Disney's Aladdin (video game)
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| Aladdin | |
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| Developer(s) | Virgin Interactive, Inc. Disney Interactive Studios, Inc. |
| Publisher(s) | Virgin Interactive |
| Designer(s) | David Bishop, Disney |
| Platform(s) | Sega Genesis, Amiga, MS-DOS, NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color |
| Release date | Mega Drive US November 11, 1993 EU November 11, 1993 JPN November 12, 1993 |
| Genre(s) | Action, Platform |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Rating(s) | VRC: GA |
| Media | ROM cartridge |
| Input methods | Game controller |
Disney's Aladdin is a video game based on the 1992 motion picture of the same name, released in the 16-bit era. Unlike some cross-platform games of both then and now, the three versions (Sega Genesis, Super NES, and Sega Master System/Sega Game Gear) are in fact three completely different games.
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[edit] Genesis version
The game from Virgin based on the 1992 animated Disney film, released initially on the Sega Genesis console, is a side-scrolling platformer.
The Genesis version was released in 1993 jointly by Virgin Interactive and Sega. The game had remarkably fluid graphics for the time through the use of cel animation; it was produced by Virgin Interactive, by many members who would later form Shiny Entertainment and work on Earthworm Jim, including Mike Dietz and David Perry himself (who supposedly coded the game in 3 months). Also involved were veteran game designer David Bishop and animators Andy Luckey and Ian Freedman. Five original compositions and five arrangements from the movie were composed by Donald S. Griffin at the request of Virgin's audio director, Tommy Tallarico, who did the Genesis instruments and incidental transition music.
Unlike the SNES version, the Genesis version was worked on by Disney animators under the supervision of Virgin's Animation Producer Andy Luckey and Virgin animators Mike Dietz and Ian Freedman. It should be unsurprising, therefore, that the series of Disney games on the Genesis in the early 1990s capture the mood of classic Disney animation better than any before or since.[citation needed] This was achieved by use of the "Digicel" process -- developed at Virgin Interactive by David Perry, Andy Astor, Andy Luckey and Dr. Stephen Clarke-Willson. The process successfully compressed the data from the animator's drawings into the limited processing capacity of the Sega Genesis cartridge and/or Mega Drive[1]
[edit] Game design
The game mostly involves killing enemies with basic swordplay and jumping across ledges. Several levels were very different, including one level where Aladdin must escape from the Cave of Wonders on Carpet and another where he must jump across the Agrabah's rooftops. The game featured few bosses.
The player controls Aladdin, who must make his way through several levels based on locations from the movie: from the streets and rooftops of Agrabah, the Cave of Wonders and the Sultan's dungeon to the final confrontation in Grand Vizier Jafar's palace. The Sultan's guards and also animals of the desert want to hinder Aladdin in his way. He can defend himself with his sword or by throwing apples. Next to apples, Aladdin can also collect gems which can be traded for lives and continues with a traveling trader. Finding Genie or Abu icons enables bonus rounds. The Genie bonus round is a game of luck played for apples, gems or extra lives. In Abu's bonus round, the player controls the little monkey who has to catch bonus items that fall from the sky, but without touching any of the unwanted objects like rocks and pots.
The game's sprites are all done by Walt Disney Feature Animation.
[edit] Levels
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- Agrabah Market: Aladdin fights guards in the market, in a level based on the "One Jump Ahead" scene in the film. The music is based on "Prince Ali".
- The Desert: set in the Cave of Wonders desert, where Aladdin must find half of the beetle jewel that opens the way to the cave.
- Agrabah Rooftops: Aladdin gets the other half of the beetle jewel fighting with Gazeem (the thief featured in Aladdin's beginning). The music is based on "One Jump Ahead".
- Sultan's Dungeon: Aladdin fights his way out of the prison, although it is a short part of the film (in the same day Aladdin is arrested, Jafar, disguised as an old man releases him). The music is based on "Arabian Nights".
- Cave of Wonders: Aladdin goes through the Cave of Wonders in search for the Magic Lamp.
- The Escape: the Cave is collapsing, and Aladdin fights through it.
- Rug Ride: the last part of the escape, riding on the Magic Carpet.
- Inside the Lamp: a surreal world inspired by the "Friend Like Me" musical.
- Sultan's Palace: Aladdin goes through the palace. In the PC version, the music is based on "Arabian Nights". The level includes a boss fight with Iago.
- Jafar's Palace: the final battle with Jafar (that like in the movie, becomes a cobra).
[edit] Control
The three fire buttons were assigned to three actions for Aladdin: throwing an apple, jumping, and swinging his scimitar. The apples used up a limited supply of ammunition and were useful for distractions and for stunning enemies, but did not do much damage.
[edit] Ports
A NES game was released in Europe based on this version. It was also ported, unofficially, twice more to the NES under the names Super Aladdin and Aladdin 2; Super Aladdin is generally considered superior to the official port. The (original) NES version was in turn also made into a Game Boy version, which was compatible with the Super Game Boy and later ported to Game Boy Color. Also, PC versions (Amiga and DOS) were based on the Genesis version. The only difference in the PC version from the console one is the health meter: in the Genesis, it is a lamp that releases more steam when hit; in the computer, it is an hourglass, alongside the Genie (whose face becomes more desperate as the health lowers).
[edit] Easter Eggs
- A pair of Mickey Mouse ears can be found hanging on a clothesline in The Desert. By positioning himself and pressing up, Aladdin 'wears' the ears and earns extra lives.
- A Sega Genesis can be seen in the background of the "Inside the Lamp" level.
- A Goofy totem pole also provides power-ups.
- In the level where Aladdin has to escape from the Palace Dungeon, some skulls in the background have Mickey Mouse ears. Additionally, in that level Sebastian can be seen in the background in chains.
- Aladdin had digital music throughout the game, using .AMF files, a digital module format similar to .MODs. (AMF is the format used by Otto Chrons' Digital Sound and Music Interface, or DSMI)
- A cheat allows access to a cheat menu, featuring invincibility and a level select. Upon accessing this menu, players are greeted by the head of David Perry.
[edit] SNES version
| Aladdin | |
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| Developer(s) | Capcom |
| Publisher(s) | Capcom |
| Designer(s) | Shinji Mikami |
| Platform(s) | Super NES, NES (unofficial) and Game Boy Advance |
| Release date | Super Nintendo November 26, 1993 November, 1993 January 27, 1994Nintendo Entertainment System EU December 31, 1994 Game Boy Advance September 28, 2004 Released |
| Genre(s) | Action |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Input methods | Game controller |
The Super Nintendo version of Aladdin was developed and published by Capcom. Unlike the Sega Mega Drive version of the game, the player does not equip a scimitar. The storyline more or less closely follows the plot of its namesake, the Disney full-length animated motion picture, with Aladdin going from a street rat to a prince, who first woos, and then has to rescue, the Princess Jasmine. Most levels and stages of the game will be readily recognized by people who have seen the motion picture, but there are a few levels that have nothing to do with the movie - including an Egyptian pyramid and a surreal world where Genie — dressed in a tuxedo — serves as Aladdin's guide. The game features renditions of the soundtrack from the Disney motion picture, as well as several mini-games dependent on the player catching a golden scarab or collecting all diamonds within a stage. An extra challenge involved finding 70 red diamonds throughout the game. While they weren't necessary for ending the game, the credits screen changes slightly according to how many diamonds were collected. That version sold over 1.75 million units worldwide[2]
The reason that the Super Nintendo version of developed by Capcom and not Virgin Interactive was that the film came out at a time when Capcom held the licensing rights to games on Nintendo consoles based on Disney intellectual property. This deal resulted in some classic titles as Ducktales, Darkwing Duck, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (Game Boy version), and Goof Troop. The license expired some time between the cinematic releases of Aladdin and The Lion King, as the videogame adaptation of The Lion King was developed by Virgin Interactive on all platforms including the Super Nintendo, and the Mega Drive version of Aladdin was ported to the NES for a European release on New Years' Eve 1994. The Capcom version was also ported unofficially to the NES by an unknown company in 1995.
A version of the game would also later receive a port for the Game Boy Advance with an extra stage, though all the songs based directly on the original movie were replaced with new music.
[edit] Master System/Game Gear Version
This version was developed by SIMS and published by Sega, and released in 1994. The game is basically the same on both systems, except for the screen size. Gameplay in much of the game resembles Flashback: The Quest for Identity or Prince of Persia.
[edit] Other Aladdin games
- Aladdin: Nasira's Revenge, released in 2001 for the PlayStation, Windows 95 and 98, was developed by Argonaut Games and distributed by Activision. Nasira's Revenge was a 3D platformer with a plot featuring Jafar's sister, Nasira.
- Disney's Aladdin Chess Adventures, a chess computer game with the Aladdin license was released in 2004 by Vivendi Universal
- Aladdin is featured in the Kingdom Hearts RPG series, which are a crossover between Disney and Square Enix. Agrabah is a playable world, where the storylines of the movies are followed with new dialogues and altered situations to fit the games' protagonists (Sora, Donald, and Goofy) and Aladdin joins Sora's party. Kingdom Hearts and Chain of Memories follow Aladdin's plot, and Kingdom Hearts II takes on The Return of Jafar. It is currently stated that the Agrabah world will appear in both Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days.
[edit] References
- ^ Horowitz, Ken: Interview with Dr. Stephen Clarke-Willson Accessed February 12, 2008
- ^ Platinum List (Capcom's Bestsellers) Capcom Investor Relations Page Accessed February 12, 2008
[edit] External links
- Disney's Aladdin at MobyGames
- Aladdin Nasira's Revenge gamespace on GameSpot
- Aladdin Chess Adventures gamespace at IGN
- Aladdin (Sega Genesis) at the Internet Movie Database
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