One of the most poorly received Mickey Mouse platformers, Fantasia (1991) for the Sega Mega Drive, has just received a fan upgrade in the form of two new improvement patches. These patches, developed by fans Tryphon and Razor, aim to address many of the issues that plagued the original game, which was criticized for its poor design, awkward controls, and frustrating gameplay.
Fantasia, based on Disney’s 1940 musical film of the same name, was notorious for its negative reception upon release. It was widely panned by critics, with some publications giving it extremely low scores (such as Mega magazine’s 11%) due to its “naff sound” and poor level design. There were even reports that Disney may have licensed the game by mistake and later requested Sega to pull unsold copies from stores.
The new fan patches make several significant improvements:
- Hitbox adjustments, making it easier for players to attack and defend.
- Removal of certain animations that slowed down gameplay, such as jump preparation and reception animations.
- Improved swimming physics, addressing one of the more frustrating aspects of the original game.
- Enhancements to Mickey’s magic system, making it more intuitive and responsive.
Additionally, cheat codes have been implemented for players who want to further customize their experience. For example, pressing A+B+C+Start on the title screen grants invulnerability, while other combinations allow players to skip scenes or stages.
Currently, the patches do not appear to be available through ROM Hack Plaza. However, you can download them from the description of the videos featured on the Razor & Zenon Sonic Videos YouTube channel if you wish to test them for yourself.
