This is another one of my favorite licensed/Disney games and video games in general. The licensed games based on the "Aladdin" movie no doubt had a very interesting run as both came out for different consoles but were both totally different.
This was a good move because most of the time with licensed properties their always just the same game altogether but just on different consoles with some minor differences in each. It also meant creative freedom and twice the fun as it's a whole different experience, it's the same story just a different game.
I really like the graphical presentation as it's pretty much the common one for all games released from my favorite company Capcom. But I'm fine with that because it always fits like a glove for any to everyone of the Disney properties as if those presentations were made for them. Like in most of the Capcom games their colorful and lively. Music in the game is also good as their pretty much the SNES versions of the famous music you heard from the original movie, I always love hearing the video game tracks on movie soundtracks giving those tracks a universal appeal as they still sound good in any version or remix.
But there are also some original tracks that weren't in the film but are just as memorable in this game. Though may favorite song is the "Whole New World" song, I never thought the SNES track would be just as beautiful.
The gameplay is spot on, the game is your platform actioner but here it's more like with Mario sort of, however what makes this stand out are in the layout of the levels and some of the physics in the game.
You have your basic jump function to help get from point A to B but you can also use it to take down some enemies. You even have apples as your long-range weapon which can stun enemies but also take certain targets from a distance down, this of course was also in the "Genesis" version (which I reviewed).
I really like the stages, each of them are the typical go from point A to B but it's how it's layered and it's execution that makes it stand out, is always something different which keeps the game fresh and challenging. They are all well layered as there are some secret areas in each of the stages which gives the game sort of that treasure hunt aspect, and you can say stays true to the spirt of the film but just simply makes the game more fun.
Each of the levels are based on most of the scenes and what occurred in the movie, even like that they added a few stages on places which weren't even in the original film which is common in most licensed games to make the game longer though you can are extra scenes that weren't in the film; most importantly this just enhances the feeling of actually playing the movie itself.
This also helps in making the game memorable, from Cave of Wonders, Lamp of the Gene which is one of my favorites as it's a surreal fun funny atmosphere, but my other favorite is the magic carpet ride which is sort of like a shooter though there is no shooting but I always love this stage because I always like those moving platform stages but also the carpet ride was always one of my favorite scenes in the movie.
What makes this game stand out is in the movements of your character which look fluid and vibrant and feel true to the character as he's that way in the film. But I like the physics he has where he can hang onto ledge and jumping onto poles and doing a flip, grabbing onto bars to swing and jump. And in midair you can glide and descend with a sheet you carry with you.
This really works to your advantage for some of those hard-to-reach areas or even a protective precaution in case you might accidently fall, but most importantly it makes you character you control feel like there is some weight to him. This also causes you to slow down and think a little before going from point A to B as your character operates on certain physics, so you need to pick you jumps and movements carefully in places.
This is a Disney game and SNES vintage classic like any hidden treasure in the film is worth uncovering.
Rating: 4 stars.
