The Great Circus Mystery Starring Mickey and Minnie

Overview

The Great Circus Mystery Starring Mickey & Minnie (released in Japan as Mickey to Minnie: Magical Adventure 2 - The Great Circus Mystery, the former sub-title translating to "Mickey and Minnie") is a side-scrolling platformer developed and published by Capcom for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis in late 1994.

The sequel to Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse, Great Circus Mystery follows Disney mascots Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse as their fun-filled day at the circus is ruined. While looking for their friend Donald Duck and dog Pluto, they learn from the Lonesome Ghosts that the Evil Baron Pete and his weasel henchmen are causing chaos throughout the land, and must set out to stop them.

Gameplay

As with the previous game, players in The Great Circus Mystery can utilize special magical costumes that grant them special abilities. It is the first game in the series to feature two-player co-operative gameplay (with one player as Mickey and the other as Minnie).

Standard controls are simple with the D-pad used to move Mickey and Minnie, the Y button is used to pick up and throw items and the B button is used to jump. However, Mickey and Minnie are not able to pick up items when they are wearing costumes. Instead, they will use their costume's special powers.

The game was later ported to the Game Boy Advance in 2003 as Disney's Magical Quest 2 Starring Mickey and Minnie (which was released in Japan as Disney's Mickey to Minnie no Magical Quest 2, loosely translated to "Disney's Magical Quest 2 of Mickey and Minnie"). Multiplayer connectivity is supported with the system's link cable.

Costumes

• Cleaner: A vacuum cleaner and janitor's uniform are equipped, allowing Mickey and Minnie to such up objects and small enemies, and turn them into coins.
• Safari: Mickey and Minnie don safari khakis and pith helmets for this costume. They are also granted climbing hooks, which allow them to scale sheer surfaces and slide along ziplines.
• Cowboy: A ten-gallon hat, popgun and a wooden horse are used to make this costume. With this worn, Mickey and Minnie are able to jump higher than normal and shoot corks from their popguns.

Items

• Gold Blocks: The standard blocks with Mickey's silhouette on them. He and Minnie are able to grab and throw these at enemies.
• Red Blocks: When these blocks are grabbed, a new one is magically replenished.
• Grey Blocks: Unmovable blocks that are used mainly as platforms.
• Arrow Blocks: Blocks that move in the direction that their arrows point when jumped on.
• Round Blocks: Unmovable blocks that are used to swing from when the safari costume is worn
• Golden Balls: Round balls with stars on them, which bounce when thrown.
• Silver Coins: Used as currency in the general shops.
• Gold Coins: Used as currency in the general shops. Worth five silver coins.
• Giant Gold Blocks: Large golden blocks that have either Mickey or Minnie's faces engraved on them. They are opened by pulling their chains, by hitting them with other blocks, or by using the cowboy costume's popgun. They often hold large quantities of treasure.
• Small Heart: A red heart that will restore one life point to the player.
• Big Heart: A deep red heart that will restore Mickey and Minnie to full health and grant them an extra heart container.
• Mickey/Minnie Doll: Grants an extra life.
• Battery Pack: A large battery that is used to fuel the cleaner costume's vacuum cleaner.
• Popguns: A simple toy gun that is used as ammo for the cowboy costume's popgun.
• Apples: Collectible fruit worth 200 points
• Green Grapes: Collectible fruit worth 500 points

Stages

• Stage 1 - The Haunted Circus: Mickey and Minnie's day at the circus is ruined by the arrival of Pete's minions. After fighting through the midway, and finding Donald, he grants the mice the cleaner outfit to do battle with the many enemies. The level then goes to the big top, and then to the backstage area.
• Stage 2 - The Jungle: After escaping the circus, Mickey and Minnie meet with the Lonesome Ghosts, who inform them that Pluto has run to their house at the other end of the jungle. Eager to collect Pluto, the ghosts offer Mickey and Minnie safari outfits to help them get through the jungle more easily.
• Stage 3 - The Haunted House: Upon arriving at the Lonesome Ghosts' house, Pluto greets Mickey and Minnie at the door. They are then informed that Pete's henchmen have moved in and are destroying their home. Unable to wear the cowboy costumes themselves, the ghosts offer them to the mice, who fight their way through the mansions halls, stairways, library and finally to the top of the tower.
• Stage 4 - The Caves: Deep underground, a new battle awaits Mickey and Minnie as they fight their way out of the caverns. Racing against rising water levels and falling crystals, the caves prove to be a treacherous obstacle in the quest to reach Pete's castle.
• Stage 5 - The Frozen Plains: This icy area boasts many hazards, including a fluctuating water level, spike traps and bottomless pits. They must reach the frozen temple at the end to reach the next step to get to Pete's castle.
• Stage 6 - The Baron's Castle: The final level. Here, almost every one of Pete's minions lies in wait. The way through the castle is made even more tricky by the presence of innumerable traps, which have been laid for the intruding mice. Will Mickey and Minnie be able to reach Baron Pete, defeat him and end their magical quest?

Bosses

• Juggler Weasel: The first boss who is fought. He is a weasel dressed as a clown who fights by throwing lit torches at Mickey and Minnie, then charges forth. He is only vulnerable to attack when he throws his torches.
• Ringmaster Lion: The ringmaster of the circus level. he attacks by jumping high and crashing down, as well as throwing his mane at Mickey and Minnie. When he is standing still, Mickey and Minnie can use the cleaner costume to vacuum off his mane and prevent him from attacking that way. Occasionally, he will sneeze and blow his mane in all directions.
• The Turtle: A hunchbacked, blue-shelled turtle who fights Mickey and Minnie in the jungle. His main method of attack is to splash the mice with water, and jump at them. He is only vulnerable when he leaves his shell.
• The Gorilla: King of the apes, who attacks mainly from the treetops. Drops down to crush the mice, rolls at high speeds across the screens and shakes the trees to drop coconuts. His attacks are easiest to dodge when the safari costume is worn.
• Pete's Portrait: As mean as the real thing. This haunted painting attacks by bringing books to life and leaning out of his own frame to blow fire at Mickey and Minnie. He is only vulnerable when he is out of his frame.
• The Boss Ghost: Boss of the other ghosts in the haunted house. Attacks by teleporting around the room and hurling smaller ghosts at Mickey and Minnie. There are no other items that can be used to attack it, so it can be easily defeated with a few shots of the cowboy costume's popgun.
• Jackhammer Weasel: A weasel with a jackhammer and a hardhat, who is fought in the caves. He jumps rapidly across the screen, destroying the ground that he and the mice fight on. Occasionally, he will hammer the wall and drop rocks from the ceiling, which will restore the broken ground. His hardhat prevents him from being jumped on, so he must be shot with the cowboy costume's popgun.
• The Dinosaur: If extinction couldn't beat this thing, surely two little mice can't. The dinosaur is awoken by Mickey and Minnie walking across its back, and it is not happy. It attacks by swinging its spiked tail, snorting its noxious breath and bringing its own spines to life. It is vulnerable to any attack, but only when it cranes its head into view.
• Arctic Weasel: This weasel takes cover in a mobile ice floe, which is outfitted with spikes on the exterior. On occasion, the water level in his arena will rise and fall, making him more difficult to hit. He is only vulnerable when he climbs out of the top of his floe and throws two icicles at Mickey and Minnie.
• Snowstorm: A living storm cloud that shoots out bouncing bolts of lightning and snowflakes that will freeze the mice. It is completely intangible and invulnerable to almost any attack. The only way that Mickey and Minnie are able to defeat it is by using their cleaner costumes to suck up the cloud. The more it is hit the smaller it becomes. However, if left alone long enough it will start to regrow.
• Baron Pete: The final boss. Fought in his lab, Pete attacks with evil magic spells that can shoot fire, electricity and summon minions. At first, he is invulnerable, until his helmet is broken by several shots from the cowboy costume's popgun. After taking enough damage, it seems that he has been defeated. Until it is revealed that he was simply casting another spell to begin the second phase of the fight. Can he be defeated in his monstrous form?