Previous Next

Faint heart never won fair lady... so all you hero wannabes with pace-makers, get out of the queue... Fortunately, there's nothing faint-hearted about our Aladdin, although anybody who says they don't get flutters in the chest region when they watch a whopping great Genie emerge from on itsy bitsy lamp has either got to be a liar or an imbecile.

Judging by laddie-boy's response to aforementioned scenario in this game (i.e. an inspired "What's your name?"), the latter seems more probable but nobody ever said a hero has to be a candidate for Mastermind. In fact, if you think about it, most heroes have got to be pretty dumb - what intelligent person would go charging willy-nilly down to fight something like a dragon single-handedly, just to rescue some dumb maiden? I'd say "sod 'er, there's plenty more fish in the sea!" Fortunately Aladdin has guts which allow him, in this game, to try to rescue the luverley Princess and grab the lamp back off the evil Jafar (who conned him into nabbing it from a sacred cavern) via a magic carpet and stacks of pretty platform levels.

Much of this Master System version is spent leaping over obstacles and holes in the ground or avoiding falling ornaments during the fast-scrolling levels.

However, there's also a certain amount of puzzle solving, battering baddies with rocks and a number of pretty animated sequences inbetween. Here's a run down of some of the perils you'll encounter:

1. The Market
   After half-inching a loaf of bread in the market, Aladdin runs, runs like the wind away from the angry trader who's hot on m'laddie's heels as he races through the market, avoiding rolling barrels, falling urns and holes in the ground.
2. Caverns Of Gloom
   As can be expected, the journey to the treasure room ain't easy. Bats go for the jugular, spikes pop up in the strangest places, boulders fall from the skies, and fountains shoot from nowhere. Additionally, keys are needed to open doors and tight gaps must be slid under with a rather nifty special move.
3. Princess Of Flees
   After thoughtlessly giving an apple from a nearby market stand to a kid, the Princess is accused of theft and is only saved when Aladdin chucks his monkey in the face of the angry trader. Al 'n' Princess leg it...
4. The Treasure Troves
   On discovering the treasure room, directed by a magic carpet, Aladdin wades through the treasure. But if he touches *anything* except the lamp, he immediately snuffs it.
   
   Jafar snatches the lamp and tries to chuck Al off the cliff. Fortunately the magic carpet saves him and his monkey nicks the lamp back which is duly rubbed to produce the Genie!
5. Carpet Flying
   Now we come to the fast-paced novelty bit where Aladdin steers his magic carpet through a fiery cavern, avoiding any obstacles thrown his way.
6. Palace Mayhem
   Aladdin is whisked to the palace, where he chucks rocks at guards and collects keys which open doors and should eventually lead him to the Princess. But will it be as easy as it sounds...?

Aladdin is undeniably a pretty game to behold - especially for the Master System.

The between-level sequences are excellent and really make you feel like you're experiencing the story rather than just playing a game. The graphics are spot on and, unlike the Megadrive version, there's a bit of variety in the fast-moving gameplay to keep you interested (the magic carpet section is particularly fun!).

However, like so many games before it, Aladdin suffers from being too easy - only one skill level which, with the passwords, will have most people racing through the game in less than a day and that ain't worth £30 of anybody's money. When will these programmers learn, eh?

When the Megadrive version of Aladdin was released, its most impressive feature was the fabulous graphics. Surprisingly, the Master System version shares that same visual scruminess...

The sprites, backgrounds and animation are all of an exceptional quality that really captures the movie's atmosphere.

I'm not so sure about the game though. Instead of one game style, Aladdin comes in little separate bits - running sections, platform sections, adventure sections...

The plus side is variety for the player, but the downside is that each section is pretty basic and not that exciting in itself. It's also too easy, which is convenient for reviewers, but not much fun when you've shelled out thirty greenbacks for it.

Presentation 89%
P. Gorgeous between-level animated sequences and a slick feel to the whole game.
N. No choice of skill levels. Bah!

Graphics 90%
P. Big, bright and colourful sprites and smart backgrounds - topping stuff.

Sound 81%
P. Cheerful and appropriate ditties tinker on throughout. The sound effects are adequate.

Playability 84%
P. Good controls and easy to get into. Quite fun in places.
N. There's nothing new here at all.

Lastability 60%
N. Simple gameplay, a lack of different skill levels and a password system will have you sailing through this in no time.

Overall 74%
A really nice little platformer completely marred by being much, much too easy.