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RETAILBIZ: THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE MCV 06/08/10 43
No mop-wielding cartoon mice here – instead, the latest Nicolas Cage flick gets the DS treatment…
by James Batchelor
FOR CERTAIN generations, ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ conjures images of a rebellious Mickey Mouse nicking a wizard’s hat and unleashing an army of unstoppable mops. Not so this summer. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is the latest action movie from Jerry Bruckheimer, Walt Disney Pictures and Nicolas Cage – the same team behind the popular National Treasure films.
The film and video game is based on a classic 1797 German poem of the same name rather than the Mickey- centric cartoon short. The story tells the tale of Balthazar Blake, one of Merlin’s apprentices and played in the film by Nicholas Cage.
The immortal Blake has two quests: to protect the Grimhold, an ancient prison shaped like a nesting doll that contains the most evil sorcerers in history; and to find Merlin’s true heir, the one person who can defeat each of the sorcerers.
His search leads him to the present day New York City, where he finds the heroically-named Dave, a love-struck teenager who shows an extraordinary ability to handle magic. When Dave accidentally unlocks the Grimhold, he must team up with Blake to bring down each of the six sorcerers that were trapped inside before they can bring their fallen minions back from the dead and take over the world.
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They need to explore areas of the Big Apple for signs of each of the Grimhold’s former prisoners, defeating armies of minions and solving puzzles before finally confronting each villain. The bosses will be familiar to anyone
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice boasts a high profile cast and is one of Disney’s biggest summer movies alongside Toy Story 3.
Unlike the film, Blake is not on hand throughout the game to protect Dave. The wizard has been trapped in a magical realm and can only offer his young apprentice guidance. Gamers must follow his advice if they are to master all of Dave’s untapped powers and complete his quest.
RELEASED: AUGUST 6 FORMATS: DS PUBLISHER: DISNEY INTERACTIVE DEVELOPER: HEADSTRONG GAMES PRICE: £19.99 DISTRIBUTOR: CENTRESOFT CONTACT: 0121 625 3388
who has seen the film, ranging from Blake’s treacherous former companion Maxim Horvath to the vicious Morgana le Fay, Merlin’s arch nemesis. Dave can also unlock mystical portals that allow him to travel to the realm Blake is trapped in. There he will fight more dark creatures, learn new spells and start to uncover a way to set his new master free.
SPELLSTRUCK
Each of the magical abilities he discovers is mapped to the touch screen, which puts players in direct control of Dave’s powers. Ancient symbols represent the different elements he has
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command over, allowing him to tackle puzzles and defeat opponents. Completing the game’s different levels and defeating each sorcerer unlocks new challenges, some of which can be enjoyed with friends and family. A variety of activities allow up to four players to compete for the highest score by passing the DS around and seeing who is the greatest wizard of all. With the obvious exception of
Toy Story 3, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is Disney’s biggest movie of the summer, and the game will be capitalising on this. The film’s high profile cast – including the aforementioned Cage, Monica Bellucci and Alfred Molina – should help to raise awareness of both products’ respective arrivals.
The dark tone of the film – which is recreated by the game – is in stark contrast to usual DS releases and will also help to broaden the game’s appeal as the summer holiday period progresses. Expect this one to sell particularly well to the young boys market as they look for a new fantasy adventure to enjoy on the move. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice arrives on Nintendo DS today (August 6th).
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