Scheduled for release in January '04, Capcom's Aladdin for Game Boy Advance is a direct port of the classic Super NES platformer. After playing all the way through an essentially final version, it's safe to say that fans of Aladdin or the original game will be very pleased with how the game turned out on GBA.

This game was first released back when the Disney movie was new, so the character designs and story are straight from the movie. Unlike the Aladdin game for Genesis, in which the title character had a sword and went through completely different levels, the Super NES version was very much a straight platformer. Other than an arsenal of apples, which only stun most enemies, Aladdin attacks by simply jumping on top of whatever he meets. He can also pounce off posts, swing on rings or beams, and hang on ledges. These moves entirely define the gameplay and level design. Even the final boss is defeated with these basic mechanics. The only other move is parachuting with a piece of cloth, but it's not actually required to progress in the game.

Perhaps because of the simple gameplay, Aladdin features very smooth controls and clever level design. First-time players (or those of us who are just out of practice) will likely find the game to be very difficult if each jump is taken separately. The trick is to learn the rhythm of going from jump to bounce to swing. It feels great to frolic through the levels, meeting each obstacle without even stopping your forward movement. This momentum-based action is what endeared the game to many of us back in the 90s, and the magic has not been tampered with at all in the handheld version.

With only six levels, two bosses, and a bonus stage, Aladdin was a pretty short game. Unfortunately, Capcom has not added anything to extend the experience since the original release. If you know what you're doing, you can blow through it in less than an hour, though it will take newcomers a good while longer to grasp the controls and get comfortable with the levels. There are ten red gems in each level that can be very challenging to collect, so there's something for the completists.

Aladdin for GBA is an admirably perfect handheld port of a game that deserves to be played by a new generation. It's pure nostalgia for me, but if you've never played this classic platformer, here's your chance. We'll have a full review when the game ships.

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