1. Antarctic Adventure (Famicom)
2. Nuts & Milk (Famicom)
3. Commando (Atari 2600)
4. Binary Land (Famicom)
5. Devil World (Famicom)
6. Disney's Aladdin (SNES)
Growing up, I quickly developed a distaste for licensed platformers. The great majority I encountered were sub-mediocre, simple cash-ins attempting to ride the coattails of whatever film, movie, or cartoon show was hot. Even "good" developers like Konami dropped some stinkers (you know what I'm thinking of). Then there was the way publications like Nintendo Power rubbed these games in our faces. Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny appear on magazine covers while juggernauts like
Ogre Battle end up buried in the pages of "Epic Center" -- unacceptable!
Of course the "all licensed games are bad" stereotype is just that: a stereotype. A great many of these games are undeniably well-crafted. For example, Capcom's
Disney's Aladdin for the SNES (later ported to the GBA). Note that the Virgin and SIMS developed games for computers and Sega systems are completely different beasts altogether.
Based on the 1992 film of the same name (ya don't say!), the game chronicles the journey of street urchin and wannabe prince Aladdin as he attempts the court the love of Princess Jasmine and defeat the evil Jafar. Oh yeah, and there's a genie too. And a monkey. The game's a "hop and bop" type of platformer, though Aladdin is also equipped with a projectile weapon (apples) that can stun enemies for a spell. Said produce is mostly effective against smaller foes and in the game's earliest stages. Later levels are full of pitfalls, so it's easier to just get into a rhythm of hopping over or on everything. When I finished the game I had a cache of 99 apples.
Every environment featured in the movie has been meticulously recrafted for the game. Aladdin begins in his desert hometown and traverses through caverns and temples, before facing Jafar in the Sultan's palace. Of course, sticking closely to a movie typically don't provide a developer with quite enough to work with, so some areas need to be invented. Here, Aladdin makes a detour into the genie's lamp: a series of trippy platforming challenges rife with bizarre comical sprite work.
This is a beautiful game. Every stage is adorned with massive hand-drawn(?) backgrounds -- many of which foreshadow things to come. Sprites are huge and animation frames are high. Aladdin runs, slides, leaps, swings, glides. There's a touch of
Prince of Persia and
The Lost Vikings in this control scheme, as our eponymous hero can swing from hooks, grab ledges, and glide through the air with the aid of a swath of cloth obtained early on. For comic relief there's an AI-controlled Abu toddling behind Aladdin at all times, triumphantly munching on apples at level's end.
As a break from the platforming, there are two magic carpet ride segments. The first (the cave escape) is a bit controversial -- this is the only spot in the game where the control falters a bit and some memorization is required to successfully avoid the insta-death lava wave and rock wall hazards. And before we had "dating simulators" in the West we were instead treated to the "A Whole New World" Aladdin/Jasmine date scene: a tranquil sort of a "bonus stage" with an enemy tally of zero.
Ultimately, the game's just
fun to play. It's indubitably smooth and fluid and locks right down into that addictive platforming groove almost immediately.
Aladdin's hour-long playtime is an asset rather than a detriment -- there's no putzing around here; just a succinct linear journey from initial conflict to resolution.
Interspersed between most stages are cutscenes. These are lifted straight from the film, naturally, and while the graphical stills look fantastic, the choppy halted text leaves something to be desired. The soundtrack is excellent -- of course Capcom had the benefit of using Disney's original score. Each tune from the film is recreated in glorious chiptune, with some original work thrown into the mix as well.
One possible point of contention: the game is very, very easy. Life refills are numerous, and post-stage bonuses provide frequent one-ups, permanent health upgrades, and additional (unneeded) continues. Boilerplate enemies provide virtually zero challenge, and there's a distinct absence of boss battles. And with the "grab every ledge" mechanic, seeing Aladdin fall victim to a pitfall is a rare sight indeed. Personally, I welcome the low difficulty, as it meshes well with the overall film/game aesthetic. Artificially pumping up the challenge leads to goofy clunkers like Westwood Studios' adaptation of
The Lion King.
For those seeking an addition challenge, there is a "collectathon" involving a series of hard-to-reach red gems scattered around each stage. It's not particularly fun, and it's something I've always ignored, but if you're eager to see an extra five seconds tacked onto the game's ending cutscene then go for it.
Not only is
Aladdin one of the best licensed titles of the retro era, it's also one of the stronger platformers of any variety. Capcom and Disney truly forged a special bond back in the days of yore (*sniffle*) -- this is one of the best things to emerge from that relationship.
