Game Debate #131: Aladdin

[Reed Rothchild | 9,584]

[The Count | 531]

Both great games! I prefer the SNES version, and I enjoy trying to get all the red gems, which is a challenge.

[Renmauzo | 1,205]

How timely! I just got the Genesis version in the last week or so and am looking forward to playing it as I've been hearing more and more great things about it of late.

I've always enjoyed the Capcom version (escaping the Cave of Wonders is thrilling), but I had forgotten how tough the game is. I'd rented the game a couple of times with my friend back in the day but never beat it. Flash forward to earlier this year, and I found myself thinking, "Why haven't I picked up Aladdin?" which I rectified. Once in, though, the game promptly kicked my ass.

My only gripe with the SNES game is that I find the controls aren't always to the level of precision of, say...a Mega Man X. I found myself dying numerous times where my sister said (on seeing me getting frustrated), "I literally watched your hands, you totally did 'x' and he didn't do it!?" Despite that, an easy 7 for me and a wonderful game; I'm hoping for something comparable on the Genesis and am confident it won't disappoint!

[Sumez | 2,994]

I could have sworn we've had this exact thread already  

[Reed Rothchild | 9,584]

5 minutes ago, Sumez said:

I could have sworn we've had this exact thread already  

We did, but it wasn't my official and sanctioned™ debate thread

[CodysGameRoom | 2,008]

7 minutes ago, Reed Rothchild said:

We did, but it wasn't my official and sanctioned™ debate thread

If you do a debate on an unlicensed game will it be unsanctioned?

[Reed Rothchild | 9,584]

7 minutes ago, CodysGameRoom said:

If you do a debate on an unlicensed game will it be unsanctioned?

We will never know. Licensed for life.  Suck it unlicensed nerds.

[CodysGameRoom | 2,008]

Just now, Reed Rothchild said:

We will never know. Licensed for life.  Suck it unlicensed nerds.

*goes to check if you reviewed Super Noah's Ark 3D

[JamesRobot | 5,826]

Should've played them but never did.  Mildly interested but I don't know if I'll get around to them at this point.  I'm sure the Genesis one is better.

[DarkTone | 988]

8 for mega drive. 

[MagusSmurf | 577]

Genesis 6/10

SNES 7/10

Both probably borderline on slipping into the next integer below them.

I beat the Genesis version on every difficulty earlier just this year, my opinion on that one's not gonna change. It's a decent enough game that looks great and is worth checking out if interested, but it's hampered by the distinctive western lack of polish characteristic of that era and I just didn't think there was anything really cool or distinctive enough to elevate it.

SNES Aladdin itself is merely good, not great. I haven't played this one recently but I remember it being a pretty competent game with SUPERIOR CAPCOM POLISH and all the bouncing, hanging, and flipping off stuff gave it somewhat of its own identity. I recall it was kind of a lightweight game but it's not like the Genesis game is an exceptional challenge either, some of the difficulty Gen Aladdin does offer is because of bad design here and there, and I guess SNES has the additional challenge of collecting all the red jewels though I never really bothered with that. So yeah, I'd say SNES Aladdn is better.

Both are worth playing if you like the movie or old 2D platformers, but neither is great.

Edited December 8, 2022 by MagusSmurf

[G-type | 2,523]

Loved this. Really looked like the movie. Disney had some great games on the Genesis. Mickey's Castle of Illusion is also really good.

[Webhead123 | 687]

They are both very "middling" games for me that are good enough attempts as far as licensed games go but don't really stand out in the game play department. While I do think Capcom's SNES entry feels a little more polished in core design, the Genesis game clearly boasts the superior graphics and music. Neither game is all that difficult but the SNES game is almost laughably easy (I distinctly remember beating it on my very first playthrough, the same night I brought it home from the rental store).

They are good enough time-wasters for anyone that likes platformers or games based on licenses but not the kind of experiences that really stand out in any way.

SNES - 5/10
GEN - 6/10

[DefaultGen | 5,433]

Graphics are so good on both. 7/10 for both, maybe I'd prefer the SNES version a little more for its bigger platforming focus. I remember the difficulty being uneven, mostly challenging when there are one hit deaths. You can tank hits forever, but miss a jump and it's over. In the SNES game the hardest level is the carpet level in the middle of the game, because it's full of instant deaths, but in later levels you get your OP sail back and can leisurely cruise though them.

[Hammerfestus | 3,882]

I gave them both 7s.  It’s been too long and I don’t remember what the difference between the 2 are. Good games.  Almost could’ve sprung for 8s

[Tanooki | 4,952]

SNES (8) -- Genesis (6)

I've owned/own both and even variants of it too.

The best way to qualify this is the combination of both in this.  The SNES game by Capcom has Capcom refinement of the Disney licensed game at every level of polish you'd expect from one of their platformers.  Tight control, responsive control, great use of detail with color, visuals, and amazing sampled audio that rounds out a solid package.  There's little to dislike, but it's almost like the great trio of Mickey games with Aladdin, because that is what it is, more of the same which mean it suffers from the cookie cutter of less than challenging design so it could get a little boring perhaps.

And then there's the Genesis, done by a studio that was pretty hit and miss, Virgin when it came to games, and that's where this one sits with the rating, because it IS hit and miss.  Where it hits, clearly, the visuals because they worked with disney animators so you have these large fluid cartoon quality sprites and drawn backgrounds, the game lives its rep honestly, on that.  Problem is, ignore it, what remains is a game with some uneven challenge levels and even that is hit and miss why.  Some stages are hard to tell what is ground and what you won't land but pass through (like the lava cave) and the cost of fluid animation and the collision detection on grabs or sticking an edge isn't 100%, you feel like you need to respond just a bit earlier so the game does what you want when it should, it's almost in a way, laggy.  Jungle Book from them had this too, it felt the same with the sloppy hit detection and flow so it's a product of the team.

And that's the thing, neither are perfect, but the Genesis one is just sloppy but gets good praise because of the disney hand on the visuals so it goes lower on points while the SNES is a cookie cutter style of design too, just from a far better cookie that is more palatable.

[PekoponTAS | 171]

Man, I'm so glad I've never seen or played either of these games. I know the 90s console wars live on to this day due to these two games, so I've always made a point to never look into either of them. I'll stick to fighting over 3DS games that nobody likes, and let you guys duke it out.

I voted "Never played it, never will" for both of them.

 

[Brickman | 4,013]

7/10 for both.

It has been a while since I played them but I remember liking some aspects of the MD version and some of the SNES version.

Worth a play, but no need to rush out and do so.

[TDIRunner | 2,771]

Despite growing up with an SNES, I've only played the Genesis version, but I played it enough at a friends house to give it a rank.  I always enjoyed the game, although I was never very good at it.  I definitely need to give the SNES version a try.

[AirVillain | 491]

10/10 on SNES because it's 1) an awesome game and 2) solidified because my brother and I got it in our stockings for Christmas (along with Lion King) and beat it that day. 

To play this game is one of the reasons I will eventually purchase a Genesis. 

Edited December 9, 2022 by AirVillain

[CMR | 522]

I remember they made a big hoodoo about the Genesis version BITD.  The game animations and character designs were done by real animators or something.  It's an OK game gameplay wise.  I could never get past the flying carpet section.

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

Never played either one.

[AirVillain | 491]

23 hours ago, Bearcat-Doug said:

Never played either one.

Capcom platformer, my dawg! SNES version, anyways.



 

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

1 hour ago, AirVillain said:

Capcom platformer, my dawg! SNES version, anyways.



 

I guess I should give it a try then.

[Tanooki | 4,952]

3 hours ago, Bearcat-Doug said:

I guess I should give it a try then.

Ever play Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse or its sequel the Great Circus Caper?  It handles just like those and has a similar quality of both the audio and visual design depths as well, surely the same team if not also engine reused here.  The core mechanics play as far back as the 8bit Disney platformers, Nemo, etc from Capcom too.  It's very, very well designed and doesn't have the questionable hit boxes, surface detection, and other odd issues like the genesis release has.  Genesis one just had disney animators on staff doing the sprite animations and other visual details so because of whoever's loudest in history wins, most think more kindly of the Genesis game despite the problems with its mechanics because it's just beautiful with its flowing animations.