‘Epic Mickey' has what it takes to be a Wii hero

Mickey gets sucked into the ruined parallel world armed only with a paint brush and gets busy trying to fix his mistake.

Pointing the Wii controller at the screen lets Mickey shoot paint to recreate objects destroyed by thinner, or shoot thinner to delete objects. It's a simple mechanic that leads to some complex puzzles that may not be obvious enough for young or inexperienced players.

Mickey can also jump, very handy for getting around the highly vertical levels, and spin, useful for toppling enemies or busting open barrels filled with paint, thinner and collectible goodies.

The biggest letdown with Epic Mickey is the view. Usually the camera is positioned so the player can see where Mickey's going, but many times the player has to make blind leaps of faith. It's frustrating to have no choice but to hit the jump button and see the beloved mouse fall to his doom.

The levels, designed to look like darker versions of the Magic Kingdom, are tricky to navigate. Those who fail to master the timing of the double-jump move will literally bang Mickey's head against the wall in frustration.

Mickey looks great, and, for a Wii game, so does the dark world he's been drawn into. Particularly good is Mickeyjunk Mountain, a recreation of the theme park's famed Matterhorn comprised entirely of Disney memorabilia.

But it's the surprisingly deep story that eventually steals the show. Those who put in the 15 or so hours to complete the game will see Mickey become more hero than prankster as he helps rescue Oswald and a world full of abandoned, forgotten Disney characters.

* Reviewed on Nintendo Wii, rated Everybody.