Not all Disney characters share the same fate as others. In the 1993 platformer Aladdin on the Sega Genesis, one such character meets a dark fate.
Mickey Mouse, the staple and forefront of Disney, can be found within a pile of bones and just his hat. Many players will come across this and pay no mind. However, the interesting part is when you bring Aladdin to it.
Positioning Aladdin in a way where he is wearing the hat will award an extra life. Many fans have detailed that there is one on every level. Others were in shock at the fact that it overlooked all of these years.
This port on the Sega Genesis differs from the others. The Genesis version was worked on by Disney animators under the supervision of Virgin Games. This was used to capture the Disney mood in comparison to other consoles.
Other Disney characters share the same dark fate as Mickey. Sebastian from The Little Mermaid can be found on the same level chained to a wall. Even a painting of Goofy is near the end.
Many players shared different experiences with the title. A common one would be the strong differences between the Genesis and SNES versions. With the SNES version missing the Disney feel it was made up for in controls. While the Genesis version lacked in that aspect and provided an overall more difficult gameplay experience.
This detail is a common trend among Disney movies and games. With dark references scattered throughout the different worlds, a majority of the time, things are right in front of the viewers’ eyes. Aladdin’s trusty carpet can be found being dusted at the beginning of The Princess and The Frog. We even see Genie from Aladdin interact with Sebastian in the animated movie.
With Disney now being one of the largest companies in the world, more references are bound to show up in future films and games. Who knows how dark they will be in future instances.
