Disney Magical World 2, much like the first game, has a variety of gameplay styles merged into one game loaded with Disney characters. There are action stages, there are rhythm-based dancing mini-games, there is a café you operate to earn money, and you’ll also do some fishing and farming (to acquire ingredients you’ll use in your café). You can even go swimming and surfing!
Worlds
Much like the first game, Disney Magical World 2 has several worlds, each themed around a Disney movie or franchise. The Alice in Wonderland and Winnie the Pooh areas from the first game have returned. Cinderella no longer has her own world, but her dancing stages have returned at the Magic Castle. The new worlds are based on Frozen, The Little Mermaid, Lilo & Stitch, and Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs.
That’s a lot of Disney princesses in bright, cheery worlds. Some male players (and some females as well) may not find as much to like about that selection. Of course, anyone can enjoy any Disney movie or game, but these worlds definitely lean a bit more to the girly side.
The game could have used some darker, less cheery worlds to balance things out a bit. The first game had an Aladdin world and also a Pirates of the Caribbean world (as DLC). The sequel doesn’t really have any equivalent. Some worlds based on Pirates, The Nightmare Before Christmas, or even The Lion King, would have broadened the appeal of the sequel.
What’s New
While the first game let you decorate the upstairs of your café any way you wanted, the sequel goes one step further by giving you your own house! Decorate it however you like!
Magical dreams are perhaps the most notable addition to the game. By collecting dream puzzle pieces, you can unlock new dreams. You literally go to your house, lie in bed, and dream. These dreams are neon-filled, psychedelic playgrounds, complete with Disney characters.
There are presents scattered around, each leading to a different activity. For example, you may ride on a flying bench with Minnie Mouse, race in a go-kart with Wreck-It Ralph, or get into a flying bathtub with Jack Skellington. Each dream can be fun the first time you experience it, but they get boring on repeat visits. They do allow you to score a bunch of “nice” points though, which can be used to purchase new recipes from the fortune teller.
Another addition is the ability to take screenshots at any time by pressing the L and R buttons at the same time. Just like in Animal Crossing: New Leaf! The screenshots are automatically saved to your memory card. It’s a very helpful feature, especially now that Miiverse is no longer around.
Café parties now include dances, where you (and café customers) can dance on-stage with Disney characters. Honestly, I didn’t care for the dancing much, but some people may enjoy it.
Gameplay variety
While the action quests, café management, farming, fishing, and ballroom dancing have all returned, there are new things to do as well. In particular, the Lilo & Stitch world (Hawaii) allows you to swim, surf, and even hula dance! You also swim in the Little Mermaid world, since you’ve basically been turned into a mermaid. And the Snow White world has some rhythm-based mini-games where you go mining with the dwarfs. There’s more variety this time around.
Problems
The game has one major flaw, that proved to be quite frustrating for me: Crashes. Quite often (usually when working in the café), the game would freeze and crash. I would have to start the game back up from the 3DS menu.
Because the game tends to save frequently, I generally didn’t lose much progress after a crash. But still, it’s quite infuriating when the game crashes over and over as it did for me at times. I’ve never had a game crash as much as Disney Magical World 2. I don’t know how Nintendo let this slip by.
A far less serious complaint I have is that some requests require you to wear specific items of clothing, which you may not like. For example, a boy may not enjoy having to wear a dress, or a girl may not enjoy wearing a beard. But of course, you can always change into another outfit once the request has been completed.
Overall
Disney Magical World 2 is more polished and streamlined than the first game. You can easily check the status of your crops and café stock, and it’s easier to see which ingredients you need for things you want to make. There are a ton of things to do, and you can do them at your own pace (at least once you’ve completed the tutorial).
The once-frustrating dances from the first game seem much easier this time, and the action stages seem easier as well. The game is a lot of fun, and despite its flaws, it’s better than the first game. On a scale of 1-10, I give Disney Magical World 2 a solid 8.
Note for readers of this blog
Even though I never fully completed my item collections, I no longer intend to pursue the few elusive items remaining. I’m not even sure if I could acquire everything without some AR cards or QR codes that I may have missed. Although I did remember to get Minnie’s birthday item last November 18th.
This marks the official end of this blog, although I will be back again if they make part 3 on Nintendo Switch. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for that one.
If you’d like to read the full DMW2 blog, you can start from the first entry.
Want to buy Disney Magical World 2?