M.C. Kids (Euro) - McDonaldland (Box)
M.C. Kids (released in Europe as McDonaldland) is a 1992 platform game developed and published by Virgin Interactive. It was initially released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in February 1992 in North America and by Ocean Software in May 1993 in Europe. The game is loosely based on the McDonald's fast food franchise and features two childs that venture into the McDonald's fantasy world "McDonaldland" in order to return Ronald McDonald's magical bag, which has been stolen by the Hamburglar.
The game was also released for the Game Boy (known in North America and Japan as Spot: The Cool Adventure, based on the Cool Spot franchise), Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, and PCs (although all of the computer versions were only sold in Europe). Virgin Interactive would release another game based on the McDonald's franchise for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis called Mick & Mack: Global Gladiators that has more of a traditional side-scrolling action-adventure game. Both games were criticized for advertising the McDonald's fast food restaurant chain (even though they contained almost no references to the company's products) but regarded as cult classics ever since.
You can choose to play as one of the two "M.C. Kids". There is no difference between the two characters aside from their skin color and hair styles. Up to two players can play the game at once, and both characters can walk, jump, duck and pick up blocks to throw at enemies as they travel through the seven large worlds of magical McDonaldland.
In a similar format as Super Mario Bros. 3 or StarTropics, the game has seven different worlds. Each one starts out with a visit to a McDonaldland character. However, unlike games such as Super Mario Bros. 3, simply defeating the various levels is not enough for success. You must also find the hidden McDonald's cards that are scattered throughout the worlds in order to advance to the next level.
Golden Arches can be collected for extra points and can unlock bonus rounds. The game has numerous secrets, such as the zipper (used to enter secret areas), a spin device that turns the player upside down and reverses gravity, a boat that can be both ridden and carried, and arrow blocks which return you to the beginning of a level.
The bonus rounds feature blocks which randomly light up as either up or down arrows. Your task is to jump on the up arrows and to avoid the down arrows in order to reach the top, enter the zipper and collect extra lives.* In each level, there's 6 cards. You don't need to collect them all to move on to the next level. Throughout each level, there's also 1UPs, which is worth picking up, considering the game will get more challenging as you progress.
The game was also released for the Game Boy (known in North America and Japan as Spot: The Cool Adventure, based on the Cool Spot franchise), Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, and PCs (although all of the computer versions were only sold in Europe). Virgin Interactive would release another game based on the McDonald's franchise for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis called Mick & Mack: Global Gladiators that has more of a traditional side-scrolling action-adventure game. Both games were criticized for advertising the McDonald's fast food restaurant chain (even though they contained almost no references to the company's products) but regarded as cult classics ever since.
You can choose to play as one of the two "M.C. Kids". There is no difference between the two characters aside from their skin color and hair styles. Up to two players can play the game at once, and both characters can walk, jump, duck and pick up blocks to throw at enemies as they travel through the seven large worlds of magical McDonaldland.
In a similar format as Super Mario Bros. 3 or StarTropics, the game has seven different worlds. Each one starts out with a visit to a McDonaldland character. However, unlike games such as Super Mario Bros. 3, simply defeating the various levels is not enough for success. You must also find the hidden McDonald's cards that are scattered throughout the worlds in order to advance to the next level.
Golden Arches can be collected for extra points and can unlock bonus rounds. The game has numerous secrets, such as the zipper (used to enter secret areas), a spin device that turns the player upside down and reverses gravity, a boat that can be both ridden and carried, and arrow blocks which return you to the beginning of a level.
The bonus rounds feature blocks which randomly light up as either up or down arrows. Your task is to jump on the up arrows and to avoid the down arrows in order to reach the top, enter the zipper and collect extra lives.* In each level, there's 6 cards. You don't need to collect them all to move on to the next level. Throughout each level, there's also 1UPs, which is worth picking up, considering the game will get more challenging as you progress.
- There is even a suicide code. Press start, then select and hold them both for 3 seconds. If you did it right, you can kill your character yourself. It's a great trick for when you get stuck it a pit, but doing this cheat will cost you 1 life.
M.C. Kids (Euro)
Technical
CPU
- maincpu N2A03 (@ 1 Mhz)
Chipset
- N2A03 (@ 1 Mhz)
Display
- Orientation Yoko
- Resolution 255 x 240
- Frequency 53.355 Hz
Controlers
- Number of players 4
- Number of buttons 2
- Kind of controler
- triplejoy (8 ways)
- triplejoy (8 ways)
- triplejoy (8 ways)
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M.C. Kids (Euro) Screenshots
Clones of M.C. Kids (Euro)
Plot
The story begins with two M.C. Kids named Mick and Mack reading a book where Ronald McDonald was showing off his magical bag at a picnic in the meadow when the Hamburglar appears and steals Ronald's Magic Bag. Mick and Mack then search outside Ronald's clubhouse for four of the puzzle cards. After collecting four of the puzzle cards, Mick and Mack are told by Ronald that Hamburglar was sighted near Birdie's treehouse.
Upon arriving at Birdie's treehouse, the players search her house for five of her puzzle cards. After finding her puzzle cards, Mick and Mack are told that Hamburglar is sighted near the cliffs.
Following the directions given by Birdie, Mick and Mack arrive at Grimace's loft in the Highlands and search his house for three of his puzzle cards. After finding two more cards, Grimace lets them head down a path to the Professor's workshop.
When Mick and Mack reach the Professor's workshop, he has invented something to help them in their quest. He has Mick and Mack find five of his puzzle cards.
Using the rocket that the Professor gave to them, Mick and Mack head to the moon to visit CosMc. They meet up with CosMc on the moon at his getaway where he tells him to find five of his puzzle cards. After collecting his cards, CosMc tells Mick and Mack to find an entrance to a volcano as Hamburglar might be hiding out there.
Mick and Mack brave the scary volcano in their efforts to find Hamburglar and the Magic Bag. When they find Hamburglar, he tells them that the Magic Bag escaped from him. Mick and Mack confronts the Magic Bag where it launches a tied flags, a magic wand, and a rabbit in a hat to attack. When the Magic Bag is defeated, Mick and Mack return the bag to Ronald.
Upon arriving at Birdie's treehouse, the players search her house for five of her puzzle cards. After finding her puzzle cards, Mick and Mack are told that Hamburglar is sighted near the cliffs.
Following the directions given by Birdie, Mick and Mack arrive at Grimace's loft in the Highlands and search his house for three of his puzzle cards. After finding two more cards, Grimace lets them head down a path to the Professor's workshop.
When Mick and Mack reach the Professor's workshop, he has invented something to help them in their quest. He has Mick and Mack find five of his puzzle cards.
Using the rocket that the Professor gave to them, Mick and Mack head to the moon to visit CosMc. They meet up with CosMc on the moon at his getaway where he tells him to find five of his puzzle cards. After collecting his cards, CosMc tells Mick and Mack to find an entrance to a volcano as Hamburglar might be hiding out there.
Mick and Mack brave the scary volcano in their efforts to find Hamburglar and the Magic Bag. When they find Hamburglar, he tells them that the Magic Bag escaped from him. Mick and Mack confronts the Magic Bag where it launches a tied flags, a magic wand, and a rabbit in a hat to attack. When the Magic Bag is defeated, Mick and Mack return the bag to Ronald.
Reception
Despite mixed reviews from critics, McDonald's officials were unhappy with the game, reportedly citing concerns that the difficulty level was too high for its intended target audience of children, and it was given the absolute minimum of promotion.
See also
- Donald Land, another platforming game based on the same fast food franchise that was developed and published by Data East only in Japan.
- TUME, One of the tools used to create M.C.Kids
