INTRODUCTION
There's nothing like going back to a second childhood and for many, Disney is the perfect excuse. Millions of adults flock to the cinema the moment a new Disney film is released, with the questionable motive of "just taking the children." The Disney name though is synonymous with quality and has a long history of great products. From its earliest cartoons such as the start of Mickey Mouse way back in 1928, its human feature films, for instance Mary Poppins, to its theme parks in America and now in France. But what has won the hearts of many are the animated films such as Dumbo, Snow White and the like. More recently though, a popular route for the films and Disney characters has been as a license for computer games, and Virgin certainly has its eye on the main chance this Winter with two Disney releases imminent.
The first is Aladdin followed soon after by The Lion King. We take a look at Aladdin, its initial offering, and see whether it matches up its cinematic counterpart.
STORYLINE
Okay, who honestly doesn't know this tale? Well, me for starters! So after a brief storytelling from those here in the office, this is a quick recap.
The sultan's advisor Jafar is plotting to take over the kingdom. He wants to steal the magic lamp from the perilous Cave of Wonders. Aladdin is a street rat who must steal to survive. Jafar sees Aladdin and realises a plan to get Aladdin to steal the lamp for him. And in true "scene-setting" style, that's where you come in!
FLASHBACK
Hmm, Amiga platformers - well, we're not exactly short of comparisons there. But good ones - that's a different story. As far as animation goes, Aladdin is in a class of its own. Consoles have somewhat ruled the roost as far as good looking platformers go, but with this being converted over to the Amiga in such a fine fashion it should keep even the most disgruntled Amiga platform fan more than happy.
ADDITIONAL INFO
Many know the tale of Aladdin but it's origins are not quite so familiar. The story is part of the Arabian Nights, tales from the 10th century, originally coming from India. Also known as The Thousand and One Knights, the other stories include Ali Baba, Sinbad the Sailor and The Old Man of the Sea.
Legend has it that they were told to the Sultan by his bride Scheherazade who told the stories to avoid execution. The previous brides were executed after the wedding night to prevent them being unfaithful so she began a different tale each night, promising to finish it the next evening.
The stories were first translated into European in 1704 by French writer Antoine Galland.
SOUND
Hmm, clever bit of marketing this, using a film licence thing because it comes complete with soundtrack. And in this case, a Disney soundtrack at that! All those who have seen the film will be instantly whisked back in to the plot and for those who haven't - well, the tune isn't one of those horrible grating ones - you will soon be humming along in no time!
The intro tune "A whole new world" sets the mood brilliantly and is from one of the more sentimental parts of the film with its melodic tone - creating that magical atmosphere Disney does so well.
The rest of the in-game tunes are taken from the film and change with each new level. This gives variety and means if you don't like one of the tunes then all is not lost! They all fit in nicely with the speed of the game and setting.
It's also crammed full of sound effects, from sword blows and yelps to a goading baddy urging you to take him on! In fact, most actions have their appropriate sounds, with a good range of realistic and some almost mystical effects
75%GRAPHICS
We're normally a pretty cynical bunch in the Amiga Computing office, but Aladdin really did impress with its superb graphics and attention to detail.
The animation is smooth and flowing, with each character having personality packed into every pixel. The main character of Aladdin has many different expressions and movements. Every action really works like a cartoon. For example, when he leaps across something his baggy pants move with the air, or if you leave him standing he leans on his sword or juggles apples.
Other characters have just as much detail. For instance, the knife throwers, whose jaws drop in horror when you throw something at them resulting in their trousers falling down, or the comical snakes who slither towards you.
The backdrops create the many settings, brilliantly using different levels to make it all the more interesting as you pit your skills against the terrain. Foreground detail makes the whole thing more realistic, making for some interesting gameplay - for example, the rocks are built up in stages.
Each level creates a different atmosphere, from the dusty market streets to the mysterious caves with its deadly spiked roofs.
80%OPINION85%
I dread to use the phrase "Interactive cartoon" but this is pretty damn close. All the elements are top notch and could quite easily pass for cartoon quality.
However one thing does worry me - it is rather too easy. I imagine this game wouldn't last some of the more advanced games players all that long. As the title is geared at the younger end of the market this is understandable, and with the addition of a difficult setting it will prolong the game to some extent.
Action is varied and the many requirements of the levels will demand different skills. One minute you'll need your best swashbuckling talents to keep the enemies at bay, the next, timing your jumps across trees to reach bonuses.
There is a temptation with licensed games to release a sub-standard product, thinking it will sell anyway. Thankfully, Virgin/Disney have done the decent thing and released a title of exceptional quality that is a more-than-fitting successor to the original film.
For platformer fans everywhere I'd definitely recommend this. For those who prefer a more cerebral type of game, then Aladdin won't really fit the bill, but what the game does have is an abundance of gorgeous graphics, superb soundtracks and stacks of playability. A wonderful addition to the platform genre.