Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The first hour has a pleasantly straightforward rhythm. You guide Carl and Russell through platforming stages, swap attention between their different talents, and work out how to turn those talents into a route forward. Carl’s walking aid doubles as a jumping aid and crowbar, while Russell can handle narrow ledges, insects, and enemies with his magnifying glass. None of that is hard to grasp, which makes the game immediately approachable.

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Its puzzles are where the design earns its keep. They are built around cooperation rather than elaborate brainteasers, asking you to notice which character can solve the immediate obstacle. Dug’s occasional appearances add another useful wrinkle, since he can fit through small holes and swim. If you are playing co-op, that division of abilities gives both people something concrete to do instead of leaving one player to merely follow along.

There is also more variety than the basic platforming premise initially suggests. Biplane levels break up the ground-based stages, and the additional minigames include a raft trip centered on avoiding crocodiles. The game also lets Carl and Russell gain gadgets that open fresh areas in completed levels, so revisiting stages has a purpose. Still, the central platforming remains fairly simple, and repetition can set in if you want demanding movement or especially intricate puzzles.

Graphics

The strongest visual connection to the film comes through the use of actual movie cutscenes to tell the story. For fans, that gives the adventure a direct line back to the source material and helps bridge the gaps between playable stages without asking the game itself to carry every story beat.

Beyond that, this is a game whose presentation has to support a broad, family-friendly platforming format. The important practical point is clarity: Carl, Russell, and Dug have distinct roles, and the stages are designed around identifying where those roles apply. That readability matters more here than visual spectacle.

Do not go in expecting the presentation to be the main reason to play. The movie material supplies familiarity, but the game is better judged by whether its platforming spaces and character abilities stay easy to read during play. They serve that purpose, even if the overall package does not suggest a lavish reinvention of the film.

Story

The setup retains the emotional foundation of Up: Carl Fredericksen finally pursues the adventurous life he had long wanted after the death of his wife, with scout Russell joining him. It is a strong starting point for a family game because Carl’s late-in-life leap into adventure gives the journey an immediate sense of purpose.

This version tells its story with cutscenes taken from the movie, which is both a convenience and a strength. You get the film’s story beats presented in their original form rather than through a heavily rewritten game-only plot. That makes it especially welcoming if you know the movie and want a playable companion to it.

The downside is inherent to that approach: the story is less a new reason to revisit this world than a familiar framework around the levels. If you have no attachment to the film, the narrative alone is unlikely to carry you through. If you do, Carl and Russell’s partnership gives the puzzle-solving a warmer context than a generic licensed platformer would have.

Overall Experience

Disney•Pixar Up is a capable, lightly enjoyable adaptation that understands its audience. You are not here for punishing precision or deep systems; you are here to explore a movie-themed adventure with accessible puzzles, a few detours into other activities, and a co-op structure that makes sharing the controller—or using two—worthwhile.

The extra levels, minigames, unlockable extras, and revisit-friendly gadget progression give it more to do than a bare movie tie-in. Its multiplayer options also extend beyond the main campaign with two-player variants and several minigames that can be run as a four-player tournament. That is meaningful added value for a household that wants something social and low-pressure.

At the same time, the modest difficulty and basic platforming put a ceiling on its appeal. Give it a chance if you want an approachable co-op game for younger players or if the film already means something to you. Skip it if you need your platformers to keep surprising you mechanically. It lands as a pleasant, serviceable adventure rather than an essential one.

Retro Replay Score

6.5/10