Gaming Wars in the 90's - Aladdin Vs Aladdin

Guest Blog by Kevin K @Agent_Prince

Aladdin Vs Aladdin - Sega Mega Drive/Genesis Vs Super Nintendo

Forget the current resolution wars between Call of Duty on PS4 and Xbox One; this one intellectual property added to the already-brutal console wars of the 90’s, and is still diversifying to this day. I remember having brutal arguments with friends when I was 13 years old, defending my choice at the time. 
Having experienced both from start to finish, is there a definitive answer as to which is best? Let’s see which one truly is the diamond in the rough. (Sorry).

Aladdin (SNES)
First of all, Aladdin on both SNES and Sega Mega Drive were published and developed independently, the former by Capcom, due to its Disney licensing rights with Nintendo consoles at the time. It is a simple, enjoyable and often challenging 2D side-scrolling platformer, with some of the crispest visuals to ever appear on the platform, with a great, faithful soundtrack. Although not the longest of games, every level plays out at pretty breakneck pace, as you vault from posts in the ground and swing from those stuck out of walls, Prince of Persia-like.

Capcom also used the Super Mario method of bad guy disposal: jumping on them. This version was the first hit game of designer Shinji Mikami, of Resident Evil/Vanquish fame, and it is indeed the level design that is Aladdin’s greatest attribute. The traversing of obstacles flow effortlessly when negotiated with the desired precision, in order to get all the health-increasing gems and 1-ups. It’s a game to perfect as well as conquer, with the charm and essence of the movie all wrapped up in a nice few hours of entertainment.

Aladdin on the SNES - That move though

Aladdin (Sega Mega Drive)
This version was published and developed by Sega and Virgin Games respectively, with Sega’s licensing giving them something Capcom didn't – working with Disney’s Animation Studios. Yes, Disney actually animated this game, so naturally, the character sprites looked ripped right out of the movie, and are superbly animated. But not just the visuals were different; Aladdin was given a sword, and jumping on enemies just caused you harm – cue a more recent Prince of Persia homage with its basic swordplay. For those enemies further away, collected apples could be thrown, which added an extra dimension to the very few boss fights.

Unfortunately for me, the fun factor soon transitions into massive frustration, and ultimately annoyance. The learning curve steeply rises about halfway through, while the ‘Rug Ride’ level was nearly as frustrating and life-sapping as the infamous Battletoads in Battlemaniacs’ bike level.

Compared to the SNES Genie level, it’s just a mess in level design, and at times very difficult. Catching, holding and jumping between several balloons with instant death should you miss, just felt unnecessary. Who knew Robin Williams’ Genie was so malicious? Oh wait, he wasn’t, so why is he TRYING TO KILL ME?
Another soon-to-be-famous designer was responsible for this version: Dave Perry, of Earthworm Jim fame. You can see the resemblances between the two. Unfortunately for Dave, I wasn’t a fan of Earthworm Jim either, despite both games’ success. It looks nice, though, I suppose.

You have my view, but the debate still rages on between the two. As recently as February 2014, Polygon posted an interview with Shinji Mikami, who stated he preferred the animation of the Mega Drive version, and further complimented the game by saying he would have probably bought the Mega Drive version – if he hadn’t have made the SNES version of course. Over on Twitter, someone declared their love for Aladdin on the Mega Drive to the @GAMEdigital handle, only for Game to re-tweet and add an image…..of the SNES version, later claiming it would be a ‘clearer’ image. Take that, Dave Perry.

Guest Blogger: Kevin K @Agent_Prince

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