Mickey's Ultimate Challenge

From Sega Retro

n/a

  • Mega Drive
  • Game Gear
  • Master System

MUC Title.png

MickeysUltimateChallenge GG Title.png

MickeysUltimateChallenge SMS Title.png

Mickey's Ultimate Challenge
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Game Gear, Sega Master System
Publisher:
Sega Mega Drive
Sega Game Gear
Hi-Tech Expressions
Sega Master System
Tec Toy
Developer:
Supporting companies:
Licensor: The Walt Disney Company
Sound driver:
Sega Mega Drive
GEMS
Genre: Puzzle

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
US
T-112046
Videogame Rating Council: GA
Sega Mega Drive
US
(Sega Channel)
SUBsub
Sega Game Gear
US
T-112028
Videogame Rating Council: GA
Sega Master System
BR
028700
Tectoy: Todas as Idades
ExpandNon-Sega versions

Mickey's Ultimate Challenge is a video game starring Disney's Mickey Mouse that was published by Hi-Tech Expressions for the Sega Mega Drive and Sega Game Gear exclusively in North America in 1994. The game was developed by WayForward Technologies under supervision from Designer Software. It was also brought to the Sega Master System, though this version is a port of the Game Gear version that was released exclusively in Brazil by Tec Toy.

Story

While lying in bed reading a book of fairy tales, Mickey fantasizes about living in a magical castle in a far-away land. Mickey falls asleep and awakens in a medieval land called Beanwick. He learns that there is a strange rumbling over the castle that no one can explain and volunteers to investigate.

Gameplay

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Castle of Beanwick

Mickey's Ultimate Challenge is a puzzle game primarily aimed at younger children. It can be played as Mickey or Minnie, who find themselves in the Kingdom of Beanwick investigating a peculiar rumbling. They must complete five simple mini-games to collect objects from other Disney characters. Both characters play identically and face the same challenges. Mini-games are accessed by entering rooms in the Castle of Beanwick, a hub level where Mickey and Minnie start the game and where they return after completing a game. The hub level contains two sections; the section containing Goofy's challenge and the Wishing Well is only accessible after lowering the drawbridge in Hewey, Dewey, and Louie's challenge.

Once all of the objects have been acquired, Mickey and Minnie must give each object back to a different character who can make use of it, receiving magic beans in exchange. These magic beans can be placed into the Wishing Well to grow a giant beanstalk that leads to the final mini-game.

Mickey or Minnie move with Left or Right and duck with Down. They enter doorways by pressing Up when standing in front of them. In the Mega Drive version, they do a low jump with B or a high jump with C. In the Game Gear and Master System versions, they do a low jump with 1 or a high jump with 2.

There are three difficulty levels (Cake, Medium, and Challenging in the Mega Drive version or Cake, Medium, and Hard in the Game Gear and Master System versions). If a challenge is failed, it can be attempted again an unlimited number of times.

Challenges

Mickey's Ultimate Challenge, Stages, Library.png

Horace's Library
Books are floating up and down in the library, but the librarian, Horace Horsecollar, is having trouble sorting them since he cannot find his spectacles. Some of the books have letters on the cover, and Mickey or Minnie must sort them by jumping on the books in alphabetical order. Books act as platforms. Only a portion of the alphabet must be sorted; the game starts on a particular letter (shown on the bottom of the screen), and Mickey or Minnie must jump on a book with the next letter of the alphabet on its cover when it appears. There is no penalty for jumping on a book with the wrong letter on its cover. When playing on the highest difficulty, Mickey or Minnie must instead jump on books to spell a mystery word. After completing the challenge, Mickey or Minnie receives a
Mickey's Ultimate Challenge MD, Items.png
book of spells from Horace.

Mickey's Ultimate Challenge, Stages, Tower.png

Donald's Wizard Tower
Mickey or Minnie is accidentally shrunk to a tiny size by a wizard, Donald Duck, and placed on a chess-like game board. To help Donald mix an enlarging potion, Mickey or Minnie must push the potion bottles on the board into a magic mirror on the board, maneuvering them around immovable blocks in a manner resembling Soukoban. There are multiple boards to play, depending on the difficulty level. Mickey or Minnie can move in any direction using the D-Pad, and potion bottles can be pushed by moving into them. Since the potions can be pushed but not pulled, it is possible to position the bottles in such a way that the puzzle can no longer be solved, but the board can be reset by pressing A in the Mega Drive version or 1 in the Game Gear and Master System versions. After completing the challenge, Mickey or Minnie is restored to normal size and receives a
Mickey's Ultimate Challenge MD, Items.png
pair of spectacles from Donald.

Mickey's Ultimate Challenge, Stages, Gallery.png

Daisy's Art Gallery
The princess, Daisy Duck, wants to dust all of the portraits in her art gallery but cannot do so without her special slippers. Mickey or Minnie must use a sliding ladder and a feather duster to dust off the portraits hanging on the castle walls in matching pairs before the lights in the castle dim to darkness. It is essentially a timed matching card game. The portraits are all obscured by dust. Mickey or Minnie picks two portraits in a row, which are dusted off and revealed. If both portraits match, they remain dusted off; otherwise, they are covered in dust again. The challenge is completed when all of the pairs are matched and the entire gallery is unobscured. Mickey or Minnie can move to a portrait using the D-Pad and dust it off by pressing C in the Mega Drive version or 2 in the Game Gear and Master System versions. There are more pictures in higher difficulty levels (and more time is given to complete the challenge). After completing the challenge, Mickey or Minnie receives a
Mickey's Ultimate Challenge MD, Items.png
gold bar from Daisy.

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Hewey, Dewey, and Louie's Drawbridge
Hewey, Dewey, and Louie are trying to close the drawbridge, but the machine is stuck. Mickey or Minnie must help unstick the machine by jumping on the pumps in the right order. Several pipes light up and make different noises in a randomized pattern. The player must listen and remember the pattern, then repeat the pattern by jumping on the pumps in the same order. The pipes play a single melody, adding a note after every time Mickey or Minnie successfully completes the previous pattern. The length of the melody increases in higher difficulty levels. After completing the challenge, Mickey or Minnie receives a
Mickey's Ultimate Challenge MD, Items.png
glass slipper from Huey, Dewey, and Louie.

Mickey's Ultimate Challenge, Stages, Blacksmith.png

Goofy's Blacksmith Shop
The blacksmith, Goofy, is bored because he has no metal to work, so he challenges Mickey or Minnie to guess what tools are in his toolbox. Mickey or Minnie has seven attempts to successfully guess the tools and their order inside Goofy's toolbox. It is a guessing game similar to MegaMind. There are four different positions, and the player can move the selection between the different positions with Left or Right and cycle between the possible tools for each position with Up or Down. The player can "hammer" the tool into place to lock in the guess by pressing C in the Mega Drive version or 2 in the Game Gear and Master System versions. The same tool can appear multiple times. After each guess, a clue appears showing a red symbol for each guess with the right tool but the wrong position and a green symbol for each guess with the right tool and the right position (but not showing which tools were guessed correctly, which the player is meant to deduce from multiple attempts). When playing on the lowest difficulty, right tools in the right position are highlighted in green. The player can guess again after each attempt until the puzzle is solved or until all seven attempts have been exhausted. There are multiple puzzles, with more tools introduced in each to add to the complexity. After completing the challenge, Mickey or Minnie receives a
Mickey's Ultimate Challenge MD, Items.png
hammer from Goofy.

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Collecting the Magic Beans
The segue of the game. The items that Mickey or Minnie collected were of no importance to their previous owners but would be useful to others in Beanswick. Mickey or Minnie must go back to every character and choose the item that best suits them to give to them:
  • The
    Mickey's Ultimate Challenge MD, Items.png
    pair of spectacles for Horace.
  • The
    Mickey's Ultimate Challenge MD, Items.png
    book of spells for Donald.
  • The
    Mickey's Ultimate Challenge MD, Items.png
    glass slipper for Daisy.
  • The
    Mickey's Ultimate Challenge MD, Items.png
    hammer for Hewey, Dewey, and Louie.
  • The
    Mickey's Ultimate Challenge MD, Items.png
    gold bar for Goofy.
Mickey or Minnie receives a
Mickey's Ultimate Challenge MD, Items.png
magic bean in return for each item. After returning the items to their new owners, Mickey or Minnie must visit the well. The annoying rumbling occurs again, and Mickey or Minnie throws the beans near the well. Suddenly, a giant beanstalk grows straight up into the clouds. Mickey or Minnie can climb the beanstalk into the clouds for the final challenge.

Mickey's Ultimate Challenge, Stages, Clouds.png

Solving the Mystery
Mickey or Minnie encounters a giant up in the clouds. The giant is sound asleep and snoring, and his massive snoring is the cause of all the trouble in Beanswick. There is a scrambled picture of an alarm clock standing next to the giant. Mickey or Minnie must unscramble the picture by sliding the pieces. Moving the D-Pad slides a piece into the blank spot. After the picture is reassembled, the alarm clock rings and wakes the giant, and the troubles in Beanswick are solved.

Production credits

Mega Drive version

  • Designer Software Producer: Bill Bogenreif
  • Hi Tech Expressions Producer: Seth W. Rosenfeld
  • Disney Producer: Sam Palahnuk
  • License Manager: Sue Fuller
  • Programming by: Jimmy Huey
  • Music and Sound by: Jeff Avella, Voldi Way, Ken Bailey
  • Character Animations: Rob Buchanan
  • Backgrounds: Matt Bozon
  • Special Thanks: Steve Yaeger, Gregg Tavares
  • ...and a special thanks to the guys at Echidna for tUME, the Universal Map Editor.
Source:
In-game credits
Mickey's Ultimate Challenge MD credits.pdf
[2]

Game Gear version

  • Designer Software Producer: Bill Bogenreif
  • Hi Tech Expressions Producer: Seth W. Rosenfeld
  • Disney Producer: Nancy Berman
  • License Manager: Sue Fuller
  • Programming by: Brian Maxson, Dave Yann, Yoldi Way, Ken Bailey, Rick Richard, Rick Moghadam
  • Music and Sound by: Jeff Avella, Dave Yann
  • Character Animations: Rob Buchanan
  • Backgrounds: Matt Bozon
  • Special Thanks: Gregg Tavares, Kelli Norden, Erin Bell, Paul Einbund, Ethan Hurd, Kevin Bailey, Troy Bargatze, Mark Bozon, Matt & Carolyn
  • ...and a special thanks to the guys at Echidna for tUME, the Universal Map Editor.
Source:
In-game credits
Mickey's Ultimate Challenge GG credits.pdf
[3]

Magazine articles

Main article: Mickey's Ultimate Challenge/Magazine articles.

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

ExpandSega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
ExpandSega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
63
[4]
Mega (UK) NTSC-U
69
[5]
MegaTech (UK) NTSC-U
57
[6]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) NTSC-U
72
[7]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC-U
57
[8]
Sega Zone (UK) NTSC-U
71
[9]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
40
[10]
Sega Mega Drive
61
Based on
7 reviews

Mickey's Ultimate Challenge

Mega Drive, US
MickysUltimateChallenge MD US cover.jpg
Cover
MickysUltimateChallenge MD US Cart.jpg
Cart

Game Gear version

ExpandSega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
ExpandSega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US) NTSC-U
83
[11]
Sega Game Gear
83
Based on
1 review

Mickey's Ultimate Challenge

Game Gear, US
MUC GG US Box Front.jpg
Cover
MickeysUltimateChallenge GG US Cart.jpg
Cart
Mickey's Ultimate Challenge GG US Manual.pdf
Manual

Master System version

Master System, BR
MUC SMS BR Box.jpg
Cover
Mickeysuc sms br manual.pdf
Manual
Master System, BR (INMETRO sticker)
MUC SMS BR Box Alt.jpg
Cover

Technical information

Main article: Mickey's Ultimate Challenge/Technical information.

References


CollapseMickey's Ultimate Challenge

MUC Title.png

Main page | Comparisons | Magazine articles | Reception | Region coding | Technical information | Bootlegs


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CollapseMouse Ears sprite Disney games for Sega systems/Published by Sega
Sega Mega Drive
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (1990) | QuackShot Starring Donald Duck (1991) | World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck (1992) | Goofy's Hysterical History Tour (1993) | The Great Circus Mystery Starring Mickey & Minnie (1994) | Mickey's Ultimate Challenge (1994) | Mickey Mania (1994) | Donald in Maui Mallard (1995) | The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse (unreleased) | Mickey Mania 2 (unreleased) | Mickey Mouse: Private Eye (unreleased)
Sega Master System
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (1990) | The Lucky Dime Caper Starring Donald Duck (1991) | Land of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (1992) | Deep Duck Trouble Starring Donald Duck (1993) | Legend of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (1997) | Mickey's Ultimate Challenge (1998)
Sega Game Gear
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (1991) | The Lucky Dime Caper Starring Donald Duck (1991) | Land of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (1993) | Deep Duck Trouble Starring Donald Duck (1993) | Mickey's Ultimate Challenge (1994) | Legend of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (1995)
Sega Pico
Mickey no Yukai na Bouken (1993) | Donald no Obake Taiji (1993) | Mickey's Blast into the Past (1994) | Donald no TV Show (1995) | Mickey to Ooki na Furudokei (1996) | Mickey no Tokyo Disneyland Stamp Rally (1996) | Tokyo Disneyland Toon Town Mickey no Boku wa Untenshu (1997) | Mickey to Utau Tori no Shima Minnie o Sagashite Waku Waku Daibouken! (1998) | Mickey no Boku wa Meitantei (2000) | Fishing Pico: Donald no Adventure Fishing (2000) | Tokyo DisneySea Mickey to Asobou! (2002)
Sega Saturn
Sega Ages I Love Mickey Mouse: Fushigi no Oshiro Daibouken/I Love Donald Duck: Gurujia Ou no Hihou (1998) | Maui Mallard and the Lost City Of Dread (unreleased)
Sega Dreamcast
Disney's Donald Duck Quack Attack (2000)
Xbox 360
Sony PlayStation 3
Windows PC
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (2013)