Disney's Aladdin (GBC)
Game by Ubisoft
Reviewed by The Avardancer (Philip Wesley)
Size: 16 megabits
Save: Password
Released: 2000
Works with: Game Boy Color ONLY!

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Opening Snide Remarks: Why exactly did I buy this again? Oh, yeah.. it's a
port of the Genesis game and it looked pretty cool. I know that's never a
good reason to buy a game; but I figured.. why not?

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Gameplay Descripion: Prince of Persia, this is not. Okay, it's a standard
platform game with jumping from platforms, shimmying up ropes, hitting your
enemies with apples or slashing them with a sword. A few of the levels offer
varied goals like "Find the Exit", "Find the Two Scarab Pieces", out run a
few big rocks, avoid cliffs while keeping ahead of a tidal wave of lava,
find and kill a boss; etc. If you find a Genie Piece, you get to play a slot
machine style mini-game. It's a standard, decent time-killer and nothing
truly more. It's fun. It's playable, if you like the Aladdin Liscense, you
may enjoy this game. It's also easy. Yes, easy. Even with limited continues,
and three difficulty levels. It is a fun distraction for a short while.

Ahem... it's also a very lousy port. It's missing a LOT of the levels and
mini-games of the Genesis version. If you are expecting a port of the old
Genesis game.. well.. prepare to be dissappointed on a mulittude of levels.
If you just want a quick way to pass the time and you're buying this game
for younger kids who might not breeze through it.. go 'head. It's a decent
game. That's all I can really say. It's fun; but it lacks severely in replay
value, or innovation. It's a decent game for fans; but I can go through a
laundry list of games that are better then this one. It's a game that isn't
spectacular; nor is it horrible.

It has some graphics problems I will address next that make it a little bit
more of a challenge; but ultimately attribute to it's.. averageness. It
probably would be more fun to play if the graphics had been tweaked slightly
to accomodate the fact that the GBC has a sprite-per-line limit.

Liked: Decent game.

Hated: Horrible port...

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Graphics Description: Still scenes, the title screen, some backgrounds, and
some enemy animations are spot on. BUT, the graphics aren't as smooth in
animation as Rayman, or a Bionic Commando: Elite Forces. The lack of any type
of parrallax is disturbingly noted in many levels. It's not like I haven't
seen Parrallax Scrolling done on the Game Boy before; so in some instances,
there is no excuse to not include some. This is one of those times where I
would have appreciated some more movement in the backgrounds. Aladdin and
his enemies are now two and three color sprites that clip severly in the
last three levels of the game. The clipping and eventual slowdown is more of
a testament to rushed time; not the dual processors of the Game Boy Color.
Nothing that exceeds the sprite limit is ever on-screen when it occurs. And
besides, if Lara Croft can pull off being her size and not clip like this,
Aladdin has no excuse (Sprite-wise).

The graphics are nice; but in no way a comparision to the Genesis game at
all. I know that the Game Boy Color can do games that exceed Genesis games
graphics-wise; but someone dropped it halfway on this one. A few of the
levels are very nice; but.. a lot of them are drab and drabber still.

Liked: It's nice looking; but...

Hated: ... clipping, slowdown, and what appears to be rushed attempts later
on in the game make it a little bit of a sad-luck case.

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Sound/Music Description: Some nice renditions of music from the movie appear
in this game; but the music in some levels -music not in the movie- grate on
my nerves. The sound effects are uninspired as well. It's a hit or miss
soundtrack that misses more often than not.

Liked: Some of the music is MP3 worthy...

Hated: ... but most of the songs and sounds aren't.

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Play Control/Game Design: The play control isn't as quick or as tight as the
Genesis version and the game feels tired, if not a little unfinished. But
fans of the movie will enjoy it for a short time; despite it's flaws. It's a
game to rent if you can do so; or buy at a low price. Or even better.. borrow
from a friend.

Game Design? Take one part ambition, take one part actual talent, then mix
them with a lethal dose of time restraints. That's what happened here. The
idea to port the Genesis game was a good idea. The ability to do a great port
is there; BUT time seems to have done it in.

They also made it a bad port. First, they took out bonus levels and levels,
then they messed up the games FEEL. It doesn't feel the same play control
wise. Oh, well.

Liked: Nice idea.

Hated: Flawed execution.

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Improve: Pick up the pieces and do it again; but this time on Game Boy
Advanced and better.

RIYL: Aladdin.

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Final Words: Decent.................................................... but
flawed.

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Score
Gameplay: ***
Graphics: ***
Sound/Music: *
Play Control/Game Design: ***
Personal Opinion: **
Total: 12 out of 25


Final Score: 48%

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Currently Known Codes: There are passowrds; but they.. aren't exactly needed
in this game...