LIVE APRIL ISSUE 2019
INTERVIEW: MORGAN GARRETT - INTERVIEW: JOSH GRELLE - BRIGHTBURN GIVE AWAY
Go to page 10 for more details on Brightburn and find out how you could boost your chances of winning tickets!
From the Editor Hello and welcome to the April edition of Gametraders Live and the first edition of this year! We have a smaller issue for you this time but don’t worry we still have great content! Yoshi’s Crafted World Review, a look back at Disney games on Playstation and two great interviews. One with voice actress Morgan Garrett and one with voice actor Josh Gerelle. Also we have an exclusive preview of our next compeition Brightburn, you are the first to know about it and if you mention it on our Facebook page you will get a double entry! We hope you enjoy the magazine and as always if you are interested in writing for our magazine please email live@gametraders.com.au
Emily Langford Emily Langford, EDITOR
What’s inside
A LOOK BACK AT DISNEY GAMES ON PLAYSTATION
pg. 40
CAPTAIN MARVEL FACTS & TRIVIA
PG. 8
THE LIVE TEAM EDITOR & DESIGNER: Emily Langford
WRITERS: Paul Monopoli, Interviews / Retro Editor Paul Broussard, Stephen LaGioia & Adam
INTERVIEW WITH JOSH GRELLE
Cartwright, VGChartz
Pg. 20
INTERVIEW WITH MORGAN Pg. 12 GARRETT
BRIGHTBURN GIVEAWAY SILK, KICKSTARTER
Pg. 54
PG. 10
MOVIES BRIGHTBURN
INTERVIEW WITH MORGAN GARRETT
INTERVIEW WITH JOSH GRELLE
ANIME
,tv&
• Goose the cat was originally called chewie after chewbaca from star wars but was renamed goose after goose bradshaw from top gun
• Brie larson is allergic to cats, so her scenes involving goose were filmed with a puppet or computer-generated vfx. • The name “captain marvel” is not used in the film until the closing credits.
• Goose was played by five different cats called Reggie, Rizzo, Gonzo, and Archie • In the movie Carol refers to Monica as “Lieutenant • Skrull makeup took 2hrs to Trouble”. In the comics, apply Lieutenant Trouble (a young girl named Kit • Furys clearence level was Renner) was Captain only level 3 Marvel’s biggest fan and later on became her • The film takes place in friend. 1995
DOUBLE PASS GIVEAWAY
ras hc ld r o w r e h t o n a m What if a ch il d fro ming a o c e b f o d a e t s in but la nd e d o n Ea rth, h ing t e m o s e b to d e v he pro he ro to m a nkind, fa r m o re s iniste r? ke r o f a m m il f y r a n io is v the With Brig htbu rn, esents r p r e h lit S d n a y x Ga la l new Gua rd ia ns o f the a ic d a r a n o e k a rs ive t e v b u s , g lin t r a t s a rro r! o h o r e h r e p u s : e r g en 23 Y A M S A M E N I IN C N #BRIG HTBUR
WIN A DOUBLE PASS Watch the Gametraders Facebook Page in MAY for your chance to win a double pass to Brightburn -Mention this magazine in your comment for a double entry!
©2019 CTMG. All Rights Reserved.
H T I W W E INTERVI MORGAN GARRETT For my next interview at Supanova I
Morgan takes it all in her stride, asking:
The Supanova media manager introduced
“Isn’t that fun?!”
my wife:
What ended up being more fun was
Me: Nice to meet you. This is my wife Mel.
Twitter without even realising she had
approached the smiley Morgan Garrett.
me to her, and I followed by introducing
Morgan: Hello wife Mel! At this point it struck me that this was going to be a fun interview. You see,
finding out she had won the award on been nominated for it. Though excited to be have been granted such an accolade,
Morgan is still aware that she hasn’t been in the voice over game for that long.
underneath Morgan’s wavy hair and big
“It’s cool because most of the people in
touch of cheekiness. With characteristics
have been doing it for fifteen, plus, years.
smile lies a quick wit and a more than a
like that it’s no surprise that she won voice the “Breakthrough voice actress of the
Year” award in 2012. This was followed up
with another similar accolade 6 years later.
Bleach - Hanataro Yamada
this business that work as much as I do
So I’m still in that stage where I’ve been
doing it for along time, but still not even close to as long as Colleen Clinkenbeard and Jamie Marchi and Monica Rial.”
g in n n u r e r ’ u o y if So . e is v o r p im o t e v “You ha nds a h r u o y t u p o t e hav u o y g in h t e m o s or d n u o s lf e s r u o y e k ma o t e k a h s d n a r e togeth ove. m t ’ n a c u o y e s u beca g in n n u r e r ’ u o y like !” m e h t f o ll a t o g !I h t o o b e h t f o s k ic Tr
We briefly discuss Monica, who I have
interviewed previously. A veteran voice
actor, Monica has been acting since the
was like, ‘uh, so you’re gonna play a 13 year old boy today.’”
90s, and is someone Morgan admires.
A statement that surprised Morgan at
range than Rial, who is best known for
this and had not rehearsed for the role.
With that said, Morgan has a lower vocal Bulma in Dragon Ball Super and Sakura in Card Captor Sakura Clear Card.
the time, as she had not been aware of
Regardless, she soldiered on and the role has become one of her favourites:
From here we move into her favourite
“Because, as an older woman who walks
that an actor has to endure. It can get
is a little bit freeing, cos you get to be all
roles, a staple question of any interview a bit old and I have been in a position
to see eyes glaze over at the thought of
around like me being a 13 year old boy scrappy.”
having to answer that question for the
With that question out of the way, I
still full of enthusiasm and tells me it was
mentioning that she has a Masters degree
umpteenth time. However, Morgan is
actually a great question without a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
“So I’m young Sabo in One Piece, and that has to be one of my favourite characters
show off my research to Morgan by
and is a classically trained actor. Suitably
impressed with my digging into her past, Morgan explains how she transitioned
from the stage to behind the microphone:
cos I’m always put into these very low,
“Well, I haven’t been on stage in a couple
powerful generals. When I came into the
overs after I graduated with my Masters
sexy, sultry voice, and, or these very
booth for One Piece I just thought it was going to be another role like that, and
Joel McDonald, the director at the time,
of years because I really looked at voice
and went ‘I should really put all of my time into this. I love it, it’s fun, it’s right here.
Comic Cons are one of my favourite things
to do, like… I should do this! So I stopped being on stage but the transition was, I’d
been at Funimation, because it’s in Dallas,
brings it back to the transition between stage and voice over:
so I’d been working there for 6 years as
“It’s so easily transitionable, because when
there or whatever.”
things feel when you’re punched or kicked
a side gig. Just a couple of hours here or
From there, Morgan employed the services of an agent, which was when the next
you’re on stage you start to learn how
or thrown around, and that transitions into the booth very well.”
phase of her voice over career started. As
Other voice actors have told me that the
commercial roles. After going off topic she
hardest things to do when you have never
well as voice over roles she started to get
Tokyo Ghoul:re: Akira Mado
expression of emotions can be one of the
Boogiepop and Others: Nagi Kirima
experienced something that the scene calls
together and shake to make yourself sound
career on stage, Morgan was able to bring
Tricks of the booth! I got all of them! That’s
for the actor to react to. Having started her the skill of conveying these emotions into the recording studio. She mentions that
working in the booth can be restrictive due
like you’re running because you can’t move. what I should do as a panel: Tricks of the booth.”
to a lack of movement available to you, but
I suggested writing a book instead…
when behind the microphone:
While stage acting remains Morgan’s first
“You have to improvise. So if you’re running
when it comes to a live production. On the
she lets me in on one of the tricks she uses
or something you have to put your hands
love, she admits to being hard on herself
flip side, she finds voice over work to be a lot of fun:
“You get to be in a dark room, in your
pyjamas, with a cup of tea, pretending like
you’re a cat. Like… that is the pinnacle. I’ve made it!”
Many voice actors have told me about
recording in their pyjamas, to which I query whether they have sleep overs at Okatron 5000 (where many Funimation series are
dubbed). Morgan jokingly insists that this
only happens on New Years, and that it’s a big party.
Heavy Object: Frolaytia Capistrano
Morgan is one of those voice actors who
I finished off by asking whether she wants to
Captor Sakura. I queried whether she likes to
acting, such as directing or script writing:
has replaced others in roles, such as in Card listen to the previous actor and attempt to
mimic them, or whether she is guided by the director.
“I go in cold, then I ask for their reads on certain things just so I can kind of voice
match a little bit. That doesn’t happen often, but when it does it’s a great challenge. One of the highest paid things I ever did was a
commercial where I was voice acting a girl from LA. Just voice matching her.”
Morgan enjoys the challenge and is aware that the natural raspiness in her voice is
something she might need to turn off to
meet the needs of the role she is employed for.
turn her attention to other aspects of voice
“Yes and no. I have a background in
journalism. Broadcast journalism was my
undergrad, so I had plans on doing this, but so far no, because like I said, I made the
decision to go from stage into voice acting
so I’m still kinda getting my feet wet when it comes to this world full force.”
Of the various roles she might want to
explore next, directing seems to be what
Morgan is gravitating towards. She wants
to keep establishing herself as a voice over artist first, but when the time is right you can expect her in the directors seat.
By Paul Monopoli
INTERVIEW WITH JOSH GRELLE Attending Supanova as media is a lot of
silly little line. You had to be there I guess…
while for your opportunity to put your
career and his travels around the world.
fun, though you do often have to wait a microphone in front of a celebrity and have
a chat. I was told by Supanova’s ever helpful media manager to wait by Josh Grelle’s line
and when he had finished signing we could do an interview.
As soon as the line cleared I placed my
After that we jumped into discussing his He had been quite busy in the “English
speaking parts of the southern hemisphere” recently, including New Zealand and
Australia. The travel has been life changing for Josh, who had been to a total of six countries that year.
rather chunky condenser microphone in
From there we jumped into discussing his
voice, declared that:
has amassed many roles, including the
front of Josh who, in his best town crier
“Once there was a microphone, it dreamed it could be the greatest microphone in all the land!”
One of the most difficult parts of an
interview can be breaking the ice with
someone, though with Josh it was as easy
as bursting into laughter with him over this
short, yet expansive career. In 15 years he Grand Minister in Dragon Ball Super and
Hughes in Fairy Tale. Josh is proud to have Anime News Network’s number 3 position
of the “most anime roles for a voice actor” list. He says that:
“For 15 years of work I’ve been insanely fortunate… incredibly fortunate!”
We discussed how Josh got his break in
made a huge impression on him as he
his face as he said:
Real people voiced these pieces of
voice acting, to which a smile crept across
“I wanted to go from nerd to pro basically. I got into theatre when I was 5 years old.
realised that they were not mere cartoons. animation, and with a bit of work he could become one of them.
I did children’s theatre, then adult theatre
“I found out, as I got closer to my high
way through high school… When I was
ADV Films, who were 2 of the biggest
when I was old enough. I did that all the about 8 years old I decided I wanted to do voice work. I’d been a huge fan of
animation my whole life and anime started to get really huge in the States.”
The big anime boom of the late 90s, with
shows such as Dragon Ball Z and Pokemon
school graduation, that Funimation and producers in the States at the time, were
both in my home state, 2 hours away from
me. So I did whatever research I could, tried to find out ways to get in. Then a friend of mine went to school with a girl that
had done voices for ADV and got me their phone number.”
Josh started to call the studio once a
impossible ones that I thought would never
keep in touch and let them know he was
figure out what I want to do next”.
month, throughout his senior year, just to interested in working with them at some
be reachable and now I’m here trying to
point in the future. After about 4 months of
During our talk I determined that Josh has
role.
much knowledge as it can. As well as voice
calls, ADV gave Josh his first, life changing
“And here I am 15 years later… in Australia!
Yeah, I never would have imagined it would turn out as successful as this, and that I
hit every goal that I set myself, even the
an eager mind that just wants to absorb as acting he has also delved into script writing, occasionally performing these dual roles
on the same show. His creative endeavours have even led him to work in the comic industry.
‘I haven’t worked in comics for a very long
“I would much rather have a director
not as an artist. I did colouring for a few
myself… I’m probably going to misquote this
time, but I worked in comics for a while,
North American and some Australian comics actually, when I was first starting out, and
then anime took off for me and I didn’t need to dabble in both anymore”.
Working a dual career is hard for anyone,
so Josh had to decide whether to devote his career to comics or anime. I’m pretty sure
that his fans are convinced that he made the right decision, as is the man himself:
“Acting was what I wanted to do anyway, so the choice was pretty much made for me”.
directing me as opposed to directing
horribly but one of my best friends when I
first became a voice actor, Chris Ayers (the
voice of Freeza in Dragon Ball), used to say ‘If you have an actor directing themselves then you have an idiot for an actor and a fool for a director’… I have had to direct
myself before but it wasn’t as comfortable as I always second guess and third guess,
twelfth guess every take. It’s just much more streamlined if I have another creative voice directing me when I’m in the booth”.
While his career has been a huge success,
A “Jack of all trades”, Josh blames his active
something new and exciting.
cannot just stick to one thing. As a child
Josh is looking to sink his teeth into
“I do want to do more that is my artwork
and something that I create as opposed to spending all of my creative energy doing
characters and stories for other people. So I’m getting back into comics right now”.
I queried whether he would prefer to direct
mind on Hyper ADD and claims that he
he taught himself to use the digital tools that he could use to express his artistic
creativity. Learning to edit photos, audio
and film allowed him to become involved in the world of entertainment years before his career took him there.
the scripts that he writes, giving himself full
“I wanted do do it all, and it pays off, and
expression Josh explains why he doesn’t feel
creative control over his work. With a serious this is a good idea:
yeah, I’m doing it all!”
By Paul Monopoli
gameS
YOSHI’S CRAFT WORLD
SILK, KICKSTARTER
A LOOK BACK AT DISNEY GAMES ON PLAYSTATION HANDHELDS
S
TED
REVIEWS
Paul Broussard
REVIEW PS4:
DARKSIDERS III Darksiders III is in something of an odd
occurs before it was supposed to, the
two titles was closed, it seemed as if the
physical forms and are roaming an Earth
position. After the studio behind the first series was done for. Despite this, however, a new studio with many of the same
seven deadly sins have now obtained now overrun by angels and demons.
staff has defied the odds and produced
In keeping with Vigil/Gunfire’s rather
playing, though? Unfortunately, the
Fury, the surprisingly insecure third
the third game in the series. Is it worth answer is probably not.
It becomes pretty clear early on that if you haven’t played the previous two
Darksiders games then you’re going to be in for a tough time trying to keep up with
the story in this one. After the apocalypse
loose adaptation of Christian theology, horseman of the apocalypse (Pestilence and Famine apparently not having
marketable enough names to make
the cut), is sent to hunt them down. Of course, this being a Darksiders game,
there will inevitably be a bunch of late
twists and at least one conspiracy theory
thrown in to complicate matters more.
But story is perhaps not why we’re here;
Darksiders III has by and large embraced
with utterly incomprehensible stories so long as the gameplay is entertaining.
its role solely as an action game this time
When you’re not fighting something,
solving from the original Darksiders and
of traversing the landscape, solving some
around, having ditched most of the puzzle the RPG/loot elements from Darksiders II. And, if Bayonetta has shown us anything, it’s that action games can often get by
Darksiders III’s gameplay mostly consists very basic puzzles, and searching for
bosses to kill. The game has taken a few
pointers from Dark Souls in that much of
the layout revolves around finding save
there’s a Bayonetta-esque system where
in-game currency obtained from killing
last possible moment before an attack
points from where you can level up with enemies. Dying means respawning at the last save point you reached, losing all of the currency you’re currently holding,
and having to travel back to the point
where you died to get it back. It’s a rather questionable inclusion, and I’m not sure
it really benefits an action game much to
encourage a slower paced, more cautious playstyle after death, but it’s not a major problem.
The actual combat of Darksiders III is
the player is rewarded for dodging at the lands. The game’s dodge is both fast and lacks many invincibility frames, which
puts a heavy emphasis on quick reactions and timing. It’s not exactly complex, but
dashing quickly in and out of enemy reach
is certainly fun, and bosses are challenging enough to make the relatively shallow system feel rewarding. There’s a pure,
almost child-like sense of fun to be had
from darting between enemies, racking up
big combos and avoiding attacks perfectly.
relatively simplistic, operating on a two
I do feel that the game missed an
the two weapons you can have selected
combat by not implementing directional
button system; one button for each of at any given time. It’s not particularly
complicated, but it’s still fun enough, and
there are a variety of interesting weapons and moves to play around with. Much of
the skill revolves around reacting to enemy attacks and dodging at the right time;
opportunity to add some depth to its
attacks similar to those you can find in the Devil May Cry series. Darksiders III operates with a hard lock-on system, which would have allowed for the
developers to expand the number of
moves Fury had available relatively easily.
Unfortunately, as it stands, the
combat isn’t much more complex
than a Warriors game, which does mean that once you’ve mastered
Fury’s movement and dodging, there isn’t a lot left for you to get good at. The difficulty curve tapers off and
you’re just left to steamroll through the rest of the game.
From a technical standpoint, this is one of the least impressive games you’ll find on current generation
hardware. It looks like a late PS2 title, with some truly bad textures and low res environments. Even the previous
Darksiders games, which were by no means graphical powerhouses, were more impressive than this. There’s
no kind way to say it: this game does not look good.
I’m usually not one to make much of a
Despite these problems, I keep coming
title, as performance is usually more
to play, which is something that cannot be
fuss about graphical fidelity in an action important in a title that’s focused on
fast movement and quick reflexes, but
Darksiders III barely manages to touch
30 FPS consistently, with plenty of frame rate drops whenever things get hectic
on screen. 60 FPS is the benchmark that games focused on quick movement
and fast-paced melee combat should
strive to reach, and 30 FPS is something I grudgingly accept as a bare minimum.
This is completely unacceptable: there is
simply no justification for an action game failing to even reach a locked 30 FPS on
eighth gen hardware, let alone one which has its core mechanics focused around
quick reactions and inputs on the player’s part.
back to the fact that the game is just fun said for far too many recent mainstream releases. If you’re a fan of the series, or you’re just looking for the opportunity to beat people into the ground, you
may be able to overlook the myriad of
technical problems and the relative lack
of complexity. For anyone else, it’s hard to recommend dropping $60 on this. If you don’t already like hack and slash titles,
and the Darksiders series specifically, this
third installment certainly won’t make you a fan.
By Paul Broussard
Stephen LaGioia
REVIEW NS:
yoshis crafted world Nintendo has built a tremendous
platforms over the years and its most
platformers in its long gaming history.
but rather basic Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Yoshi’s
track record when it comes to quality
Developer Good-Feel, which has taken the reins for Yoshi-specific games in recent
years, comes with a less certain history. Good-Feel has created a handful of
charming and enjoyable titles for Nintendo
notable efforts include the well-crafted Woolly World, and Wario Land: Shake It. I’m happy to say, however, that the
developer’s latest effort on the Nintendo
Switch - Yoshi’s Crafted World - just might be Good-Feel’s best game yet.
Crafted World utilizes a mechanic of aiming
much at times, the cardboard themes in this
hit cardboard pieces. This is a simple yet
in a literal and figurative sense. This allows
and firing eggs in a pseudo-3D space to
effective and satisfying hook, and continues the trend of boundary-pushing Yoshi
platformers. While Woolly World’s yarn
gimmick tended to be in your face and a bit
title reside more in the background - both for a tighter, more enjoyable experience;
and one that’s a touch more fast-paced. It
comes off as distinct, while feeling closer to Yoshi’s Island/Story in spirit. It truly felt to
me like a nostalgic trip back to the mid 90s
Yet Crafted World has completely ditched
mechanic, especially after seeing the return
cumbersome yarn-yanking mechanic. In
when playing around with the egg-firing
of baddies like Spear Guys, Goonies, and
the main villains - Baby Bowser and Kamek. The artistic vibe of Yoshi’s Crafted World maintains that predominant level of
colorful cuteness that Woolly World pulled off so well. Much like Woolly World, it
really feels like you’re playing through
a rich, kid-friendly animated piece here.
its predecessor’s “hook” of its often
its place we get the more straightforward approach of shooting cardboard cut-outs scattered throughout 2.5D planes. These
cutouts take on a variety of images that are often meant to blend into the background, providing a certain scavenger hunt feel. Nailing them can yield various goodies,
such as hearts that replenish heath, as well as coins and flowers.
Crafted World nicely interweaves the
collectables into the gameplay itself, as
you can use earned coins to buy a variety
scramble to earn the plethora of goodies in each stage, some of which are well hidden.
of cute cardboard costumes that give
While the mechanics as a whole feel more
rarity. These range from common items
game mixes in a vast array of courses that
you extra protection depending on their like a bottle cap, to a more coveted Labo
keyboard and Monty Mole shell. The other
collectables mainly revolve around flowers,
which are needed to pass certain blockades on the world map, including a colorful
secret area that opens upon completion
of the game. Crafted World keeps things rather light and easy-going for the most
part. But make no mistake - completionists
will have their work cut out for them as they
traditional compared to Woolly World, the differ thematically and mechanically. The
biomes number well over a dozen, and each one comes with a handful of stages, which themselves usually offer distinct qualities. The sporadic nature of environments and themes is reminiscent of Super Mario
Galaxy. It can feel a tad inconsistent at
times, but on the plus side any feeling of repetition is certainly kept to a minimum with this approach.
Stages range from train
stations, to ninja dojos which obscure your view behind a screen, to a haunted house in which you’re hunted by
creepy axe-wielding clowns. You’re even dropped into
a handful of more action-
based vehicular stages. This
includes a course where you control a large mechanical
version of Yoshi who plows and punches through all in his wake, and a solar-
powered racing stage where you’re forced to avoid
shadows. I enjoyed the both
the ingenuity of the concepts and richness of each stage’s
unique atmosphere, and was happy to see a refreshing
converted into additional flowers following
tropes.
sort of time trial, as gathering all 3 Poochies
lack of typical environmental
An additional “Flipped Mode” allows you to run through variants of each stage in
which 3 Poochie dogs are hiding. These scurrying
pups can be nabbed and
completion. Flipped Mode also doubles as a and reaching the goal in a certain amount of
time nets you another flower. You’re also tasked with the option of revisiting stages and seeking out specific items to bring to robot-like allies at various spots on the map. These are neat inclusions, as they not only add yet another dimension to Crafted World but drastically
On top of this, there’s the return of a 2 player
dying, especially when donning a costume.
as a different colored Yoshi of their choice and
You’re sometimes given a lack of eggs, which
amusing, it’s quite easy to get in the way of
smart about egg use usually mitigates any
co-op mode, which allows a player to jump in provide assistance. While this usually proved
eachother, sometimes impeding or disrupting progress more than helping towards it. Since you’re on a limited 2D plane, accidentally
lapping up your partner, clocking them with
an egg/turtle shell, or hopping on their back will likely be a common occurrence. In a
wise NSMB-esque inclusion, though, a Yoshi dropping out of frame will morph into an
egg, which will simply float towards the other player and drop back into the action.
Collect-a-thons notwithstanding, most of Yoshi’s Crafted World is a breeze to get through. The main game can ideally be
finished in a handful of hours and with few deaths, for those looking to get right to
business. This might be off-putting to some, though there certainly is a place for the “sit back and relax” style Good-Feel’s become
notorious for. Most of the various enemies creeping about don’t pose too much of a
challenge, as you can gobble them up and convert them to egg ammo rather simply.
You’re also typically granted several hits before
can make things a bit hairy, though being
issues here. The bosses, while granting some exciting and amusing moments, usually go
down in 3 well-placed hits with little sweat.
Then you’ve got the return of “Mellow Mode”, which allows you to quite literally drift across a stage, and grants a drastic increase in hits before dying.
Aside from its relative simplicity and
occasionally touchy co-op bits, the latest Yoshi installment really is a well-crafted platformer if you’ll excuse the pun. It offers an impressive
variety of innovative concepts that keep things feeling fresh. At the same time, it adheres to
the crisp and familiar mechanics - along with
other cool nostalgic nods - found in the classic Yoshi’s Island. It’s quite the artistic marvel
too, with its imaginative atmosphere and fine detail, making it one of the prettier games to grace a Nintendo platform. Yoshi’s Crafted
World is a pleasant, enduring experience that
platforming fans on the Switch shouldn’t miss.
By Stephen LaGioia
Adam Cartwright
A LOOK BACK AT DISNEY GAMES ON PLAYSTATION HANDHELDS There are few brands out there that have
lineup considerably in recent years by
of Disney. Thanks to decades of beautiful
(although for the purposes of this article,
anything like the appeal and recognition
and critically acclaimed animated films, the company is a household name that has
expanded beyond just movies to include a variety of other ventures, including
videogames. Disney has also grown its
acquiring Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars
I’ll only be covering Disney/Pixar output). Thanks to their broad audience, Disney
games usually show up on every viable
platform out there, meaning that despite the brand’s affinity with Nintendo’s
YOUR SAY
younger-skewing audience, both the
ins often using platformer gameplay
throughout their lives. Some of this
younger and older audiences. So it felt
PSP and Vita received a number of titles was through Disney’s own developer/
publisher (Disney Interactive Studios), but the firm also licensed out its IPs for other companies to try their hand at – with somewhat mixed results.
The very first time I wrote about a series
of games on the Vita, it was for the LEGO franchise – a collection of licensed tie-
and quirky references to appeal to both right to return to a comparable series
here, because even if the titles aren’t all necessarily related in story or setting,
many utilise the same sense of Disney
wonderment that make the company’s animated films such a success.
P O R T A B L E
Probably the best place to start
Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue! was
beginning of Disney games on
the genre (sadly the TV show tie-in
this article is to go back to the PlayStation hardware, with the
release of the very first PlayStation, when a number of different
C L A S S I C S
publishers were trying their hands at making tie-ins to classic Disney films. Many of the titles which
landed on that console came to
seen as one of the better entries in Buzz Lightyear of Star Command didn’t receive the same acclaim), while the others were a bit more
forgettable, although they could
generally be fun if you were a fan of the source material.
the PSP (and by extension Vita)
Just as common were 2D
program in 2006, which allowed
sensibilities, such as the beautifully
with the launch of the PS1 classics them to be downloaded and taken on the go.
Among the titles offered through the program were things like 102
Dalmations, A Bug’s Life, Atlantis,
Toy Story 2, and Lilo & Stitch – early outings into the 3D platformer
genre (which had flourished on the
PS1), which usually had you running around finding dozens of collectible items and jumping on the heads
of bad guys. Of them, Toy Story 2:
platformers designed around older animated Hercules: Action Game or Tarzan, both based on the
moderately popular films, as well
as Mickey’s Wild Adventure, which
was an original platformer starring the firm’s mascot. There was also a further game based on Pixar’s
biggest IP in Toy Story Racer, which aped Mario Kart‘s design for a
fairly enjoyable time. All of the
aforementioned titles are available on Vita through backwardscompatibility.
My personal favourite of the bunch
is Monsters Inc: Scare Island, a game
which has you running around as Mike
and Sulley practicing their intimidation skills in a training course designed
for monsters. It was a first foray into
the Disney licensed arena for Sony –
something the company would revisit many years later for its handhelds.
Throughout much of the seventh generation (which is when Sony introduced its handheld PSP
console), one publisher seemed to
have a monopoly on family-friendly software, including Disney/Pixar
games. That was THQ, whose titles
T H E
remain on the PlayStation Store
despite the company itself going bankrupt in 2012.
THQ’s debut effort on Sony
portables was a tie-in game for
Pixar’s Cars. In contrast to the 3D platformers Disney games were
known for up until that point, this was a racing title that had you
capturing the feel of the film while still being enjoyable to play. It
proved to be a successful formula
that THQ would attempt to emulate years later with Cars Race-O-Rama, but sadly this wasn’t quite as well received.
familiar direction. Ratatouille was a very traditional 3D platformer that
had you playing as Remy, following the events of the film, in a game
that was far from essential but was nonetheless a decent amount of
fun. Then there was Wall-E, which
T H Q
playing as Lightning McQueen and friends. It was actually fairly solid,
Following this, THQ went in a more
was based on a PS2 version of a
multi-platform release spanning generations.
A further tie-in to Up was released in 2009 and it included some
interesting character-switching
mechanics. Sadly, THQ’s license quickly ran out after this and it would be the last of its Disney
E R A
titles. The company bowed to financial pressures and exited
gaming altogether soon thereafter.
While Disney would continue to license out its Pixar films to
publishers such as THQ during most of the seventh generation,
it also continued to produce content through its own subsidiary
- Disney Interactive Games - providing an even broader range of content for Sony’s handhelds.
For example, there were multiple games based on the popular
D I S N E Y S
Pirates of the Caribbean film series (which itself was based on a
ride at Disneyland, amusingly). Dead Man’s Chest was an action-
adventure title that released in 2006, quickly followed by another tie-in to At World’s End in 2007. Both are available on PSN as a double pack, and although neither is particularly memorable, they can provide a good swashbuckling distraction. Disney
also worked with Warner Bros. to create LEGO: Pirates of the
Caribbean in 2011, which was a tonne of fun, even if the PSP port was merely an up-ressed DS game.
O W N
Disney continued to work in partnership with other publishers beyond this, such as with Square-Enix on the-then latest entry in its long-running crossover RPG series
Kingdom Hearts, entitled Birth by Sleep. It was seen by many as the best handheld
entry in the franchise to-date, as well as being a return to form following a number of questionable releases. Sadly, due to licensing issues, Birth by Sleep was never made available on PSN, meaning you’re unable to play it on Vita without hacking it.
E F F O R T S
Elsewhere, in 2010 the company worked on Toy Story 3 (a 3D
platformer) and Tron: Evolution (a bizarre combat/platformer/racing hybrid), neither of which were particularly well received on Sony’s handheld thanks to their stripped-down content (for example on consoles, Toy Story 3 included a toy box mode that allowed you
to create your own levels, something that would be a template for their later series Disney Infinity). This low effort was a precursor to
what would follow which was dropping support completely, but an
unexpected source stepped in to continue bringing Disney games to Sony handhelds.
S T E P S
S O N Y
An odd partnership was struck in 2011 between Disney
and Sony, where the Spanish developer Virtual Toys was
commissioned to make games based on a variety of Disney’s IP’s for Sony’s handheld lines, likely as part of a broader
attempt to engage younger gamers with Sony’s platforms (this also included things like the new IP Invizimals).
This first happened for Cars 2, based on the Pixar sequel
from 2011. Rather bizarrely, instead of being a port of any
pre-existing version, Cars 2 was a bespoke experience built specifically for the PSP, shifting the racing mechanics to an isometric perspective reminiscent of Micro Machines.
I N
This was followed in 2012 by a direct port of Phineas & Ferb:
Across the 2nd Dimension, again for the PSP, although by this point it was clear that the initiative would have to shift over to a newer platform, not least because Phineas had some major performance problems.
This happened a couple of years later in 2014 when Muppets Movie
Adventures released on PlayStation Vita, Sony’s handheld replacement for the PSP. Another bespoke experience, and one that attempted to make
use of the console’s unique inputs, it unfortunately was a bit of a boring mess that isn’t really worth playing. That was a shame, given previous Muppets titles had proved in the past that they could be pretty fun.
Virtual Toys worked on one last Disney game on Vita in 2015, which was Phineas & Ferb: Day of Doofenshmirtz. An expansion of the gameplay
basis that had been developed in Across the 2nd Dimension, it offered
some enjoyable if uninspired 3D platforming action that thankfully was a big improvement over Muppets.
A L A S T F E W
H A N D H E L D
Between 2008 and 2012,
It spawned a sequel in 2012
reportedly lost over $200m
Two), which Sony paid to be
Disney Interactive Studios
per year, causing some deep
restructuring of the company and shifting priorities. This is undoubtedly one of
the reasons the company never really pledged any
support for Vita. However,
beyond its work with Virtual
(Epic Mickey 2: The Power of ported to Vita a year later. It was a bizarre decision,
and the game itself received a very lukewarm critical
reception, but it did at least provide a nice bit of variety for the console’s library.
Toys, Sony also engaged
Sony also got involved
this missing content to its
bigger gamble to the
other developers to bring handheld.
For example, one of Disney’s biggest titles of the seventh
generation was Epic Mickey, a sweeping 3D platformer
which aimed to tell the tale of Disney’s mascot and his
history throughout the years.
in bringing Disney’s even handheld - Disney Infinity. Disney Infinity was an
ambitious entry in the
toys-to-life genre which
allowed gamers to play in the fantastical worlds of
Marvel, Pixar, and eventually Star Wars, as well as build their own levels using in-
D I S N E Y
depth creation tools. The
second entry, Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes,
received a belated port in 2015 which included an
exclusive Black Suit Spider
Man figure, but it failed to set the sales charts alight
due to its tardy appearance
and the toys-to-life concept
not fitting all that well with a portable platform.
This led to the third entry –
G A M E S
Disney Infinity 3.0 – skipping Vita altogether, although by this point it was becoming
clear that the franchise was
failing to hit its sales targets and support would soon be pulled altogether.
F U T U R E D I S N E Y
G A M E S O N V I T A
I’ve already written extensively
tie-ins to Monsters University
production worldwide and,
Mansion were announced by
about Vita now ending
unsurprisingly, younger-
gamer-friendly titles like
and Mickey’s Haunted
Sony’s Spanish division.
those based on Disney IPs are
In fact, Disney games on
console is reaching the end
much less prevalent these
among the first to go when a of its life. Virtual Toys (the
developer of numerous Disney games from 2011 onwards) moved on to a PS4 MOBA
after Phineas & Ferb launched and since then appears to
have shut down, while Sony
itself rapidly withdrew support for its own handheld. The latter in particular was a
shame because at one point
consoles in general seem
days – instead they’ve shifted over to mobile as the AA
market has somewhat fallen
through. The odd title to slip through the cracks here and there, such as Cars 3: Driven to Win, haven’t release on
Vita, which is unsurprising but a little disappointing all the same.
CONCLUSION Despite often being aimed at
representation, but for whatever
of fun to be had with some
decided to start paying for
younger gamers, there’s a lot Disney titles, making them a
nice addition to any console’s
library. While this meant they’ve
naturally gravitated more towards Nintendo machines over the
years, due to a better audience
match, there’s still a nice selection of games available on both PS1 & PSP, including some solid 3D
platformers such as Monsters Inc: Scare Island and Wall-E.
As for the Vita, the bankruptcy
of THQ and heavy restructurings at Disney Interactive Studios
left the handheld without much
reason Sony stepped in and
ports of these titles by itself; a bizarre move given Sony’s
lack of support elsewhere in
the handheld’s library. While
Disney Infinity 2.0, Epic Mickey 2, and Phineas & Ferb: Day of
Doofenshmirtz may not go down as among the best games ever
made, they nonetheless helped broaden the platform’s library.
By Adam Cartwright
SILK, Inspired by The Lords of Midnight, Hits Kickstarter New sandbox RPG adventure, inspired by the late Mike Singleton’s ZX Spectrum classic, brought to Kickstarter by the designer of Discworld Noir Manchester, 28th February 2019: International Hobo is pleased to announce that Silk, a Sandbox RPG Adventure Game, has launched on Kickstarter. If funded, the game is targeting release on Steam, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. Kickstarter video: https://youtu.be/Eulngufz-iQ Silk is a tribute to the late Mike Singleton, especially his ground-breaking 1984 game The Lords of Midnight, and development is being directed by Chris Bateman, designer of Discworld Noir and Ghost Master. The engine used to produce the world of Silk has an identical design to the original ‘landscaping engine’ that Mike Singleton designed for The Lords of Midnight, although it uses 2D assets rendered in Unity to create a more vibrant feeling wilderness with retro roots and a contemporary lo-fi vibe. All the exploration and warfare of the original is here, along with trading and recruiting Advisors who make up an RPG party inspired by the Clan Ring of King of Dragon Pass.
WRITTEN BY PAUL MONOPOLI
With a lo-fi visual aesthetic and a lightweight interface that delivers endless engaging decisions, Silk is an innovative role-playing adventure like no other. Rise into glory by running your caravan from the Roman Empire to war-torn Three Kingdoms China. Defend yourself from bandits, sandstorms, and rebellions by hiring Advisors skilled in everything from battle to wayfinding. Fall in love with your own unique party of Advisors and the enchanting world of the Ancient Silk Road in 200 AD. Gameplay trailer: https://youtu.be/cFyvMgstQug
“This is a game I’ve wanted to make for some time, but it never felt like the right time.” said award-winning game designer Chris Bateman, Creative Director, International Hobo Ltd. “But there might never be a good time to honour the influence Mike’s work as a game developer had on me, and now is a great time to be trusting fans of indie games to support something innovative and unusual, that’s not like anything else out there, and that pays tribute to a pioneer who sadly passed away in 2012 at the age of 61. I can think of no better way I can memorialise his achievements than to make a game inspired by what I loved in his classics.”
Playable Demo: https://bit.ly/2StpLrD Press Assets: https://bit.ly/2GQjwgp Kickstarter Page: http://kck.st/2EmVMwr --About International Hobo Ltd International Hobo combines award-winning creative services with a new game development studio. The core company is one of the world’s most successful game design, narrative design and scriptwriting consultancies, and games the company has worked upon have collectively sold more than 10 million units while franchises its staff have worked on have sold in excess of 80 million units. They are currently expanding operations to include development teams working on innovative ‘heirloom’ console game projects for niche markets, of which _Silk_ is the first title in development.
SEE MORE ON... facebook.com/Gametraders.Australia
twitter.com/GametradersAus
instagram.com/Gametraders
WEBSITE: gametraders.com.au PUBLICATIONS: issuu.com/gametraders
DID YOU KNOW... Each Gametraders store have their own Facebook page! Want to ask your local store a question or keep up to date with their latest product releases? Check out their pages below!
SOUTH AUSTRALIA Modbury: facebook.com/gtmodbury Salisbury: facebook.com/gtsalisbury Seaford: facebook.com/gtseaford
NEW SOUTH WALES: Blacktown: facebook.com/gametradersblacktown Macarthur Square: facebook.com/gametradersmacarthur Hornsby Live: facebook.com/GametradersHornsby Penrith Live: facebook.com/GametradersLivePenrith Parramatta: facebook.com/GametradersParramatta
QUEENSLAND: Chermside: facebook.com/gtchermside Morayfield: facebook.com/GametradersMorayfield
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY: Hyperdome: facebook.com/GametradersHyperdome
Check our past Live issues HERE: issuu.com/gametraders
SUBSCRIBE:
www.gametraders.com.au/subscribe
FIND YOUR NEAREST STORE... South Australia Modbury..................................................(08) 8265 7283 Salisbury..................................................(08) 8281 0966 Seaford.....................................................(08) 8327 1966 ACT Hyperdome.............................................(02) 6293 3751
New South Wales Gametraders LIVE Penrith.........(02) 4731 3894 Blacktown................................. (02) 9676 1411 Macarthur Square (Campbelltown) (02) 4620 0750 Parramatta................................ (02) 9633 2833 Gametraders LIVE Hornsby...............(02) 9477 6477
For more info visit: www.gametraders.com.au Queensland Chermside...............................................(07) 3861 5000 Morayfield...............................................(07) 5495 7705