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1''Castle of Magic'', [[MarketBasedTitle also known as]] ''Magic Castle Story,'' is a PlatformGame released on mobile devices and Platform/DSiWare in 2009.
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3Wizzy and his friend Jenny are playing on the beach one day when they happen to come across a buried treasure chest. Inside the chest, Wizzy finds a magical book that turns him into a wizard... but [[SealedEvilInACan unleashes an evil wizard named Nefastax]], who promptly kidnaps Jenny and traps Wizzy inside his [[TitleDrop magical castle.]] Now Wizzy must brave the many mystical worlds hidden within the castle to find his friend Jenny! All of which sounds [[ExcusePlot fairly typical]] for a 2D platformer, especially one in the classical style.
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5Then you realize that the game is made by Creator/{{Gameloft}}, notorious for their gaming {{Mockbuster}}s. Except that, instead of copying one ''specific'' game, ''Castle of Magic'' seems to be copying ''all of them.''
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7In contrast to many of Gameloft's other works, ''Castle of Magic'' is more of an AffectionateParody[=/=]{{Homage}} to the bright, colorful 2D platformers of the 90s than a riff on any one particular work. Although it contains many prominent notes from ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' and [[VideoGame/YoshisIsland its family]] [[VideoGame/WarioLand of games]], it also has [[ReferenceOverdosed numerous]] {{Shout Out}}s and mechanical "borrowings" to and from other classic games, The resulting game plays like a mad mishmash of ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros,'' ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog,'' ''VideoGame/SolomonsKey,'' and every other platformer under the sun. It's ''extremely'' {{Troperiffic}} overall.
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9Contrast ''VideoGame/EternalLegacy,'' another Gameloft title that pulls from a wider range of titles.
10----
11!!This game contains examples of:
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13* OneUp: They resemble wizard hats. [[DigitizedSprites Or anything else you want to take a picture of.]]
14* AirborneMook: The bees, and the seagulls in the Pirate Ship world.
15* AnimeHair: Wizzy's naturally.
16* AttackItsWeakPoint: Plantax and Tentaclax have obvious weak points. The later bosses, however, get more creative.
17* AutoScrollingLevel: The third levels of Green Labyrinth and the Pirate Ship are autoscrolling for... no real explained reason.
18* BackgroundBoss: Tentaclax attacks you from the back with his [[CombatTentacles tentacles]] and his [[FlunkyBoss minions]]. However, you ''can'' jump up to hit him.
19* BigBad: Nefastax.
20* BonusStageCollectibles: The stars. However, other that increasing your score, [[BraggingRightsReward they don't really do anything.]]
21* BottomlessPit: Naturally.
22* BraggingRightsReward: Collecting the three hidden pickups on a level does nothing but increase your score for that level and show on the overworld that they've been collected. And since there's no reward for getting a high score, either, it's mostly just there so you can say you found them.
23* {{Cap}}: You can carry up to a maximum of 99 lives. If you have 99 lives, you'll also eventually cap at 99 ''gems'' as well.
24* ChestMonster: The monster that resembles a treasure chest can be distinguished from the real thing by its GagLips. However, [[PinataEnemy it still yields lots of gems if you can beat it.]]
25* CollisionDamage
26* ContextSensitiveButton: When you're next to an enemy firing snowballs, your basic attack button becomes a "snowman grab" button.
27* CombatTentacles: Tentaclax. It's right there in his name!
28* TheComputerShallTauntYou: Nefastax likes showing up to mock you.
29* CraniumRide: You can ride across on the missiles shot by certain cannons, which, judging by their eyes, are enemies by themselves. You can also hop on seagulls in the Pirate Ship.
30* DigitizedSprites: You the player have this power: You can take photos of things and turn them into objects in the game.
31* DirectionallySolidPlatforms
32* DoubleJump: Two varieties. Wizzy can perform a straight up double-jump in air, but you can also hold down the jump button in mid-air to use his hat to glide with.
33* Every10000Points: You get an extra life for every 100 gems you collect.
34* ExcusePlot
35* ExpositionBreak: The first level of every world contains one where Wizzy will comment on the world.
36* ExpositionFairy: The spellbooks you see littered around the world explain your abilities.
37* FollowTheMoney: Following the gems will often lead you to the hidden pickups, or additional powerups.
38* FloatingPlatforms
39* FlunkyBoss: Tentaclax and Nefastax both summon smaller enemies to hound you.
40* ForcedTransformation: In Space Land, the laser-spitting [=UFOs=] can sometimes turn you into one of the bee enemies. However, being able to [[VideoGameFlight fly]], the bee is naturally quite useful for exploring.
41* GagLips: A pair of these distinguishes the local variety of ChestMonster from a real treasure chest.
42* GelatinousTrampoline: Jellies serve as one (ahem) flavor of springboard, and are actually not exclusive to the game's LevelAte. Sprouts serve as another type in a not-quite SpringySpores situation.
43* TheGoomba: The small monsters, which are apparently just called "[[ShapedLikeItself Small Monsters.]]"
44* GoombaStomp: Many monsters can be stomped on, but not [[SpikesOfDoom spiked]] ones.
45** GoombaSpringboard
46* GravityScrew: Space World is ''full'' of them, where you must become charged in order to walk on the ceiling in certain areas. Even the boss, Trax, must be fought this way.
47* GroundPound
48* HarmlessFreezing: Getting hit with a snowball just turns you into a snowman. This won't make you drop your gems, and it can be broken free of.
49* HelpfulMook: Most monsters can be turned into blocks, which can be stood on or pushed into other enemies. The bullet-shooting monsters' missiles also make useful platforms for you, and, in Space Land, the laser-spewing [=UFOs=] can [[ForcedTransformation turn you into a rather useful bee form.]]
50* HubLevel: The castle, from which you can access all the worlds.
51* {{Kevlard}}: "Yummy" Wizzy is totally invincible, not just to enemies and hazards, but also to sticky floors.
52* MookMaker: The swirling portals continuously spawn enemies, either just to get in the way, or so you can turn them into platforms. [[WrittenSoundEffect ZAZING!]]
53* MutuallyExclusivePowerups: The red "Power Up" form appears in all worlds, while each world (bar Space World) has its own unique powerup. However, becoming one form will get rid of the other.
54* NoArcInArchery: The arrows Wizzy shoots in Hunter form travel straight ahead.
55* PainfullySlowProjectile: Slow enough to use as platforms. So slow, some of the ''regular'' FloatingPlatforms move faster than they do.
56* PathOfMostResistance: Following one usually leads you to a bonus stage, frequently with a secret pickup in it.
57* PinataEnemy: The ChestMonster fights back, unlike real treasure chests. But it still gives out tons of gems if you can beat it.
58* PowerUp: In addition to the standard power-up, literally known as just "Power-Up," each world has its own unique powerup. The Green Labyrinth has the Hunter, whose arrows can be used to make your own platforms. The Pirate Ship has the Swordfish, who has an underwater attack. Cake Land has Yummy, which [[{{Kevlard}} turns you fat and makes you invincible]]. Ice Land has the wall-climbing Inuit form. And Space Land has a Bee form.
59* PowerUpFood: Collecting a cake turns you into "Yummy" form, and eating strawberries while in this form keeps you in it for longer.
60* PuzzleBoss: Beeg Mamamax. You have to figure out how to make her vulnerable.
61* ReferenceOverdosed: [[ShoutOut/CastleOfMagic We'll just leave this here.]]
62* RingOutBoss: Snowmax can't be hurt normally; all you can do is throw snowballs to push him back. But naturally, there's something you can push him ''into...'' Doubles as BossArenaIdiocy.
63* RobeAndWizardHat: Wizzy's wizard outfit.
64* SaveThePrincess: Or rather, your friend.
65* SawAWomanInHalf: This is the first thing Wizzy wants to try doing with his newfound magical powers.
66* ScoringPoints: You get scored on each level, depending on how many lives, gems, and secret collectables you have.
67** ScoreScreen: At the end of every level.
68* SequentialBoss: Nefastax, as the final boss, naturally has several stages to him.
69* SillinessSwitch: The game allows you to take photographs with the Nintendo [=DSi=]/3DS camera and turn them into sprites in the game, replacing items and several characters. It serves no purpose other than to be fun and/or silly.
70* SpikesOfDoom: All over the place!
71* TheSpiny: Both the basic enemies and the bees have variants with spines on them. They can't be jumped on, but are still vulnerable to your wand attacks.
72* SpringsSpringsEverywhere: Both gelatin molds and plant sprouts serve as springboards.
73* StageFatality: [[spoiler:Snowmax is defeated by pushing him into a giant flame.]]
74* StarShapedCoupon: The bonus pickups hidden in the levels.
75* SuperNotDrowningSkills: We guess it's all part of being a wizard.
76* TemporaryPlatform: The "sinking" variety, with some shape similarities to VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld's Donut Lifts. Some clouds also vanish after being landed on.
77* ThemeNaming: All the bosses have names ending in "-ax": Plantax, Tentaclax, Beeg Mamax, Snowmax, Trax, and Nefastax (who presumably named all his minions after himself).
78* ThrowTheMookAtThem: Mooks can be turned into blocks, which can be shot at other enemies to damage them.
79* VideoGameFlight: In Space Land, certain [[HelpfulMook laser-UFOs]] will [[ForcedTransformation turn you into a bee]], allowing you to fly through the level as long as their [[CursedWithAwesome "curse"]] lasts.
80* VillainousHarlequin: The small monsters are these in WaddlingHead form.
81* WallCrawl: The Inuit transformation can scale walls with its ice pick.
82* WrittenSoundEffect: [[MookMaker Portals spawn enemies]] with a "ZAZING!" Defeated enemies also vanish with an "AAAAH!"
83* WaddlingHead: The basic small monster is one of these. Although they don't have hands, they can still operate cannons, apparently.

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