If you haven’t yet played the original Magical World on 3DS, don’t worry, you can still jump into this game and find your feet quite easily. Yes, it may look and feel like a typical life simulation game, such as Animal Crossing, but there are also some subtle RPG elements thrown in to keep players interested. The Magical World 2 game is full of your favourite Disney characters and Mii avatars, so it’s the best of Tomodachi Life with a Disney twist, set in the world of a re-imagined Magical Kingdom.
The main focus and reason to buy the game are that it’s full of your favourite Disney characters, who will gradually appear the more time you spend with the game. Yes, this could be the perfect game for the Disney fanatic in your household, and with that statement, I mean both children and adults. For me, the nostalgic moment came when encountering Scrooge McDuck, who I remember from watching Saturday morning ‘Live & Kicking’. Whereas my girls were, of course, pleased to see a Frozen area, complete with Elsa, Anna, and Olaf. In addition, there are plenty of other themed areas, which you will get to explore as you progressing.
When you’re not taking part in an epic adventure, there are still things to be done in order to live your virtual life. Probably influenced by the popularity of other games in the industry, there is a more prominent emphasis on crafting in Magical World 2. As you explore your hub village and various other areas, raw materials are available for collection, so pretty soon you will be noting how many of one material you currently have and how much more is needed to complete that dining room table you always wanted for your house. The crafting doesn’t end with furniture, it’s also needed for the clothes on your back. Fashion is important with your local villagers, who will complement your threads and award your ‘Nice’ points to unlock other bonuses. At the beginning of the game, you end up being the owner of the local cafe, which comes with responsible tasks such creating a menu, throwing parties and inviting celebrity guests.
Don’t worry if you initially feel like there’s too much to do in a game, Magic World 2 uses a simple unlockable sticker system, which incorporates tutorials, achievements, what to do next tasks, so there is always a feeling that you’re on a linear journey towards completion. In the same vein as scouts, there’s a badge reward system for each achievement completed, which comes into play when unlocking new story episodes i.e. a certain amount of badges are required before progressing to the next episode. Progressing through these episodes is how you explore the themed worlds, which offer a list of little tasks to complete before you move on. It’s the basic stuff you would have already encountered with the daily grind of Animal Crossing.
Unless you’re unsure, Disney Magical Kingdom is a game that comes with a lot of content for what it is, however, due to the simple tasks on offer, it’s going to be that game you pick-up-and-play in short bursts. The aura of Disney magic is strong with this game, so be prepared to get that hooked feeling. The whole appearance of the game is on brand with the Disney franchises and you’ll feel more connected when you see your Mii character trotting about the kingdom of Arendelle.
Disney Magical World 2 is available from some high street retailers, but can be easily found online (especially from Amazon) with a purchase price of about £30.00. Disney Magical World 2 is also available for download from the Nintendo eShop and is rated PEGI 3.