construction. It all fits well together in a way that any great Metroidvania does. However, one criticism is that the game frequently relies on the same progress-blocking locked door that requires the player to find three keys. It would have been nice to see some variety there.

Disney Illusion Island is a joy to play solo but it’s made all the better in co-op with up to three friends or family members. Jumping around as all four members of the team is somewhat chaotic visually, but it better fits the spirit of the narrative journey. Crucially, though, the co-op allows for younger and novice gamers to intermix with platforming pros and enjoy an experience that never panders to them. Dlala has smartly added tools to help less skilled players enjoy the game, without others feeling held back. For example, each player can set their heart count (or even make themselves invincible) for a greater or lesser challenge. Any player can also send down a rope to lower platforms for players that might be struggling with a certain jumping sequence. The characters can even hug to give each other a little health boost.

Forgiving checkpoints and clear design are essential in making Disney Illusion Island as approachable as can be. It can be difficult to land on a design that meets a broad range of skill levels but Dlala has smartly empowered players with options that make it easier or harder on themselves while also giving them ways to assist others. Playing in a group also helps cut down on the time needed to complete some of the more involved platforming sequences and will make everyone feel like they are contributing to the team’s success.

Disney Illusion Island is a great introduction to the world of Metroidvanias that will put a smile on anyone’s face. It might be simple in some ways but the design, writing, and fluid gameplay are solid enough that the experience rarely feels repetitive or uninteresting. Mickey and his friends have been mainstays of gaming culture for decades now, and Disney Illusion Island brings those characters to a new generation in a way that feels modern and approachable.

Disney Illusion Island

Disney Illusion Island is a Switch exclusive that follows Mickey, Goofy, Donald, and Minnie as they investigate the island of Monoth. The 2D platformer has multiple playable characters, 4-player co-op, and hand-drawn animation.

Disney Illusion Island releases July 28, 2023 for Nintendo Switch. Game Rant was provided a code for this review.