Disney Illusion Island

Disney Illusion Island is practically a unicorn, offering fulfilling, customizable co-op for the whole family in an endearingly charming cartoon coating.

With unrelenting charm, excellent writing and voice work, and an art style that is sure to put a smile on your face, Disney Illusion Island is the magical Mickey Metroidvania you didn’t know you needed.

Disney Illusion Island is an excellent choice for both parents and their children. It's certainly aimed to a younger audience but its low challenge doesn't hinder the utterly enjoyable coop experience.

I’m blown away by Disney Illusion Island. In a sea of hard-as-nails Metroidvanias like Hollow Knight or Metroid Dread, it stands out as being just as well-crafted but skewing towards a different, gentler experience. This is the platonic ideal for an entry-level platformer because it is filled with smartly designed gameplay that takes well-worn tropes and makes them more approachable for everyone while still providing a nice romp for those experienced with these types of games. If you’re a parent who wishes your child would cut the crap and start playing Symphony of the Night with you, maybe start them here and then work your way up to fighting Dracula with some pit stops like Ori and Guacamelee along the way. Here’s hoping the quality of this game leads to the Quackshot remake of my dreams.

Disney Illusion Island is the perfect introduction to the Metroidvania genre. Every moment of my time playing was fun, and I’ll admit there are some challenging moments, but the accessibility options for each player to fine-tune their experience make the adventure approachable to any who play. This is a game that could have easily coasted on the fact that it has Disney characters in it, but no, this is a fully fledge adventure that makes these Disney characters even cooler.

If you’re a seasoned fan of Metroidvanias and crave combat and action, Disney Illusion Island may not be for you. If you’re looking for a wholesome dose of Disney though, or an entryway into this genre, Illusion Island is a joyously fun gem with cross-generational appeal that I’ll be recommending non-stop to anyone who will listen. It’s undoubtedly one of the finest-looking games I’ve ever played on the Nintendo Switch and I had heaps of fun exploring Monoth’s expertly-designed sprawling biomes. In fact, while I’ve completed Illusion Island’s main story, I shall imminently be diving back in to scour this world for all the sneaky collectibles I may have missed. This is Disney’s best game to date.

Disney Illusion Island is a magnificent return to form for Mickey and friends. Though we wish that it was a bit more challenging, the excellent controls, relaxing vibes, whimsical world, and oodles of collectibles all come together to make for a cozy and enjoyable experience you won’t want to miss. We strongly recommend you pick up Illusion Island if you’re looking for another quality 2D platformer to add to your library, it’s full of that elusive Disney magic and is one of the best platformers to release on the Switch this year.

Disney Illusion Island is a pleasant surprise. The platform gameplay makes for a persistently engaging adventure, which is partly due to the game's fun characters and their abilities. The presentation is also very strong, where you can expect a lot of variety. It just could have been a bit more challenging now and then, but don't let that stop you from giving the game a chance.

With credits behind me, I’m excited to discover more of Monoth’s secrets and collectibles I haven’t yet found, and I’m especially thrilled to play more with my 7-year-old nephew. Illusion Island doesn’t overhaul the platformer genre, or the Metroidvania formula for that matter, but its distinctive no-combat focus on simply moving through Monoth keeps the trip amusing, brisk, and gratifying. I would have liked more challenge; this is a simple adventure that might not capture the interest of platformer enthusiasts with little to no preoccupation with Disney. But when met on its own terms, it’s hard to deny Illusion Island is a jubilant love letter to these characters and platforming.

A delightful co-op adventure set on an island brought beautifully to life by hand-drawn illustrations.

Disney Illusion Island is an accessible metroidvania that offers a great level of exploration. Although it can get a bit repetitive, its beautiful artwork and its great orchestral soundtrack make it worth giving it a chance, especially in local multiplayer with friends.

Disney illusion Island is an absolute success and a worthy addition to your gaming library.

Disney Illusion Island is the perfect family platformer. With inclusivity at the center of its design, you can select a suitable difficulty option that allows everyone to engage and more importantly, enjoy the game. Love and admiration for the history of Mickey are apparent. References to classic cartoons and previous video games are noticeable as you venture through a new world. At first, I was taken aback by the lack of combat and familiar gameplay loops, however, the slick platforming and delightful design shine through to make this a wonderful and memorable adventure.

It's a world so well-designed that the whole passage feels like a trip to a beautiful 2D environment. [Issue#330]

Disney Illusion Island might not appeal to those who want non-stop hardcore platforming thrills, but there’s more than enough challenge here for those who look for it.

Disney Illusion Island may not rewrite the Metroidvania handbook nor does it ever feel particularly challenging, but what it does, it does exceptionally well. Throughout the six-hour journey, my wife and I couldn’t stop smiling; between the colourful worlds and their light puzzly-platformy layouts, enchanting soundtrack and fun banter between its four main leads. Disney fans will adore everything about this game while those looking for a more laid-back, less demanding adventure will appreciate what’s on display too.

Disney Illusion Island is a well-crafted platformer that hides an equally-excellent Metroidvania underneath. Fans of the genre who might not be immediately taken in by the license shouldn’t let that dissuade them from giving this game a shot — this is a great one.

Disney Illusion Island is a marvelous action/platformer with its fair share of Metroidvania elements set in a Disney-themed world. While this is not a combat-rich experience, the game world is a positive surprise on account of its design and size, as well as the way entirely different parts link together, not to mention its immense wealth of collectionable objects that almost make a small museum of their own. Its cut scenes, delightfully animated, are perhaps a bit too long, but Disney Illusion Island easily becomes a very reliable companion for fans of 2D platformers on the Nintendo Switch who want something that just keeps growing.

Disney Illusion Island is a charming, enjoyable, easygoing platformer that should appeal to everyone regardless of how familiar you are with the genre or how skilled you are on the sticks.

Disney Illusion Island is an excellent metroidvania that not only kids will love, but also expert gamers. Its level design is so brilliant and smooth that it makes you fall in love immediately with the characters, world and gameplay.

While Disney Illusion Island isn't a particularly long game, it is one that feels instantly memorable. Dlala Studios has captured the charm that Disney has been missing for years and offered it up in an interactive medium that never fails to be fun and overflowing with charisma.

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 is a great all-ages platform-adventure that works hard to appeal to players of any skill level. Even those finding it too easy should be able to enjoy kicking back with the Disney cast, all of which are well animated with their personality shining through in every movement. The large number of areas can feel a bit samey after a while, and a few more enemy types would have been appreciated, but the escalating difficulty and variety of rooms and secrets makes it hard to get bored. The map tracking of collectibles makes it hard to resist going back to explore and clean up an area, and even after beating the game there can easily be a few sections left half-done. It’s a huge amount of fun to get Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy together in a single large platforming adventure, and Illusion Island doesn’t waste the opportunity to play with its cast of beloved characters.

Disney Illusion Island is a fun, all-ages romp through a Disneyfied fantasy world. It doesn't do anything outside of what is expected, but what it does, it does well. The platforming is easy to pick up and fun to master, and there's a sense of progression and advancement to the game that helps keep it feeling like a true Metroidvania. It's a cute, charming and enjoyable adventure, and sometimes, that is all a game needs to be.

We've had a great time playing Disney Illusion Island in multiplayer as a family, and I can't help but think that's the only "right" way to play it. It would be nice if there was a bit more voice acting, since the gameplay is simple enough that even kids who can't quite read yet are able to pick it up and play mostly effortlessly, but even considering these few flaws it's still one of the best family games of 2023. It's a well-made adventure that, despite the many assistance features and lack of combat, still manages to be entertaining and enjoyable to players of varying ages. While it probably won't be everyone's favorite Metroidvania of all time, it's absolutely worth playing if you have kids.

Disney Illusion Island is a sleek platformer aided by loveable characters, and a pristine animated world.

Disney Illusion Island plays things very safe at times, but sometimes that’s okay, and it’s worth celebrating nonetheless.

Disney Illusion Island can best be compared to the average Disneyland ride. It's short, doesn't outstay its welcome, and shouldn't be experienced alone.

Disney Illusion Island is a love letter to Mickey Mouse, offering a beautifully animated experience with great humor and a challenge level that's welcoming to experienced players and newcomers alike.

Disney Illusion Island is a delightful adventure that had me grinning from start to finish. It’s a colourful romp brimming with personality and charm that will warm the heart of anyone who had even somewhat of an affinity for the House of Mouse as a child. With fun platforming, gorgeous animation and a fantastic soundtrack, it is easy to recommend at its budget price despite its relatively brief length.

It never fully challenged me personally and isn’t an overly long experience, but with a few friends or Disney diehards, Disney Illusion Island is a worthy adventure and one of the better licensed titles to venture out from the Magic Kingdom of late.

Disney Illusion Island is an entertaining platformer with metroidvania vibes that will entertain both children and adults with its cooperative mode for four players. Visually it's a joy, almost like an animated TV series, but unfortunately it is very easy and short, and despite its abundant collectibles, it is not particularly replayable.

Disney Illusion Island is a good family entertainment title, with the addition of up to four player co-op making the experience even more immersive. On the other hand, the basic repetitiveness is very evident in the first part of the adventure, except to recover in the second part, at the end of the entire journey. The playful flatness of the four characters, net of the pleasant visual differentiations, weakens the inventiveness of a smooth and pleasant gameplay. With a little forethought and added depth, Disney Illusion Island could have been so much more magical.

Disney Illusion Island is an entertaining game, whether you play alone or with up to four friends. The platforming action is smooth and flawless from the start and you don't even miss defeating enemies. The only cons here are the small screen of the Switch and the little flaws in the co-op mode.

Given how nice the game looks and how well it’s put-together, there’s a very solid argument to be made that Disney Illusion Island is the perfect way to get kids of all ages hooked on this genre. It may be a well-worn genre, and Disney Illusion Island won’t win any awards for originality, but on the whole, this is a pretty polished game.

Disney Illusion Island brings several interesting ideas, a beautifully crafted and designed world, but the gameplay starts to feel a bit shallow over time, so it doesn't quite reach its potential. However, it won't be a complete waste of time, especially if you play it with kids.

Disney Illusion Island is a competent metroidvania with tons of collectibles for family and kids to look for.