When Disney fans see Mickey Mouse taking a role similar to the sorcerer’s apprentice from “Fantasia,” they know trouble is brewing.

In Disney’s “Epic Mickey” for the Wii, the meddlesome mouse sneaks into a sorcerer’s studio and uses pots of paint and thinner to create a somber setting known as Wasteland. And, as usual, it’s up to Mickey to clean up his mess.

After the opening scene presents the problem, Mickey is plunked down in Wasteland, which resembles a Magic Kingdom gone wrong. The evil Shadow Blot, ornery Oswald the Rabbit, a mad scientist, menacing guardians, helpful gremlins and a wide selection of more powerful baddies populate landscapes that bear a definite resemblance to famous Disney attractions.

Mickey will travel throughout Wasteland, meeting nonplayer characters who will offer quests or sell items that can help him in his effort to defeat Shadow Blot and return home.

Mickey’s primary weapons and tools in his adventure are paint and thinner. Paint can restore missing areas or add new items, while thinner can erase them. For example, if Mickey encounters a gap in the road, he can squirt paint there and create a bridge to the other side. Or, if a rockslide has blocked his way, he can squirt thinner beneath the boulders and cause them to drop into a void, which can then be closed up again with a layer of paint.

Paint and thinner are also handy in battles. Squirting thinner at an enemy can eliminate him, but squirting paint can win him over as an ally — very helpful in larger battles.

Paint-splashing is a cool gimmick, but the bulk of the game play doesn’t really stray that much from that of a traditional platformer — running, jumping, solving puzzles, collecting power-ups and bashing enemies.

The controls are a wee bit stiff, though not enough to affect game play much. A bigger problem is the switching of perspective at inconvenient times. When jumping from platform to platform, it’s not uncommon for the camera to switch to an awkward angle that can throw off your rhythm.

The graphics are very good. The palette is on the dark side — a turn-off for my wife, who’s a huge fan of Disney — but fitting to the theme.

My biggest gripe was the lack of the kind of magical spark that makes classic Disney franchises super popular. Even though I was bounding through an interesting fantasy setting with a magic paintbrush, the action seemed incredibly routine — and often boring. A few more doses of whimsy and humor would have made this one go down a lot easier.

Platform: Wii

Online: www.disney.go.com/mickey/

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