This week select Walt Disney World cast members began testing the upcoming “Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom” interactive game that’s being developed throughout the Magic Kingdom theme park. When the game debuts early next year, guests will “battle” villains via “Magic Portals” to stop them from taking over the park.
DisneyProjects.com has offered a first look at much of the gameplay as it was tested yesterday, including the items guests will receive when beginning the adventure.
The game is included in admission to the Magic Kingdom and guests wanting to play will receive a paper map, Sorcerer card, as well as Magic Spell cards with characters on them.
(Click to enlarge. Photo by Disney Projects)
(Photo by Disney Projects)
The map reveals that five theme park lands are included in the game: Adventureland, Liberty Square, Frontierland, Fantasyland, and Main Street U.S.A. (No Tomorrowland!)
After beginning at a kiosk and a bit of “Sorcerer Training,” players are guided to a window (or “Magic Portal”) located on the map. From there, the Sorcerer card is used to trigger an interaction, with animated characters appearing in the window. The Magic Spell cards are used to complete the task and defeat the villain, after which players are told which window to advance to next. It’s not an open-ended adventure, but rather a carefully structured one that the game decides as it is played.
According to Disney Projects’ observations, many Magic Portal interactions are quite loud, featuring character dialogue, music and sound effects, all of which can be heard by those passing by. Those not interested in the game and simply wanting to enjoy the carefully crafted ambience of each of the Magic Kingdom’s themed lands may find themselves distracted by Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom.
But Disney is still play testing the experience and will likely tweak volumes as well as many of the other elements of the game before it rolls out to all park attendees in 2012.
Cast member testing is set to continue on a fairly regular basis throughout December, with the potential of guests being randomly pulled in for additional testing.
Head to DisneyProjects.com for more details in their full report.