In a surprise announcement during last night’s Nintendo Direct event, Gameloft unveiled a new racing game based around iconic Disney characters. The studio is more commonly known for the Asphalt mobile franchise and is now looking to foray into console and PC.
Disney Speedstorm is a cart racer game in the same vein as Mario Kart, roping in characters from various Disney and Pixar properties – movies, cartoons, and shows. Players can assume control of various champions and drop into virtual tracks resembling locations from some Disney franchise. So far, the reveal trailer has showcased the Pirates of the Caribbean’s ‘Pirates Island’ track and The Jungle Book’s ‘Jungle Ruins’ map.
The roster, for now, includes Mickey Mouse, Mulan, Captain Jack Sparrow, Donald Duck, and Sulley from Monsters Inc. Additional characters will be revealed at a later date, and will also feature some post-launch content. Each character will be equipped with different abilities that help them turn the tides of a race.
Mickey gets speed boosts in short bursts, while Mulan inflicts some explosive damage to surrounding vehicles. Similar to the items you collect in Mario Kart, players can also unlock ultimate moves tailored to each character, perfect for turning the tables at the last seconds.
To work on a dream project like Disney Speedstorm, we are driven to create a game that feels like home for Disney and Pixar fans but is also unique to the arcade-racing genre,” said Alexandru “Sasha” Adam, VP & Studio Manager, in a press release. “The gameplay mechanics, the racer abilities and the location design were all tailored to serve our vision of a fast and gripping competitive experience.”
Disney Speedstorm is free-to-play, with new seasons added regularly – bringing new champions, carts, and circuits. Although Gameloft has not made an exclusive statement, one could assume that cosmetic items will be locked behind a paywall – a revenue source for the development team.
The company has also promised cross-platform play between consoles and PC, alongside a split-screen mode for local matchmaking. You could sign up/pre-register to be the first to play the game by visiting their official website.