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M.C. Kids
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (February 2007) |
Angry Video Game Nerd
| M.C. Kids | |
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| Developer | Virgin Interactive |
| Publisher | Virgin Interactive |
| Released | NES version EU 1991 NA February, 1992 Game Boy version EU 1992 C64 version 1992 |
| Genre | Platform game |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Two player |
| Platform(s) | NES, Game Boy, Commodore 64, Amiga, PC:DOS |
| Media | 2-megabit cartridge |
M.C. Kids is the title of a video game released for the Nintendo Entertainment System by Virgin Interactive during 1991 in Europe (where it was called McDonald Land), and in February of 1992 in the United States. The game is loosely based on the McDonald's fast food franchise and features two teenagers that venture into the McDonald's fantasy world in order to return Ronald McDonald's magical bag, which has been stolen by the Hamburglar. The game was also released for the Game Boy (though only in Europe), Commodore 64, Amiga, and for PCs running MS-DOS.[1] Virgin Interactive would release another game based on the McDonald's franchise for the Sega Mega Drive called Mick & Mack: Global Gladiators that has more of a traditional side-scrolling action-adventure game.
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One can choose to play either one of the M.C. Kids, but there is no difference between the two characters other than the fact that one of the youths is white and the other one is black. Up to two players can play the game at once, and both characters can walk, jump, duck, and pick up blocks to throw at enemies as they travel through the seven large worlds of magical McDonald Land.
In a similar format as Super Mario Bros. 3 or Star Tropics, the game has seven different worlds. Each one starts out by having the character visit a McDonald Land character. However, unlike games such as Super Mario Bros. 3, simply defeating the various levels is not enough for success as one needs to find the hidden McDonald Land cards that are scattered in a world in order to advance to the next world.
One can collect various McDonald Golden Arches for extra points and, aside from the game's numerous secrets, including a secret level, the game has various objects in the game that one needs to use to advance, i.e., a zipper to enter secret areas, a spin device that turns the level upside down, a boat that can be both ridden in and carried.
The first world of the game, this is where Mick and Mack's adventure begins. This world consists mostly of forest levels and open field levels. In order to progress to the next world, the player must collect four Puzzle Cards for Ronald McDonald. Collecting all six of Ronald's cards will allow the player to access "Ronald's PuzzLeWoRlD". Only five Ronald Puzzle Cards in all can be obtained in this world. One card each for "Professor's Workshop" and "Hamburglar's Hideout" can also be found.
In addition to sky levels, this world also features snowy levels. To progress to the next world, the player needs to get five cards for Birdie the Early Bird. Finding all six will let Birdie reward the player with an extra life. All six of Birdie's Puzzle Cards are collectable in this world, as well as one for "Hamburglar's Hideout" and one for "Ronald's PuzzLeWoRlD".
This world has mountainous themes for its levels. This time, the player needs to find three of Grimace's Puzzle Cards to access two of its six levels and another two to progress. Finding all six would allow Grimace to talk about the blocks seen in level goals. All six Grimace cards are available here, in addition to one for "Professor's Workshop" and one each for Ronald's "Clubhouse" and "PuzzLeWoRlD".
This world has mostly shore and desert themes for its levels. The Professor has been building a rocket ship to the moon to help Mick and Mack in their adventure. To use the rocket, the player must collect at least five of the Professor's Puzzle Cards. Finding all six allows the Professor to create a shortcut to "Ronald's Clubhouse". Four of the Professor's cards are hidden in his world, as well as one for "CosMc's Retreat", one for "Hamburglar's Hideout", and two for "Ronald's Puzzleworld".
Since this world takes place on the moon, most of the levels here have low gravity. Five of CosMc's Puzzle Cards need to be collected in order to proceed with the game. This is the only world that offers no reward once all six of its cards are found. Five of CosMc's cards can be found here, as well as one card for "Ronald's PuzzLeWoRlD".
The final world of the game, Ronald's Bag of Magic that the Hamburglar stole had escaped into the depths of the volcano. The player must find all six of the Hamburglar's Puzzle Cards before they could access the final level of the game. Three of the Hamburglar's cards can be found here, as well as one for "Ronald's PuzzLeWoRlD".
The secret world of the game, only accessible by finding all of Ronald's cards in addition to the Puzzle Cards belonging in this world. There are no enemies or cards in this world, instead set around the player trying to get to the end of each of the world's levels while dealing with various obstacles.
The game did not do well in 1992 in part because McDonald's was not happy with the final product and thus the advertisement campaign for the game was largely muted. Video game critics often accused it of copying from other games (particularly from Super Mario Bros. 3), and the game was far too difficult to be marketed for a younger videogame audience.
The Angry Video Game Nerd gave it a negative review, though he said it isn't one of the worst games in the NES library (like The Bugs Bunny Birthday Blowout and Silver Surfer which were worse games)
It has been rumored that a rehaul of M.C. Kids will occur in the same fashion of Mario from the SNES to the N64. The "remake" is expected to come out on Xbox 360, but no solid developments plans have been made yet and it is only an idea at this point. Developers have toyed around with the idea of including it as a game for the Wii in Happy Meals and after beating it, rewarding the player with a redeemable gift card by code exchange. Similarly developers have considered using McDonald's commercials in place of CGI to provide revenue. If a 3-D M.C. Kids were made it is expected to be 2-Player Co-op and include classic McDonald's characters as in the original. It is unclear whether the HamBurglar would be the main villain or an ally.
