Last September, Disney officially renewed Ducktales for a third season on the Disney Channel. And now, nearly a year later, the Season 3 premiere is around the corner and there is plenty to be excited about. After all, the show is about to include two other shows from Disney's Afternoon block past: Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers and Talespin.
If you weren't around during the time of the original releases of these shows, you could check out old episodes on Amazon. Or you could play The Disney Afternoon Collection! This collection of six Disney games from the Nintendo Entertainment System days not only features Ducktales but the upcoming shows as well. So if you're not familiar with either, this is a great way to get educated.
Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers
Chip 'n' Dale were originally characters Disney used in their cartoon shorts, typically pestering Donald Duck. However, they were eventually re-imagined as Indiana Jones/Magnum P.I. types who were members of an A-Team style group. Unlike the other entries listed, Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers received two games during the NES days and they are both included here. Although the two games are platformers, you don't have the means on your own to take out enemies. Therefore, Chip and/or Dale have to rely on picking up items to throw at enemies including boxes, apples, and rocks.
The first game does a decent job of introducing players to the characters, while also setting its players out on an important task. You have a mission to rescue a little girl who has been kidnapped by the evil critters in the city. Throughout the mission, other members of the team will help you and the in-game cutscenes explain their roles in the group well. As for the second game, though, it's much of the same. If you enjoyed the first game, the second will be like a second helping, allowing you to spend more time with these classic characters.
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Talespin
Talespin also featured a character previously in another piece of Disney work. This time around, it was Baloo from The Jungle Book, and he wasn't the only character from the movie to appear. Baloo is joined by the likes of Shere Khan, King Louie, and Bagheera. Unlike most of the games in the collection, the Talespin game is not a platformer, but a side-scrolling shoot-em-up title with the ability to change directions.
You'll go on missions for your boss, Rebecca Cunningham, and deliver packages. And with the help of Wildcat, the mechanic, you can also upgrade your plane for faster shots and more nimble movement -- among other things. The premise alone explains the show very well, and the dialogue between the characters represents their personalities well. More importantly, if you prefer crisper graphics, Talespin proves to be a bit more detailed than the first Chip 'n' Dale title.
Ducktales and Darkwing Duck
One other thing that is worth a mention is that the Collection includes two Ducktales games, as well as a title based on Darkwing Duck. You can go globetrotting for treasure in the Ducktales games with Scrooge McDuck, or fight crime as the hero Darkwing Duck in the game of the same name.
Overall, even though you may feel you know these characters, there are plenty of reasons to check out this collection all the same. You'll get something new as well as something you're familiar. Ducktales and Ducktales 2 are both well-made platformers that use an enjoyable pogo mechanic. While Darkwing Duck is an interesting action platformer with more nimble movement being the focus. (Kind of like Ninja Gaiden.) There's a lot to The Disney Afternoon Collection to enjoy and it should easily hold you over until Ducktales Season 3 is finally released.
Ducktales will return for its third season on October 20.