On February 21, 2024, Disney and THQ Nordic surprised viewers with the announcement of Epic Mickey: Rebrushed during the Nintendo Partner Direct. The faithful remake to the 2010 Wii-exclusive Disney title is being developed by Purple Lamp, the studio behind SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle For Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated and SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake.
Epic Mickey: Rebrushed will be a throwback for fans who played the original in the last decade and an introduction to the series for new fans, complete with updated graphics woven and a new set of skills for both groups to try in their quest to become an epic hero. Here’s everything we know about Epic Mickey: Rebrushed.
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Epic Mickey: Rebrushed Release Window
Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is slated to release later this year. Disney will give an exact release date at a later date.
While we don’t have an exact release window for the remaster, the release dates for the original Epic Mickey and its sequel could give us a clue as to when it could be released. Epic Mickey came out exclusively on the Wii on November 25, 2010, while Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two released on the Wii, WiiU, PS3, and Xbox 360 on November 18, 2012. Going by that release pattern, it’s safe to put the release window for Epic Mickey: Rebrushed for Fall 2024. That means it could come out either in October or November.
The game won’t be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch as its announcement in the latest Nintendo Direct implies. It’s also being developed for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam. Though it will join the ranks of the best Disney Switch games worth playing.
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Story Details
Epic Mickey: Rebrushed follows the same storyline as the original game. Mickey Mouse is lured to Yen Sid’s workshop through a mirror and sees Yen Sid creating a world for forgotten Disney characters using a magic paintbrush. Mickey approaches the sorcerer’s project and attempts to paint his own self-portrait, only to accidentally create the monstrous Shadow Blot in the process. He tries to clean up the mess with a sponge and thinner, but he had to run back to his world before Yen Sid could catch him, leaving the world a wasteland, hence its name.
Several decades and animated accolades later, the Shadow Blot, who survived Mickey’s attempts to erase him, abducts the mouse and takes him through the portal to Wasteland. There, he meets Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, whose mind was twisted from years of hiding and his jealousy of Mickey’s fame, and they work together to defeat the Shadow Blot and restore Wasteland to its former glory.
Gameplay
Just like the original game, Epic Mickey: Rebrushed will have you wielding magic paintbrush filled with paint and thinner. Both fluids can be used to draw things out and befriend enemies, or erase objects and enemies from existence. Thinner can also be used to erase obstacles or reveal hidden items, and paint can be used to restore certain objects. Power-up items than can replenish both fluids can be found in different areas.
The paint and thinner are tied to a morality system, as the gauge of either fluid will increase depending on your choices. For example, if you use paint to deal with enemies and boss fights, you would get more paint. The reverse is true if you fight with thinner more often.
Changes From the Original Game
Epic Mickey: Rebrushed will feature various changes from the original game, but the biggest difference is the graphics. Whereas the lighting in the original Epic Mickey is exceptionally bright, the remake dims the lighting with prominent shading to better match the tone of the game’s story and environment. That’s because it’ll be running on Unreal Engine, which will also smooth out the graphics and increase the frame rate.
The remake will also add new abilities to Mickey’s artist’s toolkit. These include dash, ground pound, and sprinting.
Cristina Alexander is a freelance writer for IGN. She has contributed her work to various publications, including Digital Trends, TheGamer, Twinfinite, Mega Visions, and The Escapist. To paraphrase Calvin Harris, she wears her love for Sonic the Hedgehog on her sleeve like a big deal. Follow her on Twitter @SonicPrincess15.