A polished, colorful Japanese Donald platformer, released late and forgotten. Solid progression and genuine Disney charm.
Your verdict
Category
Platformer1 player3+
Description
Platformer featuring Donald Duck as a ninja traversing dungeons and temples in the American version. Published by Disney Interactive, released in the USA in 1996. Donald in ninja costume facing enemies in medieval Asian levels, shadow and shuriken attacks and creative bosses. American version of the Maui Mallard platformer on Super Nintendo.
Maui Mallard in Cold Shadow review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
A Disney cartoon of expressive animation, Donald as an adventurer and colourful exotic settings: the game unfurls an enchantment full of humour and fluidity. The suppleness of the line and the richness of the hues overflow with charm. This art direction, polished and warm, beautifully restores the spirit of the cartoon.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Engaging"
Difficulty
"Easy"
Lifespan
"Average"
Technical info
💾2,1 MB📅01/01/1996
Published by Disney Interactive
Maui Mallard in Cold Shadow (SNES) price, value & rarity
A 1996 US SNES Disney Interactive release, North-American-exclusive for this version (PAL and Mega Drive existing in parallel). The US cart was released at the very end of the US SNES cycle with a drastically short print. Boxed CIB in an intact box with manual has become a difficult collectible, and graded sealed prices climb hard, sustained by real physical scarcity and by the cult status of the Donald adventure under the Maui Mallard identity.
Is Maui Mallard in Cold Shadow still worth playing in 2026?
A Disney platformer from Eurocom, Maui Mallard casts Donald Duck as a tropical detective able to transform into the ninja Cold Shadow. The superb animation, the visual humour and the alternation between the two forms offer a rich, polished platformer, typical of Disney's 16 bit craft. The high difficulty and a few demanding ninja staff sections sharpen the adventure. An excellent platform game to recommend for Donald fans and lovers of handsomely produced 16 bit action.
