What do Oregon and the Big Blue have in common? Absolutely nothing but this feature.
Gravity Falls (Good Idea) – by Becky Hollada
Gravity Falls is a relatively new animated series on the Disney Channel that follows Dipper and Mabel Pines, a pair of twins from California whose parents have forced them to spend the summer with their Granduncle (Grunkle) Stan in a little town called Gravity Falls, Oregon. The series has garnered some great reception from critics and fans alike with its highest rated episode pulling 4.5 million viewers. While Disney Infinity has started out doing a pretty good job creating a varied line-up of characters, Play Sets, and Power Discs, so far we have seen little from the Disney Channel side of things. Gravity Falls would be arguably the best place to continue after the upcoming Phineas and Ferb items, since it’s not only popular with fans, but something just as relevant to the Disney fan base as, say, Frozen, which already has a Disney Infinity release date. It’s quirky, funny, and has whimsy in spades.
Haha... grappling hook.
While we took a very specific focus with interesting Power Disc ideas last week, I’m jumping right back on the full Play Set for this show. Gravity Falls, OR is frankly just waiting for its own video game. This seemingly normal town contains a ton of bizarre creatures and powers all set in a mystery premise where the main characters and watchers only find out, bit by bit, how weird this place really is. Players could run around playing as both Dipper and Mabel with a tag team format, that we often see in RPGs, using Dipper’s journal to guide them through solving various strange occurrences in Gravity Falls. Like Fatal Frame or Silent Hill, but child and scaredy-cat friendly.
Though some Play Sets like The Incredibles have four or five characters, Gravity Falls can join others sitting at a solid three: Dipper, Mabel and Grunkle Stan. Dipper and Mabel are both resourceful and fearless and could easily hold their own in the Toy Box with any weapon, vehicle, or Power Disc. When you’re used to thrashing Gnomes with a shovel and cursed wax statues with a fake electric candle, you don’t bat an eyelash when you have to pick up Carl Fredrickson’s cane to fend someone off, or hopping onto Maximus for a ride. And Grunkle Stan is just kind of crazy, especially when money is involved. Enough said.
Although there are no real iconic weapons or vehicles in Gravity Falls, fans of the show and players alike would have a good time with the Pines’ golf cart from the very first episode, or Mabel’s totally random grappling hook she picks out of Grunkle Stan’s Mystery Shack Gift Shop. Since there is no real limit to what goes in Gravity Falls, and because the series itself isn’t currently finished, there is no end to what developers could pull from the series, now or in the future, to use in Disney Infinity.
With Disney Parks’ rides making more appearances, and even Disney’s latest animated film that isn’t even out yet already being advertised for Disney Infinity, it is past time that Disney looked to more of their Disney Channel works for something new.
Finding Nemo (Bad Idea) – by Kimberly Keller
Finding Nemo was, and still is, such a huge success it’s hard to believe it came out ten whole years ago. Currently it’s the third highest grossing animated film, 23rd highest overall, and the number one top seller of DVDs. That’s insane! Finding Dory is set to release in summer 2016 and Disney is probably going to be looking into every way to drum up profits for the franchise, which I’m okay with as long as it’s not though Disney Infinity.
Here’s a simple fact for you: Marlin, Dory, and Nemo, are all fish. Tiny little tropical fish. Have you seen these fish before? I was at an aquarium last year and I saw Clownfish and a Pacific Regal Blue Tang, the species of fish featured in the movie. They are so tiny! And you know what else I discovered? They hang out in water, being fish and all.
See the pity on their faces.
I’m not arguing against the Play Set, that could be fairly awesome, but think about the Toy Box! Fish, floppin’ all around the place, gasping for a mouthful of water from which to breathe sweet oxygen from. Sure, they could sprinkle a little Disney magic on the situation and give them the ability to breathe oxygen and float, but how would they hold any of the weapons? And driving vehicles? That’d just be sad to watch.
An argument could be made for a customization Power Disc, bringing the big blue ocean to the game, but how is that unique to Finding Nemo? Ariel’s underwater home is just as wet and a bit more colorful leading to more interesting options. When it comes down to it, Finding Nemo is a beautiful movie, filled with fun, unique characters, but it just doesn’t make the cut for a game like Disney Infinity.
Altered images courtesy of Kimberly Keller.
