Face it, guys. DuckTales Remastered has a freezing problem.

I was disappointed when I started to do the research to make sure the freezing wasn’t just me. I mean, for god’s sake! The gaming industry got something RIGHT! This is what remade games should be- hugely better graphics, voices (I can’t get over how they got everyone from the show except for Mrs. Beakley and Fenton! I mean C’MON you got Alan Young!) all the extras you could want, and without losing anything of the original experience in the process- actually that’s the entire reason why I’m against a Final Fantasy VII remake these days, but that’s another story.

Google “ducktales remastered freezing problem” and you’ll likely come up with several hits on GameFaqs and some PS3 websites. Unfortunately, the freezing issues regarding the “saving content” and “black loading screens” is not limited to “old and fat” PS3 launches, or PS3 at all. Sure, the PS3 has some technical problems, especially if you remember that PS3 has made the Bethesda developers groan over getting the Skyrim downloadable content on it, and ultimately caused them to give up developing content for Skyrim at all, if you remember that interview where they bitched about how long it took them. But this time, PS3 isn’t the problem, or at least, not totally. I’ve had multiple freezes of DuckTales on the Wii U.

Yes, the Wii U.

In some of the exact same places the PS3 users describe, in fact; freezing on the extras screen just after it says “saving content” and on the loading screen while trying to go to the Amazon for a second run through. On top of that, I’ve had some glitching in other places like the Himalayan boss and lagging in the African Mine. Also something that the PS3 users complained of, sandwiched between the “Nope, have had zero problems with it” users. Seriously, why bother posting that you’ve had no problems?! That’s fine and dandy but posts like that are for people who ARE, and it just doesn’t help figure out the commonalities when someone has to dig through half a million “Nopes no problems LOL goobergoobergoober” posts.

Anyway, I didn’t actually have problems during the first run through, though, it was only after completing the game for the first time that the freezing issue seemed to crop up. So, logically it tells that it isn’t a problem with the console so much as something gone wrong in the programming. I can’t speak for how often it hits other users, but in about 5 hours of gameplay it only hit me twice, and the lag during the bosses wasn’t all that bad. It could have been a lot worse *coughpandora’stowercough* but it really isn’t enough to totally mar the game and make it unplayable, but it’s still annoying when it happens.

We can only hope that Wayforward releases a patch to fix it, but first we have to let them know that it’s happening.

At any rate, DuckTales Remastered pretty much says it in the titled. It’s practically a masterpiece, capturing the feel of the original 1989 and merging that with the feel of the cartoon in harmony. The backgrounds look exactly as one would expect in an episode, absolutely perfect. The game play is still difficult without being too much so, except for one place in the last level that might make you scream in frustration while being sucked down into a fiery pit of hell. The game has a system where the gems you gather are turned into dollars, and you can buy extras with them. I love the extras! I don’t want to spoil too much, but look at the character portraits carefully. Each level has a unique look, different helper characters, and has plenty of hidden places to find; don’t be afraid to jump into the ceiling ala Super Mario Bros.

Aside from the freezing issue, I felt the game was worth the $15 forking out for it (and if I remember correctly, is cheaper than the original game when we got it in 1990.)

The game gets a resounding 9 out of 10 from me, with the only drawbacks being the freezing and Mrs. Beakley’s voice. (I was really hoping they’d add more bonus levels to it outside of the main story so that Goldie would appear, too.)

So, a few minor problem in a great classic remade, and remade properly. It brought back a lot of memories of being a kid, playing Nintendo for hours with my friend who stuck out the summer with a broken arm.

 

Edit: I wasn’t aware at the time this went up that several of the voice actors had died since the show’s completion, including the actors who did Beakley and Fenton! I  was really sad to hear that and I felt a little bad about it afterward. However I still think they could have done better in getting a sound-alike for both characters, at least for Mrs. Beakley.