Weapon of the Week: Mickey's Brush

A cartoon mouse playing God with a magic brush? Were do they come up with such things?

A weapon’s main purpose is to destroy, which is why for the longest time we spent our time making sticks sharp and pointy. On the other hand, a paintbrush’s main purpose is to create. These goals run counter to each other, so you’d think a paintbrush would make a really lousy weapon. Normally you’d be right, but there exists a rather famous mouse that proves this wrong. Not only can he destroy with a paintbrush, but he can create as well.

In the course of Epic Mickey, Mickey Mouse (yes, that Mickey Mouse) gets sucked into a dystopian world of forgotten Disney characters and nasty ink monsters. His only tools are his pants and a magic brush that can spew both paint and thinner. The brush is a central gameplay element, as it can create/restore objects with paint, as well as destroy them with thinner. The way you use both shapes the in-game world as you play.

The brush is a very unique tool. With the restorative power of paint, you can befriend monsters, restore what has lost, and even create things out of thin air. With the destructive power of thinner, you can erase pretty much anything from existence. This is unique, not only because you can both create and destroy, but also because it is one of the few weapons that can restore. Mickey’s brush is one of the few things that can shape worlds, and its up to the player to use to either save it or leave a trail of destruction.

Mickey’s brush is a truly unique weapon, and I wish more games focused as much on creation as they do on blowing stuff up. Next time, we’re looking at a spin on the trusty sword. Until then, see you next time.