Life is like a hurricane every April Fools' Day, possibly the worst time to take any news seriously. Game "news" or "trivia" released on this day can haunt future generations -- especially when they come from a usually reliable source; Expert Gamer detailing how you could get Yoshi in the original Pokémon games, for example. Needless to say, any information released on April 1 is taken with a grain of salt.
So when FDG Entertainment released to their Twitter feed screenshots of a DuckTales game based on the 2017 reboot, fans and followers were quick to dismiss the news as yet another April Fools' prank. Imagine the surprise and shock then, when FDG confirmed the next day that yes, the DuckTales game wasn't happening -- because they already pitched the game to Disney in early 2019, only to have it turned down.
Now the fandom is mobilizing, clamoring for Disney to give the okay to this game. With how beloved the original DuckTales games are, coupled with how well-received the reboot is, a new DuckTales game in the style of the reboot just makes sense.
Firstly we have to examine why the original is so well-loved. Smooth controls, beautiful visuals, and memorable music are some of the praises heaped upon the original DuckTales game, with a story and settings that followed along on the high-flying episodic adventure style of the show. The remaster, developed by WayForward and published by Capcom in 2013, garnered critical acclaim and high sales. The game did what any good installment to a franchise does: gave us more of a good thing that we loved. QuackShot, the game the screenshots were for, had less enjoyable controls but just as loved graphics and music, and was set in the DuckTales universe as well--but hasn't seen a remaster or re-release.
Enter the 2017 reboot of the TV series. While the original show was well-received, the reboot forwent the episodic adventures for an overarching plot with more character depth. The triplets now have distinct personalities and can be told apart beyond the color of their outfits, for example. New characters were introduced, and existing characters were given more motivation in their actions. The reboot doesn't shy away from emotions or hard topics, either. Donald goes to therapy for his anger now, estranged families and abuse are topics of interest, and the show isn't afraid to make you cry. There's a depth to the show that was missing from the original, and it feels as the remastered DuckTales game does: a love letter to the original.
Now, a game based on the reboot would feel a bit recursive. The DuckTales reboot takes notes from every aspect of the original, including the games. There's an episode featuring Terra-Firmians, and the beloved "Moon Theme" plays whenever an episode is set on the moon, which, thanks to Della Duck's excursions, is often during the second season. Gyro's air-generating taffy even makes a comeback as Oxy-Chew, which enables Della and later Donald to breathe on the moon.
But at the same time, it would be fresh and intriguing. The reboot deepened existing characters, updated several to more acceptable modern portrayals, and introduced several new characters. Lena, for example, friend to a retooled Webby and 'niece' to Magica De Spell, would add some convolutions to Magica's role in the games. Characters in the show are more than one-dimensional now, and that would change how the game's story works. The reboot characters are ones we can connect to, and any future games would have to portray them accurately in order to pass muster.
With how advanced both cartoons and video games are, a DuckTales game in the style of the reboot would be nothing short of breathtaking. Side-scrolling video games are still popular today, and the advantage of modern audio could provide a gorgeous, orchestrated soundtrack alongside the full voice cast.
But alas, the game isn't happening this year, which is a real pity. Games get us closer to our favorite characters more than any other medium does, and with how the reboot handles the characters, many of us would love to spend more time with our favorite ducks. A new DuckTales game isn't on the horizon, but we can still tune in to Season 3 of the DuckTales reboot starting April 4th on Disney XD.