Genesis REVIEWS: Disney's Aladdin

Of the many Disney-licensed games in the 16-bit era, none is more famous or well regarded as the pair of Aladdin games on the Genesis and SNES. The fact that both games were considered good meant a comparison between the two always took place in the middle of the larger console wars debate.

Aladdin on the SNES was a good game, but Aladdin on the Genesis has some more obvious qualities that elevated it as the better game in the consensus. Even if not by such a large margin.

30: Disney's Aladdin:-

Year: 1993.
Genre: Action Platformer.
Publisher: Sega.
Developer: Virgin Games.

"In Agrabah, a faraway land of wind and sand, a young street-rat named Aladdin must steal to survive"

Obviously, a licensed Aladdin game in 1993 would basically try to cover the plot of the film's story to the best of its ability. Aladdin on the Genesis does mostly that, and by borrowing some of the talent in Disney, it manages to convey the style of the film as well.

For the game to actually benefit from its license, it's not enough for it to follow the basic plot, which it does in a very rudimentary 16-bit game style. It should also convey its style. Which is what this game does.

Abu's animation and facial expression convey exactly how much style was lifted from the movie

The guards, who serve as basic enemy fodder, walk around and behave as they do in the movie. If you see a guard accidentally walking on burning coals, they prance about just like they did in the first song. Elsewhere, the game's levels, music, animation, and general style fit in really well. Even the gameover screen manages to convey the wonderful comedy of the Genie for a bit.

Unfortunately, that game-over screen and one ugly level are all of the Genie's contribution to the game. Even Abu has more screen time, ignoring the fact that Aladdin would be a poor movie if not for the brilliance of Big Blue.


"Infidels...Now you will never see the light of day again"

No matter how well you use the license, it doesn't matter if the gameplay is not good. Thankfully, the gameplay in Aladdin is good. More focused on action than platforming, Aladdin goes through many stages where he has to defend himself with his trusty sword. He can also throw apples.

The sword is good, and its ability to deflect attacks and projectiles makes it much more useful than you would initially think, due to its short range. Using it is also cooler than throwing apples.

Movement is fluid, especially with such good animations, and you are almost always involved in doing something in these varied levels. However, I feel that just as with many games in the 16-bit era, this could have benefited from a level or two more. It is just too short.

One disappointing aspect of the game is the boss battles. They are rudimentary at best, but that is being very generous. Take the final boss, for example, you can only defeat him using apples. Since apples are a consumable item, your supply could run out before you defeat Jafar (spoiler alert: Jafar is the final boss). When you then die, you go to a checkpoint near the boss, with only 10 apples, which are not enough to kill him. Meaning you must go back through the level picking up apples like some damn part-time fruit picker. Worst of all, the fight is mind-numbingly boring.

The boss battle might look great, but it is very boring. I don't think Aladdin would make it against Jafar with just three apples

Other than that, the gameplay is fun enough, with some variety sprinkled in. Abu's bonus stages are a singular highlight, especially with their soundtrack, but other attempts at variety are also good if not particularly effective.


"Free from the magic lamp, the Genie helps Aladdin escape the cave of wonders"

I would argue that what made Aladdin such a memorable game from the 16-bit era. Probably, the most memorable of licensed games is its impeccable art direction.

It is simply one of the best-looking (if not THE best) games on the Genesis. The clear, large, and detailed sprites are nice. However, it's how they move that makes them especially unique. No surprise then to learn that actual Disney animators worked with the development team on this.

While not the same level of care was given to the backgrounds of the game's stages, the fact that every sprite was carefully designed and animated to be faithful to the film makes this a beautiful-looking game.

This is what allows it to easily imitate the playful spirit of the film in the game.

With graphics as good as this, even traditionally boring stages, such as lava stages, look great

What seals the deal, though, is the game's musical score. I don't know how they did it, but Aladdin manages to transform all of the songs in the film into a 16-bit score wonderfully. Listening to "Prince Ali" while jumping around in the streets of Agrabah is, of course, a delight.

I didn't particularly like the level inside the lamp, but "A Friend Like Me" pushed me right through it with a nostalgic smile on my face. Even tracks unrelated to the movie, such as the one playing in Abu's bonus stage, are rather decent.

Definitely, the game's graphics and musical score are its greatest assets.


In Conclusion:

I still have not decided which of the two 16-bit Aladdin games I prefer. I know that I like both, and I know that, outside of their use of the license and the very good production value, neither is actually a very special game.

However, they are good games, and are very good examples of a license being used well. The Genesis Aladdin lacks the polish of the SNES version, but it makes up for that with Disney's own help in its production.

Final: 8/10 (Recommended)

Jafar Jafar, he is our man, if he can't do it then.... GREAT

 

Pros:

• Good use of the license
• Fun gameplay
• Great graphics
• Great music 

Cons:

• Terrible boss battles
• Rather a short game

Tips:

1. Apples are the best way to deal with bosses.
2. You can use your sword to deflect most projectiles.
3. Make sure you have an adequate supply of apples for the final boss; you cannot defeat him without them.

Series:

For those reading one of my Genesis review blogs for the first time, here is the basic concept:

I already reviewed a bunch of SNES games, so, naturally, I am going to review the games of its prime competition. Does the SEGA Genesis stand a chance against the legendary SNES library?

My review series is based on the top 100 list of Retro Sanctuary

Originally, I posted most of my content on a football forum called "Goallegacy," which was the first online community I had ever joined. I found it to be the best place for a football fan (the REAL football, not handegg) to hang out on the internet, but the forum is not as active as it was years ago.

Next Game:

Between the two 16-bit Aladdin games, I can't really decide which I actually prefer. Both are good games that use the license well, and both are good games that sadly rely on that license doing most of the legwork. Of course, the Sega version won commercially, with Aladdin on the Genesis being the 3rd best seller in that system.

Next game is compared to A Link to the Past, at #24, Crusader of Centy is obviously not considered as good, but it looks very interesting indeed. It's made by Atlus, which makes it one of the earliest games that have been localized by that company

Stay Tuned.

For Previous Genesis Game Reviews:

The List

This blog was originally posted in Destructoid Community Blogs on November 2nd, 2017. The blog was slightly edited to fit my newer review format.