Mickey Mouse: Magic Wands!

Mickey Mouse: Magic Wands!
Also known as: Mickey Mouse V: Mahou no Stick (JP), Mickey Mouse V: Zauberstäbe! (DE) Developer: Kemco Publishers: Kemco (JP), Nintendo (US/EU) Platforms: Game Boy, Super Game Boy Released in JP: December 22, 1993 Released in US: May 1998 Released in DE: 1998 This game has unused areas. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused music. This game has regional differences.

Magically mysterious. Mickey Mouse: Magic Wands! was originally released in Japan a whole five years before the US and German versions, under the title Mickey Mouse V: Mahou no Stick. The US and German versions offered a few small changes and additions compared to the Japanese original, including minor Super Game Boy support and bad translations, but retained the same amount of deadly apples and Merlin's waterfalls.

Unused Palettes

There are two unused Super Game Boy palettes. Game Genie codes ??E-67B-F74 + ??E-68B-D53 will replace the palette used for the first stage theme. Both palettes are located at 0x2A7D. The second palette setting is completely unused and is listed directly above the copyright screen palette. The palettes are also loaded for the Game Over screen, but alas they cannot be seen due to overlaying attribute settings.

Unused Palette 1

ID 7D, 2A

The first palette setting is technically used as the copyright palette, but you can only see the black palette.

Unused Palette 2

ID 8D, 2A

The second palette setting was likely originally intended for the copyright screen, but since that screen shows black and white text, you can never see the faded bronze-like palette.

(Source: nensondubois)

Regional Differences

Mickey Mouse V was released in the US as Mickey Mouse: Magic Wands! five years later, offering a few mostly unnecessary changes.

The original title screen started immediately. This was changed to having to wait three seconds in Magic Wands.

Japan	US

Password Screens

All of the passwords in the Japanese version are ordinary four-letter English words. As the US version does not allow vowels to be entered on the password screen (likely to prevent players from entering dirty words), all of the passwords had to be changed accordingly. Simply remap AEIOU to VQWZX (or vice versa) to convert passwords between versions.

Japan	US

Interestingly, there is a screenshot in the Mickey Mouse: Magic Wands! instruction manual showing the Japanese password system.

Music Oddity

A quick looping song played when Mickey discovers the magic wand. The song does reset, but this is normally not noticeable as the player has to stay still for 5 minutes and 13 seconds.

(Source: nensondubois, TheWispGuy)