M.C. Kids
A 1992 McDonald's-licensed platform game starring Mack and Mick.
M.C. Kids (known as McDonaldland in Europe) is a platform game from 1992, made and published by Virgin Games. It first came out for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in February 1992, and Ocean Software released it in Europe in May 1993. The game is a tie-in for the McDonald's restaurant chain. Players control two children, Mack and Mick, who travel through the imaginary world of McDonaldland to get back Ronald McDonald's magic bag, which the Hamburglar has taken. A team of four people built the game in eight months: Darren Bartlett handled art and level design, Gregg Iz-Tavares and Dan Chang did the programming, and Charles Deenen created the audio.
The game was also ported to the Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-DOS under the title McDonaldland, but only sold in Europe. The NES version in Europe used the same name as those computer ports. A different version came out for the Game Boy, also called McDonaldland; outside Europe, it was changed to fit the Cool Spot series and released as Spot: The Cool Adventure. Virgin later made another McDonald's-themed game, Global Gladiators, in 1992.
**Gameplay**
Players can pick one of the two "M.C. Kids" to control. The only differences between them are skin color and hairstyle. The game supports alternating two-player mode. Both characters can walk, jump, duck, and pick up blocks to throw at enemies while moving through seven large worlds in magical McDonaldland.
Like Super Mario Bros. 3 or StarTropics, the game has seven different worlds. Each world begins with a visit to a McDonaldland character. But unlike those games, just finishing the levels isn't enough to succeed. The game includes McDonald's franchise imagery, such as characters from restaurants and TV ads, along with McDonald's cards and Golden Arches, all used for advancing the plot or as power-ups.
Unique gameplay features in M.C. Kids include a spin device that flips the player upside down and reverses gravity, the ability to warp through the current level using a zipper, and a boat that can be ridden or carried.
**Plot**
The story starts with Mick and Mack reading a storybook about Ronald McDonald showing off his magic bag at a picnic in a meadow. Suddenly, the Hamburglar appears and steals the bag. The kids search outside Ronald's clubhouse for four puzzle cards. After collecting them, Ronald tells them the Hamburglar was se
- Developer
- Virgin Games
- Publisher
- Virgin Games (North America), Ocean Software (Europe)
- Release Year
- 1992 (NES North America), 1993 (NES Europe)
- Platforms
- NES, Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS, Game Boy
- Genre
- Platform video game
- Characters
- Mack, Mick, Ronald McDonald, Hamburglar, Birdie, Grimace, Professor, CosMc
Lore & Background
The game begins with the titular M.C. Kids, Mick and Mack, reading a storybook about Ronald McDonald showing off his magical bag at a picnic. The Hamburglar appears and steals the bag. Mick and Mack search outside Ronald's clubhouse for four puzzle cards, then are told the Hamburglar was sighted near Birdie's treehouse. They find five of Birdie's puzzle cards, then learn the Hamburglar is near the cliffs. They arrive at Grimace's loft in the Highlands and find three of his puzzle cards. Grimace lets them head to the Professor's workshop, where the Professor has invented something to help them. They find five of his puzzle cards, then use a rocket to reach the moon and visit CosMc. After collecting five of CosMc's cards, they enter a volcano to find the Hamburglar, who says the Magic Bag escaped from him. After collecting all six of his cards, they confront the Magic Bag, which attacks with a tied flag, a magic wand, and a rabbit in a hat. Defeating the bag returns it to Ronald.
Reader's Guide
M.C. Kids is notable as a licensed McDonald's game that attempted to compete with major platformers like Super Mario Bros. 3. Its gameplay includes novel mechanics such as a spin device that reverses gravity, zipper warps, and a carryable boat. The game features seven worlds, each starting with a visit to a McDonaldland character. Critics from GamePro and N-Force praised its original mechanics, spinner blocks, zipper entrances, and hidden puzzle cards, suggesting it was competitive with Mario series games. A 2010 Nintendolife review scored it 6 out of 10, noting uneven difficulty but colorful graphics and innovative physics. Programmer Gregg Tavares expressed disappointment at the game's poor reception, especially compared to later Virgin games. The game was ported to multiple home computers as McDonaldland, sold only in Europe. A different Game Boy version, also called McDonaldland, was re-themed outside Europe as Spot: The Cool Adventure for the Cool Spot franchise. An unofficial modified version, MC Mario, replaced the player characters with Nintendo's Mario Bros from Super Mario Bros. 3; Tavares acknowledged the hack in 2003 but expressed disappointment at the ripoff.
Did You Know?
- The game was created by four people in eight months: Darren Bartlett (art and level design), Gregg Iz-Tavares and Dan Chang (programming), and Charles Deenen (audio).
- The magazine advertisement for M.C. Kids featured a mohawked Darren Bartlett hanging upside-down on the Virgin Games sign.
- An unofficial modified version called MC Mario replaced the player characters with Nintendo's Mario Bros as they appear in Super Mario Bros. 3.
- The Game Boy version was re-themed outside Europe as Spot: The Cool Adventure for the Cool Spot franchise.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is M.C. Kids?
M.C. Kids is a 1992 side-scrolling platformer created as a promotional tie-in for McDonald's restaurants. Virgin Games developed and published it for North America, while Ocean Software handled the European release under the McDonaldland name.
What is the plot of M.C. Kids?
Two young heroes, Mack and Mick, must travel across the fictional McDonaldland to recover Ronald McDonald's enchanted bag, which the mischievous Hamburglar has stolen. Their quest takes them through a series of themed levels populated by familiar McDonald's characters.
Who can you play as in M.C. Kids?
Players control either Mack or Mick, the two children who serve as the game's protagonists. They are joined by supporting characters such as Ronald McDonald, Grimace, Birdie, and a Professor, while the Hamburglar acts as the main antagonist.
What consoles and computers did M.C. Kids come out on?
The title was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS, and Game Boy. The NES version launched in North America in February 1992 and reached Europe in May 1993.
Who made M.C. Kids?
Virgin Games both developed and published the game for the North American market. A small four-person team completed the project in roughly eight months, with Darren Bartlett contributing the art and level design.
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