Disney’s Aladdin (SNES Review)

Disney’s Aladdin
Platform: Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Developed by Capcom
First Released November 21, 1993
Included in Disney Classic Games Collection

In a game loaded with entertaining hop ‘n bop action, there’s something about swinging off a peg and kicking a baddie that is SO satisfying. I put a lot of stock in combat that feels weighty.

I’m not a big fan of the Sega Genesis version of Aladdin. It’s not horrid or anything, but it ain’t all that. This is very much a minority opinion. Get this: even Shinji Mikami, certifiable legend of gaming and lead designer of the SNES version of Aladdin, says the Genesis version is superior, citing the animation and the sword. Seriously? Because the Genesis version of Aladdin also has GOTCHA cheap shots galore, boring level design, and the animation comes at the cost of having no OOMPH to the combat. Meanwhile, the acrobatic antics of Aladdin on the SNES makes for one of the best children’s games in the history of the medium. As close to perfection as a platform game gets. It’s actually one of the few games where the biggest problem is what’s missing, not what’s here. What’s here is nearly flawless.

There’s more “punch” in the act of springing off pegs than there is in the entire Genesis cart.

Make no mistake: Aladdin on the SNES is a children’s game. I’m a huge advocate for games aimed at young people, because, get this, I used to be young myself. But, being a game directly aimed at young children doesn’t have to mean “fun for only the target demographic.” I think the best family games are ones that nobody can be bored with. If you can cruise through a game designed with 9 year olds in mind without ever risking a game over and still have a good time, isn’t THAT the mark of a great game? And that’s Aladdin on the SNES. Unlike the Genesis game, combat here is traditional “jump on the bad guys” hop ‘n bop action. There’s no sword, and while you can throw apples, they don’t take out every enemy. For the human baddies, the apples daze them and open them up to attack. I prefer that to throwing apples that poof the enemies out of existence. You can also kick enemies if you’re swinging on pegs.

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Combat isn’t the focus on the SNES. If there’s a pointy object sticking out of the ground, Aladdin can probably do a handstand-flip off it. On the Super Nintendo, Aladdin’s acrobatic gameplay feels more spontaneous than on the Genesis, and that’s why I think it feels like the better version of Aladdin. Unlike yesterday’s game, Mickey Mouse III, the level design in Aladdin is fully optimized for the handspring, and it’s awesome. This is probably the closest any 2D platformer of this era came to feeling like a genuine parkour-focused game. Aladdin can hang from ledges, swing from rings or pegs, and transition seamlessly from bouncing off pegs to bouncing off the heads of enemies. It really helps that the controls are smooth and responsive. When you miss a leap, it’s always on you. My one knock is that the parachute that allows you to glide is an item that must be found. Once you have it, you keep it until you die, but there’s always one lingering around near checkpoints. Making it a collectible was a mistake and they’d been better served adding replay value by hiding more trinkets to find.

The auto-scrolling area of the Cave of Wonders level is one of the best of its breed, and I say that HATING auto-scrolling in games.

For me, the biggest problem with Aladdin isn’t what the game does, but what it doesn’t do. There’s only seven “worlds” and one of those is a glorified bonus stage based around the iconic Whole New World scene. I’d say Aladdin on the SNES is one of the most true-to-movies video games ever made, but then you have an entire world that takes place inside the Genie’s lamp (it’s the highlight of the game, easily) and a stage set in what appears to be ancient Egypt. I checked my notes and I’m almost certain Egypt is not, in fact, close to Baghdad, the setting of Aladdin (technically it’s a fictional version of Baghdad, but that’s only because Disney changed it due to the Gulf War). Great levels, mind you, but the game is too short. After the first world’s boss, you don’t fight another until a two-part battle with Jafar at the end of the game. You mean to tell me they couldn’t come up with some wacky, creative boss for inside the Genie’s lamp, or the Cave of Wonders? Really, the only “extra effort” incentive is an alternate ending if you collect over half of the red gems scattered throughout the game. The whole thing takes under an hour to complete, and while it’s an hour of non-stop fun, it’s also such a massive let down when you reach the end of an area and it does the “here’s your password” thing without any pomp or circumstance for clearing an entire stage.

There’s two magic carpet sequences. One is the harrowing escape from the Cave of Wonders. The other is this, a non-level with no enemies and no way to fail. I really do think the way the gems are placed on the stage could have been more elegant.

The Genesis version of Aladdin is famous for being rushed, but I get the impression the SNES version probably was too. It would explain why the game is so short, and especially why levels end anticlimactically. Capcom, famous for their boss fights, could only do three bosses? Really? I don’t buy it. Then again, maybe they realized that the levels and gameplay that made the final cut was as close to perfection as platforming in this era got and walked away winners. Maybe. It’s also entirely possible that, knowing the Sega Genesis was marketed towards preteens and older, Capcom decided to hedge their bets on a game that was easier, less frustrating, and more conventional than what Virgin was coming up with for their take on Aladdin. For all the talk about Aladdin’s “superior, hand-drawn visuals/animation” on the Genesis, I really don’t think the Sega version looks better than the SNES game. It looks different, but I actually prefer the traditional sprite work of the SNES version to the hand-drawn animation of the Genny’s Aladdin. Ironically, it feels more alive, and it certainly aged better. Plus, the SNES Aladdin using sprites means it doesn’t have the issues with collision detection the Genesis version does.

Since the movie didn’t have enough action scenes, they had to add content. Oddly, both games had similar ideas, like literally traveling inside the lamp. The Super NES version leans heavily into the surreal and is easily the best level in the game. The Sega Genesis version of “inside the lamp” is a complete disaster.

I’m not a big fan of the “Virgin Interactive” level design style, where levels are sprawling and you zigzag up and down walled-off sections of a gigantic stage. They did it with Aladdin, Lion King, and Jungle Book. Those games feature much fewer stand-out moments or set pieces and it gets boring doing the same stuff from point A to point B. Virgin’s Disney output always feels so.. generic. Meanwhile, I’ve played the original Prince of Persia, and I really think Aladdin accomplishes what it was trying to pull off, only better. Quick paced platforming action that’s fast, fluid, and thrilling, and it certainly doesn’t outstay its welcome. I had to remind myself that there’s very few games I’ve played where being too short is a bad thing. This is one of the few where that’s frustrating largely because what’s here is sublime.

Seriously though, this could have used more bosses.

Maybe critics and players voted for the Genesis Aladdin with their wallets thirty years ago, but if the same two games were put head-to-head today, I think the Capcom game would win. So what if this is made for little kids? Isn’t that quintessentially Disney? And most importantly, would players today prefer Capcom or Virgin’s take on Aladdin now that the whole “hand animated” thing is no longer a technological marvel. I was curious, so I put Aladdin to the test with my nieces and nephew, ages 8 to 12. They unanimously voted for the SNES game and questioned how long the levels went on for in the Genesis game. By the time they found the lamp in the Sega version, they wanted to do anything else with their time. Having just replayed both myself, I can’t believe anyone picked the Genesis game over the SNES game. That’s why Capcom’s Aladdin is the winner of the only test that I care about: the test of time.
Verdict: YES!