Disney Interactive. The name will bring images of easy, cute kiddy games. That is why the name 'Disney Interactive' shouldn't be on the box of this game at all. In Cold Shadow, you play as a duck named Maui Mallard who doubles as both a detective and ninja. While the game has the look of any other Disney games for the SNES, like Pinnochio, the game has more challenging gameplay later on and it will appeal to many people. As the detective, you get your 'bubble gun' and traverse a variety of locals, from a mansion, a mud-filled place to hell. No, I am not kidding about the hell part. As a ninja, you collect ying-yangs as power-ups and whack enemy ninjas to death with your stick. For children, I found this game to be too hard for them (or, at least my 7-year-old sister). Older people will enjoy the lush graphics and boss variety. This game may be better than Disney's Aladdin game for the SNES, which was quite good. Fortunately, there are more than enough stages and considering this being a last-generation SNES game, you will have less trouble finding it. Cold Shadow won't make platform game haters like platform games, but people who like platform games will find a lot of enjoyment out of Maui Mallard in Cold Shadow. One word of note: upon beating the game, you get a message that there will be a sequel, but that has yet to happen. Poor Maui, Disney should have gave the duck a sequel, plus he doesn't spit when he talks like Donald. Bottom Line: You don't have to like Disney to enjoy this game, and you won't feel guilty while playing it.
