YMMV / Donald in Maui Mallard

• Animation Age Ghetto: In the exact words of someone from the marketing team, they removed Donald's name from the US title because "Donald Duck just isn't hip in the United States like he is Europe," in a direct response to this exact reaction.
• Awesome Music: The whole soundtrack. The SNES version loses some points for lacking the boss theme, though - but makes up for it with its exclusive Flying Duckman music.
  • The PC version uses redbook audio, allowing for a totally awesome orchestral version of the score! Provided by none other than Michael Giacchino!
  • Mojo Mansion.
  • Boss Battle.
• Best Level Ever: Test of Duckhood in the Genesis version, thanks not only to the relaxing music and visuals but also to the unique vertical level design and a clever bungee jump gimmick mixed with the normal platforming.
• Breather Level: The Test of Duckhood appears after a Rise to the Challenge level. It's also the most upbeat level in the game.
• Goddamned Bats: The SNES version has the flame enemies in the volcano level, and the zombies in the land of the dead. Every time you hit them (gun or staff, doesn't matter), a homing flame/bone will fly out of them and hit you in the face for a good amount of damage.
• Nightmare Fuel:
  • The Realm of the Dead is a ruined land set over a sea of acid. Giant duck skulls are scattered around with red x marks on their foreheads, melting zombies rise out of the floor and a massive desembodied eye looms in the background. At the end, you must escort the spirit of Muddrake Chief Quackoo that resides within a jar, to the top of a gravestone tower in order to pass on to a peaceful afterlife, while being stalked by evil spirits. It's right out of a creepypasta, on a level that ironically the first Epic Mickey wasn't allowed to reach. The SNES version tones down the gruesome scenery so that the level feels less morbid (and on par with the tone Epic Mickey would take later on).
  • This game got a really creepy black screen death animation...Specifically, a big green hand comes from underground and quickly drags Maui to hell.
• No Problem with Licensed Games: Darker and Edgier makeovers of classic cartoons don't often work very smoothly, but Maui Mallard is well regarded by fans both in aesthetics and gameplay. So much could've gone wrong with this game, and yet players' biggest regret is how nothing more came out of it.
• Obvious Beta: The European Mega Drive version is missing the tutorial screens and some other details that are found on a pre-release cartridge shown at the Consumer Electronics Show and the version later released in Brazil. The circumstances behind those releases are unknown.
• Older Than They Think: Donald Duck has been dealing with ghosts, zombies and pirates for years in the comics, and many old stories actually show him grab a shotgun (loaded with rock salt).
• That One Level:
  • In the SNES version, the Test of Duckhood level is drastically changed to have the player use the bungee cord to travel up and down between very tight walls of spikes. One act is just Maui having to go back and forth in a set of those to transport muddrakes, which easily comes off as very annoyingly difficult.
  • The Flying Duckman is an underwater level where Maui must propel himself around with gunfire, and it is designed around the inability of being able to aim downwards or on diagonals while jumping. You better get used to the physics, because the second half of the stage features dynamite barrels that threaten to One-Hit Kill the hero by destroying the ship's hull.
  • The Realm of the Dead has even more demanding platforming for Maui's ninja form and ends on a harsh Escort Mission.
  • The Babaluau Baby bonus levels in the Sega Genesis version have rather awkward physics that make it difficult to avoid damage or jump over bottomless pits in the latter ones.
• They Changed It, Now It Sucks!: Some of the changes from the Genesis version to the SNES one. No bomb weapon? No boss theme? Annoying levels in the Test of Duckhood that overfocus on the bungee jumping gimmick? What do you mean we can't kill that giant frog god anymore?