November 21, 1993

Franchises

Disney Disney's Aladdin

Platforms

Game Boy Advance Mac PC (Microsoft Windows) Super Famicom Super Nintendo Entertainment System

Companies

Capcom Gradiente Playtronic

Genres

Adventure Arcade Platform

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subdirectory_arrow_right Disney's Aladdin (Game)

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A long-standing debate exists over which of the two Aladdin ports - one for SNES made by Capcom and one for Sega Genesis made by Virgin Games - is actually the better version. Game designer Shinji Mikami, who made the SNES version, actually claims the Genesis port is better:

"If I didn't actually make [the SNES game], I would probably buy the Genesis one. Animation-wise, I think the Genesis version's better. The Genesis version had a sword, actually. I wanted to have a sword."

Mikami cites other problems for the SNES port besides the lack of bladed weapons. The cover art also did not include the "Genie" character, who is the most iconic member of the cast. This upset a lot of fans of the movie. Mikami said:

"Originally, the front of the Super Famicom package had a genie on it. Disney said no to that, so we had to move the genie to the back of the package in a smaller size. But the Sega version, they had the genie on the front."

According to Polygon and game director Dave Perry, who created the Genesis port of the game, the lack of Genie on the front cover could have had something to do with actor Robin Williams and his annoyance at the way Disney was using his character's likeness in promotional materials, such as video games:

"That put the use of the Genie as 'sensitive' during those discussions."

Dave Perry was happy to hear about how Shinji Mikami felt about his port of the game. Ironically, his opinion was opposite of Mikami's about both Aladdin games:

"I'm really biased as we made the original game and got Disney to deliver the animation. So I'd flip the quote, 'If I didn't actually make the Genesis version I'd probably buy the SNES one'."

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