Disney/Pixar Toy Story 3 Complete Edition

Designed for players of all ages, Toy Story 3: Complete Edition is a 3D action-adventure platformer. In this epic adventure, players take control of Woody, the famous cowboy; his sidekick, Buzz Lightyear; and Jessie, the spirited cowgirl. The game is divided into two main parts. First, Story Mode broadly follows the movie's plot: Andy leaves for college, the toys end up at Sunnyside Daycare, and they find themselves caught up in a wild adventure. Second, there's the Toy Chest, a vast Western-themed sandbox in which you play as the sheriff. True to the spirit of Toy Story, the game is family-friendly, packed with humor, and bursting with vibrant colors.

Like the movie, Story Mode opens with a train chase set in the Wild West, complete with a series of high-speed action sequences. The adventure then takes players to Andy's bedroom and the laundry room, where the little green army men parachute in to retrieve a landline phone. Next comes a level that will make fans smile: a recreation of the Buzz Lightyear video game seen at the beginning of Toy Story 2, with Rex at the controls. Lasers, Zurg's minions, and a space shoot-'em-up atmosphere make for an exciting sequence. The adventure then continues to Sunnyside, through Lotso's prison, where you'll have to sneak out, and on to the junkyard and even Bonnie's vivid imagination.

Each character has their own specialty. Woody uses his lasso to swing around, Buzz relies on his strength and lasers, and Jessie is incredibly agile. You can switch between them on the fly using the shoulder buttons, allowing you to solve puzzles as a team. This comes in particularly handy during the penultimate level, where you must keep Hamm the pig, Slinky Dog, and Rex the dinosaur from ending up in the incinerator. The main campaign is entertaining and offers some genuinely fun moments, but it ends rather quickly. In reality, it's only a small part of the game: the real heart of Toy Story 3 lies in its Toy Chest mode.

So, what exactly is this mode? It's an open-world experience set in a small Western-style town. Mayor Hamm, the chubby pig, and the townspeople offer all kinds of missions: retrieving items, stopping bank robberies, fending off invasions by Zurg's minions, escorting passersby, rescuing people, and much more. Each mission rewards you with gold coins, which you can spend on new buildings, toys, and quests. You can even ride Bullseye, your trusty steed, and there's no shortage of activities to enjoy: races, painting building facades, collecting cosmetic items, and giving the townspeople makeovers. In short, it's a sort of "GTA for kids" crossed with The Sims.

As you progress, the neighborhoods gradually transform, and you'll discover iconic locations from the franchise, including Sid's haunted house and Zurg's space base, as well as characters from other Pixar movies. It's precisely for this reason that the main campaign begins in an open-world Wild West setting, giving players a taste of what the sandbox mode has to offer. With a total of 103 gold stars to collect, there's enough content to keep you entertained for hours!

As for new features, Digital Eclipse's remaster offers resolutions of up to 4K and a frame rate of 60 FPS, depending on the platform. Zurg, previously exclusive to the PS3 version, also joins the roster of playable characters. You can now take him for a spin in the Toy Chest, complete with his own vehicle, weapon, and missions. New decorative themes have also been added, along with local split-screen co-op for two players. Unfortunately, online multiplayer is still missing.

As for the atmosphere, the game never disappoints. The voice cast features the original actors from the movie, while the soundtrack brings back memorable themes from the franchise, starting with the timeless "You've Got a Friend in Me." You may not hear the lyrics, but the music is instantly recognizable. The environments are varied, and the colors really pop on screen. The only downside is that, as you wander around town, you'll hear the same lines repeated a little too often.

Disney/Pixar Toy Story 3 Complete Edition isn't without its flaws, however. There are occasional frame rate drops throughout the adventure, and the collision detection could use some work. Younger players may have to retry certain sections several times before getting through them. The original low-resolution cutscenes could also have benefited from a visual overhaul. Finally, there's one notable omission: the PS2 and PSP versions of the game, developed by French studio Asobo Studio, aren't included. With a title like "Complete Edition," you'd expect them to be part of the package.

In any case, sixteen years later, the Toy Chest still has no real equivalent in the franchise, and Toy Story 3 remains one of the most successful games in the series. If you're a fan of the franchise, this is one adventure you won't want to miss.

Disney/Pixar Toy Story 3 Complete Edition is a paid game. It's available as a digital download on all platforms, as well as in a physical edition that can be purchased online or at specialty stores.

If you're looking for alternatives to Toy Story 3: Complete Edition, here are a few worth checking out.

Released on the same day, Toy Story: Retro Roundup! is the perfect companion to Toy Story 3: Complete Edition. Also developed by Digital Eclipse, this compilation brings together several Toy Story games from the '90s and 2000s. It includes the 1995 Toy Story, developed by Traveller's Tales, a 2D platformer famous for its pre-rendered graphics reminiscent of Donkey Kong Country. Next up is Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue!, one of the most beloved 3D platformers of the PlayStation era, followed by Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, the racing game Toy Story Racer, and, as a bonus, 1001 Legs. Yes, that's a nice little extra! Digital Eclipse has also introduced several quality-of-life features, including a rewind function, save-anywhere functionality, and a Rex cheat code that unlocks invincibility and infinite lives. You can also switch between a high-resolution display and the original presentation. As always with this studio, the museum section is meticulously curated, featuring exclusive interviews with members of Pixar and Traveller's Tales, archival documents, and a music player.

Another great option from Digital Eclipse is Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King. Bringing together two iconic games from the 16-bit era, this compilation is a real treat for Mega Drive and Super Nintendo fans. Released in 1993 for the Sega console, Aladdin left its mark on an entire generation thanks to its animations created in collaboration with Disney animators. The Lion King, meanwhile, remains notorious for its punishing difficulty, which kicks in as early as the second level. Older gamers will certainly remember it! The compilation includes multiple versions of each game, including the Game Boy and Japanese editions, as well as a Final Cut version of Aladdin featuring rebalanced difficulty and an updated camera. As you'd expect from Digital Eclipse, the collection also includes rewind, instant saves, and a playback feature that lets you jump back into a recorded game at any point. These features finally make it possible to finish both classics without losing your cool. The only notable omission is Capcom's Super Nintendo version of Aladdin, which couldn't be included due to licensing issues.

Finally, let's switch things up with Disney Illusion Island, a more recent 2D platformer than the titles mentioned above. Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy are invited to the mysterious island of Monoth for what seems like a simple picnic, but things quickly take a turn. Toku, the leader of the Hokuns, asks them to recover three stolen magical tomes that protect the island. Inspired by the Metroidvania genre, the adventure unfolds across a vast, interconnected map divided into three biomes. As you unlock new abilities, you gain access to previously inaccessible areas, following a classic Metroidvania formula. What sets this game apart is that you don't attack enemies; instead, you have to avoid them. The hand-drawn animation is superb, and the orchestral soundtrack perfectly complements the adventure. The game also supports local co-op for up to four players, with mechanics designed to encourage teamwork. If you're looking for an alternative to Toy Story 3 Complete Edition, this is a fantastic choice for some family-friendly fun.