''Illusion'', known in Japan as is a series of platforming

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...

s developed and published by

Sega is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its international branches, Sega of America and Sega Europe, are headquartered in Irvine, California and London, r ...

for its consoles

Master System The is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console manufactured by Sega. It was originally a remodeled export version of the Sega Mark III, the third iteration of the SG-1000 series of consoles, which was released in Japan in 1985 and ...

Sega Genesis The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master Syst ...

and

Game Gear The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console released by Sega on October 6, 1990, in Japan, in April 1991 throughout North America and Europe, and during 1992 in Australia. The Game Gear primarily competed with Nintendo's Game Boy, ...

. The series follows the adventures of Disney's cartoon character

Mickey Mouse Mickey Mouse is an animated cartoon Character (arts), character co-created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. The longtime mascot of The Walt Disney Company, Mickey is an Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic mouse who typically wears red sho ...

(sometimes with

Donald Duck Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor shirt and cap with a bow tie. Donald is known fo ...

) between various fantasy worlds. The series includes '' Castle of Illusion'', and its sequels '' Land of Illusion'', ''

World of Illusion ''World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck'' is a platform game developed and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis. The game was released in December 1992, and is part of Sega's ''Illusion'' series of Mickey Mouse games. The game ...

'' and '' Legend of Illusion''.

Games

Main series

'' Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse''

The first game in the series, released for

Mega Drive The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master System. Sega released it in 1988 in Japan a ...

in 1990, followed by a

and

version in 1991. When

Minnie Mouse Minnie Mouse is a cartoon character created by The Walt Disney Company. As the longtime sweetheart of Mickey Mouse, she is an anthropomorphic mouse with white gloves, a bow, polka-dotted dress, white bloomers, and low-heeled shoes occasionally w ...

is kidnapped by an evil witch named Mizrabel, Mickey must travel to the Castle of Illusion and visit various strange worlds in order to recover seven magical gems and rescue Minnie. The 8-bit versions feature significantly different elements from the Mega Drive version.

''
World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck In its most general sense, the term "world" refers to the totality of entities, to the whole of reality or to everything that is. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the worl ...
''

Released in 1992 for the Mega Drive. As Mickey and Donald prepare for a magic act, they stumble upon a mysterious box that traps them in a mystical world of illusion. In order to escape, Mickey and Donald must work together to learn new magic tricks and defeat the evil magician who sent them there. The game features co-operative gameplay, allowing two players to work together like Mickey and Donald to progress through the level.

''
Land of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse ''Land of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse'', released in Japan as and in Brazil as ''Land of Illusion Estrelando Mickey Mouse'', is a platform game developed and published by Sega for the Master System and Game Gear. Plot When starting up the g ...
''

Released for Master System and Game Gear in 1993. Waking up in a strange village of fairy tales, Mickey is sent on a quest to recover a magical crystal that was stolen from the village, causing it to fall into sadness.

''
Legend of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse ''Legend of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse'' is a 1995 platform video game developed by Aspect and published by Sega. It was released for the Game Gear in 1995, with a Master System version released in Brazil at the end of 1998. Plot A dark sh ...
''

Released for the Game Gear in 1995, with a Master System version released in Brazil in 1998. Mickey is a janitor who must save his kingdom, since the fearful king Pete left the crown to the mouse, because only a king can save them from the clouds that bring sorrow.

''Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse'' (2013 video game)

remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...

of the game was developed by Sega Studios Australia for

PlayStation Network PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smartp ...

Xbox Live Arcade Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) is a digital video game download service available through the Xbox Games Store, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360. It focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent ...

and PC. The game revisits the world and gameplay of the original Mega Drive title whilst featuring high definition 3D graphics and remastered sound. The game was released in September 2013.

Compilations

''The Disney Collection: Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse & Quackshot Starring Donald Duck''

A compilation of ''Castle of Illusion'' and ''QuackShot'' in a single cartridge, released exclusively in Europe for the

Sega Mega Drive The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master Syst ...

in 1996.

''Sega Ages: I Love Mickey Mouse''

A compilation of ''Castle of Illusion'' and ''QuackShot'' which was released exclusively in Japan for the

Sega Saturn The is a home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994, in Japan, May 11, 1995, in North America, and July 8, 1995, in Europe. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it was the successor to the succ ...

in 1998.

Related games

''
Fantasia Fantasia International Film Festival (also known as Fantasia-fest, FanTasia, and Fant-Asia) is a film festival that has been based mainly in Montreal since its founding in 1996. Regularly held in July of each year, it is valued by both hardcore ...
''

Released in 1991 for Mega Drive. This was a platform game based on sequences from the 1940

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

, developed by

Infogrames Atari SA (formerly Infogrames Entertainment SA) is a French video game holding company headquartered in Paris. Its subsidiaries include Atari Interactive and Atari, Inc. It is the current owner of the Atari brand through Atari Interactive. Bec ...

but published by Sega. Although initially reported as a sequel to Castle of Illusion, the game was poorly received and was forced to be withdrawn from sale after issues with intellectual rights came to light.

'' QuackShot Starring Donald Duck''

Released in 1991 for Mega Drive. Players control Donald Duck as he searches for a mysterious treasure while evading the clutches of

Pete Pete or Petes or ''variation'', may refer to: People * Pete (given name) * Pete (nickname) * Pete (surname) Fictional characters * Pete (Disney), a cartoon character in the ''Mickey Mouse'' universe * Pete the Pup (a.k.a. 'Petey'), a character ...

'' The Lucky Dime Caper Starring Donald Duck''

Released in 1991 for Master System and Game Gear. Donald goes on a quest to recover

Scrooge McDuck Scrooge McDuck is a cartoon character created in 1947 by Carl Barks for The Walt Disney Company. Appearing in Disney comics, Scrooge is a Scottish-American anthropomorphic Pekin duck. Like his nephew Donald Duck, he has a yellow-orange bil ...

's Lucky Dime, which was stolen by an evil witch.

''
Deep Duck Trouble Starring Donald Duck ''Deep Duck Trouble Starring Donald Duck'', released in Japan as , is a Sega Master System and Game Gear video game originally released in 1993. It is a Disney-licensed game developed by Sega. Gameplay This game is a platform game reminiscent ...
''

Released in 1993 for Master System and Game Gear. When Scrooge is placed under a curse and inflates like a balloon, Donald goes on a quest to recover a treasure that can undo the curse.

'' Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion''

While not part of Sega's series of games, ''Power of Illusion'' is instead a tribute to ''Castle of Illusion'' (with similar story elements from said game returning in the game) being developed by DreamRift for the

Nintendo 3DS The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generatio ...

as a follow-up to 2010s ''

Epic Mickey ''Epic Mickey'' is a 2010 platform game for the Wii developed by Junction Point Studios and published by Disney Interactive Studios, except in Japan, where it was published by Nintendo. The game focuses on Mickey Mouse, who accidentally damag ...

''. The plot focuses on Mizrabel, now forgotten and a resident of the Wasteland for forgotten characters, attempting to pull popular characters into her new castle of illusion in order to leave them trapped and escape the Wasteland herself. Mickey comes to stop her after being contacted by Oswald the Lucky Rabbit about her scheme. The game features classic sprite animation reminiscent of the Mega Drive games while including more recent features such as paint and thinner. The game was released in November 2012.

'' Disney Illusion Island''

A side-scrolling co-op platform game developed by Dlala Studios and published by Disney Games named ''Disney Illusion Island'' was released on Nintendo Switch on July 28, 2023.

Notes

References

{{Disney franchises Illusion series Video game franchises Disney video games Sega video games Mickey Mouse video games Donald Duck video games Master System games Sega Genesis games Game Gear games Platformers Side-scrolling video games Video game franchises introduced in 1990