Disney Winter Bonus Selection

The clocks have been moved forward, spring is officially here and the recent bank holiday weekend was actually - for most of us - blessed with sunshine. So it might not seem like the ideal time to be playing Disney's Winter Bonus Selection, a duo of games which take place entirely in the snow.

Still, we're not here to discuss the seasonality of mobile games. We're just here to criticise them - if they need criticising of course.

Which, actually, Winter Bonus Selection largely doesn't.

The game is made up of two previously released Disney games, both of which we've reviewed before. Among the downsides we noted for both back when was the lack of winter sport-based mini-games in each title. Three apiece, which obviously don't take long to see in their entirety.

However, combine the two games and you get six mini-games - an altogether more respectable number. And two of these six at least are seriously addictive, whether you're particularly into impossibly big-eyed cartoon animals or not.

In the first game, Disney Snow Sports, that game is Duck Sleigh - a straight-up toboggan race where you hurtle around a track using left and right to dodge icy obstacles and '5' to speed up. Like all the games, you can play it as a single event or as part of a tournament against other Disney characters, but either way it's addictive stuff.

The game's other two mini-games - Big Snow Race (a cross-country skiing game) and Ducro Arials (a trick-based ski jump event where you hit button combos to pull off tricks) are good, too. Although one other problem does emerge - they're not easy, and could be too tough for the very young gamers who probably want to play them.

On the plus side, the way the games increase in difficulty means they've got depth for everyone - even those so old and hardened they don't even cry at Bambi any more.

The second game included in Winter Bonus Selection is Disney's Winter Fun.

Again, it's a compilation of three mini-games. However, these ones wouldn't be as suitable for inclusion in the Winter Olympics since they involve nothing more than lobbing snowballs and building snowmen.

Featuring familiar Disney faces Goofy, Mickey and Donald, the games have you doing things like pressing numbered buttons when they appear while avoiding bombs and snowballs, and also playing a Space Invaders style game but with snowballs and Black Pete replacing aliens and a spaceship.

As we pointed out in our original review of the game, "the three games make up amusing fare. The visuals are as bright and crisp as the freshly fallen snow, and the characters you know and love are front and centre, rather than merely decorative."

Entertaining they might be, but a love of all things Disney will help. Without such a thing, this mini-game compilation won't strike you as being particularly special. But younger players keen on bright colours (and not deterred by a challenging game) are in for a treat. Admittedly a now out-of-season wintery one.

Disney Winter Bonus Selection

Putting these two games together and giving you six mini-games, each with considerable depth, spells good value for money for any Disney-loving gamer
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Kath Brice
Kath Brice
Kath gave up a job working with animals five years ago to join the world of video game journalism, which now sees her running our DS section. With so many male work colleagues, many have asked if she notices any difference.