Ariel the Little Mermaid

Licensed Disney games formed a category of their own in the early nineties, and Ariel the Little Mermaid from 1992 is the Sega Mega Drive representative. Development fell to the American studio BlueSky Software, which did further work on the console — among other things on Spider-Man titles.

What separates it from standard platformers of the period is the setting. The game takes place mostly underwater, which means movement is not jumping but swimming freely in every direction. The playfield opens up vertically as well as horizontally, and navigating it asks for different instincts than a run to the right. Underwater motion carries its own momentum, so you have to account for a character that does not stop on command.

Difficulty is gentle, and with Disney licences that was usually deliberate — children were the target audience and the games adapted with shorter length and a more forgiving penalty system. Presentation is a strength: the Mega Drive supplied colourful backgrounds and large sprites, and the aquatic theme allowed layered environments and translucency effects within the console's limits.

The audio reflects Sega's sound chip, sharper and more metallic than the Super Nintendo equivalent, with melodies drawn from the film.

On OldGame.cz you can start the game straight in your browser. It is a calm, undemanding title better suited to short sessions than long ones, and at the same time a decent example of how the platforming formula could be reshaped around an unusual environment.