Disney's Aladdin (Capcom)

Aladdin
North American SNES box art
Developer(s)	Capcom
Publisher(s)	Capcom
Designer(s)	Shinji Mikami
Composer(s)	Yuki Iwai Yuko Takehara Setsuo Yamamoto
Platform(s)	SNES, Game Boy Advance
Release date(s)	November 26, 1993 Super Nintendo JP: November 26, 1993 NA: November 21, 1993 EU: January 27, 1994 Game Boy Advance JP: August 1, 2003 EU: March 19, 2004 NA: September 28, 2004
Genre(s)	Action, platformer
Mode(s)	Single-player

Disney's Aladdin (アラジン, Arajin) is a 1993 platformer video game developed by Capcom for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).^[1] Based on the film of the same name, Disney's Aladdin is a 2D side-scrolling video game in which the player characters are Aladdin and his monkey Abu.^[2] It was designed by Shinji Mikami.^[3]

The game was released in November 1993, the same month that another game with the same title was released by Virgin Games for Sega Genesis.^[4] The two games vary in several respects, such as Aladdin carrying a sword in the Virgin game but not in the Capcom game.^[3] The Capcom game was ported to Game Boy Advance (GBA) in Japan on August 1, 2003, in Europe on March 19, 2004, ^[5] and in North America on September 28, 2004.

Gameplay

One of the SNES version's stages

Within each stage, Aladdin must defeat foes by jumping on them or disorienting them by throwing apples while avoiding dangerous obstacles. Gems can be collected to gain extra lives and points, and 8 red gems located within each stage will substantially increase the player's score. Also most stages contain a treasure chest holding a scarab that flies about for a few seconds, if the player collects it before it disappears they will access a bonus stage in which they spin a wheel that allows Genie to grant them extra lives and other special bonuses. Aladdin also has a health meter of hearts (starting with 3) which will deplete each time he is hit. These can be increased through pickups or through the bonus stages as well.

The escape from the Cave of Wonders and the carpet ride with Princess Jasmine are both stages in which the player rides the Magic Carpet through self-scrolling stages. While in the Cave of Wonders the player must traverse up and down to avoid dangerous obstacles while outrunning waves of lava, the ride with Jasmine is a free-flying bonus stage (between stages 5 and 6) in which the player can collect gems; the bonus stage ends when the melody to A Whole New World ends. Only stages 1, 6 and 7 have a boss to defeat (stage 7 being the final stage), while stages 2, 3, 4 and 5 require reaching the end to complete.

Reception

Reception (SNES)
Review scores Publication Score AllGame 17.5 / 20[6] EGM 33 / 40[7] Famitsu 92%[8] GameFan 356 / 400[9] GamePro 4.5 / 5[10] GamesMaster 78%[11] Datormagazin [12] Mega Fun 85%[13]

Electronic Gaming Monthly's four reviewers scored the Super NES version 8, 8, 9 and 8 out of 10, adding up to 33 out of 40 (average 8.25 out of 10). They commented that the graphics, animation, music and gameplay are all outstanding.^[7] GameFan's four reviewers scored it 90%, 89%, 87% and 90%.^[9] Pedro Hernandez of Nintendo World Report gave the game a positive review, saying that "Capcom truly did something great with this Super NES game".^[14] A ScrewAttack reviewer also gave the game a positive review, saying that it was one of the best SNES games.^[15]

Shinji Mikami, the Capcom game's designer, said that if he had not made the SNES game, he "would probably buy" the Virgin game because it has a sword and better animation.^[3]

The GBA port received mixed reviews.^[16] Avi Fryman of GameSpy called the port of Disney's Aladdin "the most monumentally disappointing" of all the ports from SNES to GBA.^[17]

References