Aladdin

Disney's Aladdin arrived in 1993 and 1994 across several platforms, and it became one of the most celebrated licensed platformers of its time. The version most associated with the film's animation pedigree used artwork drawn by Disney's own animators, giving the sprites a fluid, hand-drawn quality that looked genuinely like the movie in motion, a striking achievement that set it apart from the usual rushed movie tie-ins of the era.

As a side-scrolling platformer it follows the beats of the film, sending Aladdin through the bustling streets and rooftops of Agrabah, the treacherous Cave of Wonders, the Sultan's dungeons and a climactic confrontation with Jafar. Depending on the version, Aladdin defends himself with a sword and a supply of thrown apples to stun foes, and there are memorable set pieces like sliding and leaping down the collapsing Cave of Wonders as lava rises behind him. Golden scarabs and hidden tokens reward exploration and add replay value.

The game still charms today largely on the strength of its presentation. The animation, color and music evoke the film wonderfully, and the platforming, while not the most demanding, is responsive and well paced. It stands as a high point of the early-nineties boom in Disney platformers, when licensed games briefly became genuine showcases of craft rather than cash-ins. For fans of the movie or of classic 2D platforming, it remains a delight to revisit.