Disney’s squeakiest-clean icon, Mickey Mouse, is set to return to video games next year in a mean, moody and distinctly dark adventure exclusively for Wii. Eek!

‘Epic Mickey’, as his new outing is grandly-titled, comes courtesy of Disney’s Interactive’s own Junction Point Studios and a certain Warren Spector. If that name tinkles a distant bell, he’s the designer behind such high profile titles as Deus Ex and Thief: Deadly Shadows. He’s also a self-confessed “cartoon freak”.

This will be Spector’s first work with Junction Point and Disney, and the announcement of Epic Mickey pretty much confirms the speculation sparked when concept illustrations by artist Fred Gambino were ‘leaked’ (and reported by us) earlier this summer.

But it’s all out in the open now, and Mickey Mouse in his Epic guise is the cover star of the latest Game Informer magazine, which shows the Mickster, dripping paintbrush in hand and facing off against some kind of horrific blot-creature. Meanwhile the game is described as a “steampunk” platformer, with our diminutive hero using his brush to fight nightmarish mechanised version of familiar Disney characters – including a zombie Goofy, if Gambino’s artwork is an accurate indication.

More is revealed in GI's November’s issue, which is out next Monday. Game Informer has even set up an online landing page to post new info as it arrives. We’ll keep tabs and dish the details as necessary. And, yes, we’re extremely excited too...