The Disney Afternoon Collection
- April 18, 2017
- Digital Eclipse
- 15h median play time
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
The Disney Afternoon Collection is a compilation of 6 classic Capcom games from the 1990s: Darkwing Duck, DuckTales, DuckTales 2, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers 2, and TaleSpin. These games, based on popular Disney TV shows, feature retro platforming gameplay and charming pixel art. The collection also includes new features such as Boss Rush mode, time attack, and rewind.
Reviews
- Great nostalgia trip with six classic Disney NES games, including DuckTales and Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers.
- The rewind feature and additional game modes like Boss Rush and Time Attack enhance the gameplay experience.
- Well-designed presentation with extras like music and art galleries, making it a comprehensive collection.
- Some games, like TaleSpin, are considered weaker and frustrating compared to the others.
- Lack of audio options and controller support issues can detract from the experience.
- The price may feel high for some, especially if not on sale, given the games' age and simplicity.
- music45 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the collection, particularly the iconic "The Moon" theme from DuckTales, is widely praised as one of the best video game soundtracks, showcasing high-quality compositions that enhance the gaming experience. While the inclusion of a music player and galleries for additional content is appreciated, some users express frustration over the lack of volume control options. Overall, the soundtrack is celebrated for its nostalgic value and contribution to the enjoyment of the classic games.
“Ducktales is a classic NES platformer with an emphasis on exploration, and it holds up rather well, especially its music.”
“Ducktales 1 has, of course, 'The Moon', one of the most complex 8-bit era compositions in music, but the rest of the music is great as well.”
“The mix of action, exploration, fantastic graphics, the perfect level of challenge, and high-quality music makes Ducktales a must-play.”
“The start game menu nearly broke my ears because there is no option to lower the volume or disable the music. This is unacceptable in 2020, especially when you sell a collection of old ROMs at today's game prices. Please add an option to disable music and lower audio in the menu.”
“The graphics were great, but the music ranged from well-done to annoying circus music - I think it might be the most audibly annoying game in the collection.”
“No way to adjust music/sound volume and the controller has input lag.”
- gameplay41 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay across the collection of classic Disney games is generally enjoyable, featuring unique mechanics such as box tossing in "Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers" and a pogo stick mechanic in "DuckTales." While the rewind feature enhances accessibility for new players, some reviewers found certain bosses simplistic and gameplay occasionally tedious. Overall, the games maintain a nostalgic charm with polished mechanics, though they may feel dated to some players.
“The gameplay for each game is enjoyable, each game having its own unique way to play. The graphics for the games are very good and well detailed for games that came out in the 80s and 90s.”
“The games themselves are excellent and withstand the test of time with their gameplay quality, flow & feel, and overall presentation.”
“As for the games, they're all masterfully polished gameplay experiences that harness the spirit of their respective source material from start to finish.”
“The bosses are for the most part way too simplistic, and while the game has some crafty mechanics, it's much more forgettable than the original.”
“Gameplay is fairly simple and easy to understand; you can view instructions for playing in the game's menu, but in-game you're just thrown right into it.”
“However, this mechanic is more trouble than it's worth, and enemy fire is hard to avoid.”
- graphics31 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics in this collection of classic NES games are generally praised for their impressive detail and quality, especially considering their original release in the 80s and 90s. Players appreciate the options for visual settings, such as aspect ratios and scanline filters, which enhance the retro experience while maintaining a modern feel. However, some reviews note that while the graphics are serviceable, they may not fully impress all players, with a few describing the overall visual experience as "meh."
“The gameplay for each game is enjoyable, each game having its own unique way to play. The graphics for the games are very good and very well detailed for games that came out in the 80s and 90s.”
“Beautiful graphics (squeezing every last drop from old NES), wonderful music, great levels, fun boss fights, and co-op.”
“This game was a graphical powerhouse when it was first released, and it's the earliest game I remember people buying because of its amazing graphics.”
“Even the graphics don't impress me like I thought they would; the overall experience is just 'meh'.”
“The graphics are serviceable.”
“All the quirks and limitations of the NES console are present in these emulations, including graphical flickering when there are too many sprites on the screen, sound effects cutting out due to limited sound channels, and slowdown. It's a very authentic experience.”
- stability6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is mixed, with some players experiencing glitches and slowdowns reminiscent of the original NES releases, while others report a smooth experience with no noticeable input lag. Overall, technical issues have led some users to refund the game, citing frequent glitches during gameplay.
“Runs great, classic versions (not a remake of DuckTales).”
“Yes, even the glitches, slowdowns, and flickers ring true to the NES console releases.”
“Also, while playing DuckTales 1, I encountered several glitches in less than 10 minutes.”
“I refunded it after roughly half an hour of playing it, however, because of several technical glitches, some of which I later realized were present in the original NES release.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The optimization of the games varies significantly; while some titles offer excellent performance with modern system enhancements and features like pixel smoothing and rewind options, others suffer from severe issues, including DRM that hampers performance and even risks damaging hardware like Steam Decks. Overall, the experience can be inconsistent, with some games running well and others, like DuckTales 1, exhibiting poor performance.
“Each game has been optimized to run on modern systems, offering several ratio and pixel smoothing options. It includes extra features like boss rush and time attack modes, as well as the ability to rewind the game on the fly for easy practice.”
“A great emulator pack: nice customization, optimization, and new features of some great NES games that are less famous than the popular titles. It's worth a try for history's sake at least.”
“Fine performance.”
“DRM that not only blocks mods, but also ruins performance and has allegedly even bricked Steam Decks.”
“However, DuckTales 1 has really poor performance; I did not test the other games.”
“Each game has been optimized to run on modern systems, given several ratio and pixel smoothing options, and includes a few extra features like boss rush and time attack modes, as well as the ability to rewind the game on the fly for easy practice.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game offers exceptional replayability through various extras like a boss rush and time attack modes, which enhance the overall experience and encourage players to complete achievements. While most games in the set provide high replay value, Talespin may initially feel less engaging but improves significantly after a few levels and upgrades.
“On top of that, this set adds a worthwhile time attack and boss rush system that brings plenty of extra replayability to the table.”
“Besides the games, there's a bevy of extras here that will provide a lot of replayability, such as a boss rush and time attack for each game, which must be completed for the achievements.”
“Both games are not to be missed and offer some of the highest replay value around, which few games can match.”
- story4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally seen as enjoyable and reminiscent of the cartoon series, though some players find it lacking depth and memorable content, describing it as filler material. Overall, while the narrative complements the gameplay, it does not leave a lasting impression for all players.
“The platforming was nice and the story was enjoyable; it felt like a plot from the cartoon show.”
“All of the games offer a story surrounding gameplay, but I found them to be filler material at best.”
“I can't remember what the story was about in Darkwing Duck; it's that uninteresting.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy is criticized as a nostalgic cash grab, offering not only the games but also additional content like soundtracks and a curated gallery of promotional materials, which some users feel exploits their childhood memories.
“It's a pure childhood cash grab and I fell for it.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, reflecting on nostalgic memories from their past experiences. While some feel a sense of regret for the emotional investment, the joy of revisiting the game after many years outweighs any negative feelings. There is also a desire for enhanced features, such as online co-op, to further enrich the experience.
“An emotional experience that I regret a bit, or not?”
“Oh my God, another miracle! I can't believe that after 16 years, I am touching this game again on PC. It's full of memories, and I just wish the Chip and Dale titles could feature online co-op!”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, despite the interesting gameplay mechanic of moving backwards.
“Unfortunately, the interesting gameplay idea of being able to go backwards doesn't save it from being incredibly tedious, frustrating, and annoying.”
“The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I found myself spending hours on mindless tasks that offered little reward, which made the experience feel like a chore.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a polished "arcade" atmosphere with no visual bugs, proper resolution scaling, and v-sync. It offers an engaging game selection that allows players to quickly access boss rush or time attack modes, as well as a local competitive two-player option for added excitement.
“The game has no apparent visual bugs and scales properly by resolution, with proper v-sync. The games themselves are presented in a very nice 'arcade' atmosphere, featuring a game select that lets you instantly dive into a boss rush or time attack mode if you wish. It even allows for a two-player local competitive mode on those challenges.”
“The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into the world with its stunning visuals and captivating sound design.”
“Every element of the game contributes to a unique atmosphere that keeps you engaged and wanting to explore more.”
Critic Reviews
Six games : The Disney Afternoon Collection review
The Disney Afternoon Collection combines several of the great NES games into a single collection, featuring Duck Tales, Chip & Dale, Darkwing Duck, and Tail Spin. All of these games have their own nostalgic charm, and are presented in this collection with style, a hugely functional and awesome rewind button, and enough good extras to make any Disney TV fan go wild.
90%The Disney Afternoon Collection Review - PS4
While these aren't entirely among the finest of platformers from the 8-bit era, the Disney Afternoon Collection does make some enjoyable retro titles more accessible for newcomers, whilst offering old hands so e fresh challenges.
70%The Disney Afternoon Collection Review - Let's Get Dangerous
This flashback collection hits right in the nostalgia, with good reason. The games have stood the test of time and come out victorious, with a few minor hiccups along the way. Capcom includes a great set of extras including Time Attack and Boss mode and music and art galleries for the enthusiast.
90%