Endangered Media: Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge

Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge is an action-adventure game developed by Argonaut Games and published by Disney Interactive Studios. The early 2000s had its share of Aladdin themed titles for Sega Genesis and other plug-and-play systems, but this Y2K title released exclusively for PlayStation and PC platforms.

The game follows Aladdin, who is on a mission to rescue Princess Jasmine from the clutches of the evil sorceress Nasira (Jodi Benson). Nasira (an Arabic name meaning "helper") is the sister of the villain from the 1992 film, seeking revenge on Aladdin and his friends for defeating Jafar prior to the events of Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996).

Story

“Spirits of darkness, hear me calling! On this fateful night I command the powers of evil to mark the sands of time and make a vision clear. Summon Jafar from the darkest depths, and bring him here!” - Nasira

The story of Nasira's Revenge takes place after the events of the first movie and its sequel, The Return of Jafar. Aladdin and Jasmine are enjoying a peaceful life in Agrabah when they are suddenly attacked by Nasira and her minions. Nasira kidnaps Jasmine and takes her to a secret location, where she plans to use her as a sacrifice to resurrect her brother Jafar.

Aladdin sets out on a mission to rescue Jasmine and stop Nasira from carrying out her plan. Along the way, he teams up with Abu and Jasmine, as well as other characters from the movie, including the Genie and the Magic Carpet.

The story is presented through cutscenes that feature voice acting from the original cast of the movie, including Scott Weinger as Aladdin and Jonathan Freeman as Jafar.

Gameplay

The game features a mix of platforming and action-adventure gameplay. Players control Aladdin as he navigates through various levels, fighting enemies and solving puzzles. The game features a variety of weapons and abilities for Aladdin to use, including his trusty sword, a grappling hook, and the ability to turn into a whirlwind.

The levels in the game are based on locations from the movie, including the streets of Agrabah, the Cave of Wonders, and the Sultan's Palace. Each level has its own unique challenges and enemies.

One of the standout features of the game is the ability to switch between Aladdin and his friends Abu and Princess Jasmine. Each character has their own unique abilities that are required to solve puzzles and progress through the levels.

Minigames

"Hope you land safely, Al!" - Genie

Each completed level is followed by a Genie Slot Machine turn and one of four minigames:

• • Cloud Jumping
• • Pie Throwing
• • Skateboarding
• • Surfing

Reception

Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge received mixed reviews upon its release. Critics praised the game's graphics and the faithful recreation of the movie's characters and locations. However, the gameplay was criticized for being repetitive and the controls were often cited as being clunky and difficult to use.

I don’t know if this is necessarily a fault of the control scheme so much as the quality of keyboards circulating middle-class households in the early 2000s, but clunky is the best way to put it.

If over touch sensitive you risk falling off of ledges and platforms. If under responsive you're likely to miss large gaps altogether, so there really is an added level of skill involved for those not playing on a gaming keyboard.

Despite the mixed reception, the game has developed a cult following among fans of the Aladdin franchise. Its unique blend of platforming and action-adventure gameplay, combined with the ability to play as multiple characters, has made it a fan favorite.

Conclusion

Aladdin Nasira's Revenge is a fun and enjoyable game that captures the spirit of the Aladdin franchise. While it may not be the most polished or innovative game of its time, it offers a unique and engaging experience that is sure to please fans of the movie. Its mix of platforming and action-adventure gameplay, along with the ability to play as multiple characters, make it a standout title in the Disney Interactive library.

Levels:

Agrabah 1: Aladdin is a wanted man, and guards are hot on his tail. With the help of Genie and Abu, the player learns the basics of navigating the Agrabah streets. Break pots to find hidden items.

Agrabah 2: Collect silver coins to unlock the city's gates. Avoid the fire-eaters when they spit. Ride the camel to reach the final silver coin on the platform.

Agrabah 3: Start in the center of the level near a well and several locked gates. Wait until the merchant is asleep and sneak to steal the apples. Find 30 gold coins to buy a cake to tempt the main guard. Launch apples at the birds to knock them off the clothesline. Retrieve the flute from the little boy to give to the fakir in exchange for a carpet ride. Engage the flagpole to launch through the palace window.

Sultan's Palace: The Sultan’s palace has been taken over by Nasira and her enchanted guards. Aladdin needs to make his way to the throne room to confront the sorceress and find out what has happened to the Sultan and Princess Jasmine.

The main staircase is locked. Defeat the attacking pillows and alligators by jumping and using the stomp attack. Block the hammer attack of the rock guards and attack when they are dizzy. Walk on the buttons to activate the disappearing platforms. Defeat the skating brooms by using the slide attack. Return to the main staircase to unlock it.

The Dungeon 1: Aladdin has been imprisoned in the dungeon and it is up to Abu to rescue him. Using his agility and skill, Abu has to dodge guards and booby traps in order to set Aladdin free. He can double jump, but is only attack by throwing projectiles and must duck to avoid attacking bats.

You must locate three candles for the old man to receive a sleeping potion for the guard:

– The first candle is in the room with the wooden pillar. Push the pillar toward each alcove to climb above.
– The second candle can be found in the room with the rotating pillar.
– The third candle is in the room with the wooden platform, which is activated by the switch on the opposite ledge.

The Dungeon 2: Escape the dungeon as Aladdin. Jump diagonally across the spike pits and defeat the attacking skeletons that roam the chambers. Some will jump off the wall and become hostile.

Return to the Palace: Control the Magic Carpet and escape the palace as it collapses. Spam the attack button to destroy the falling obstacles without crashing. Try to hit as many checkpoints as possible to complete the sequence.

Battle with Razoul: Run around the perimeter of the room and time your jumps to avoid the falling rubble. After Razoul collapses, he wishes Aladdin good luck in defeating the evil witch.

The Oasis 1: Aladdin follows the advice of a mystic to once again seek out the Cave of Wonders. First, he must find the lost scarab, key to the Cave’s entrance.

Defeat the spiders with the jump attack. If you start seeing green, you have been poisoned and need the antidote. Sneak coconuts from the gorilla and buy the old man an ice cream in the cave in order to cross the bridge. Bounce on the palm trees and avoid the boiling mud.

The Oasis 2: Climb the water platforms and navigate the river via the green and purple turtles swimming upstream.

Throw coconuts into the mouths of the monkey statues in the correct order, which is random every game. The monkeys will breathe fire if the order is correct.

Green turtles disappear when stood on for too long. Jump in the waterfall to complete the level.

Battle with Arachnid: A boss battle where you run in circles to attack a really big spider. The camera angle and color scheme don’t allow for much depth perception on a track where you must stay continually in motion, so don’t be surprised if you run off the side of the ring a time or five.

The Cave of Wonders 1: A vast desert unveils the mythical Cave of Wonders to Aladdin and Abu, who follow paths of gold and gems in search of the banished Genie.

Follow the scarab and avoid the sandsharks.

The Cave of Wonders 2: Follow Abu and slide carefully slide down the ramp. Break the Jafar targets to maneuver and climb the golden monkey statue.

The Cave of Wonders 3: Collect each half of the map as Abu:

The first half is by the torch in the middle of the rotating platforms.

The second half is on a lower platform near a switch, which activates disappearing platforms. You can also jump down from the upper ledge to land on the map.

The Cave of Wonders 4: Escape on Carpet before the cave collapses. The controls and strategy is the same as in Return to the Palace.

The Pyramid 1: Aladdin’s quest to rescue his friends leads him to the ancient pyramids. This isn't as much a level as a transitionary space on the map, and there are no enemies or collectables. First, he has to find the Book of the Dead to gain entry.

The Pyramid 2: Inside the tombs Aladdin must contend with mummies, snakes, and Sphinx guards, while uncovering mechanical puzzles to make his way through the labyrinth of hallways.

The Pyramid 3: Locate the Chronicle of the Dead. Steal knives from the cobra statue and defeat the mummies. Grab the key in the room with the rotating platform. Hit the switch on the floor to raise the cat statue.

The Pyramid 4: Fight Eagle Men and the Egyptian Bull. Push the teetering pillar to cross the gap. In the final room, arrange the blocks so the beam hits the exit door.

Battle with Anubis: Battle the Egyptian god Anubis and the spirits forming a ring to defend him.

The Crumble Palace: Jasmine returns to find the palace in ruins after the tyrannical Nasira passed through. With only a pot to hide in from witch's henchmen, Jasmine sneaks through the dark palace to retrieve a vital road map for Aladdin to lead him onward to the legendary Ancient City.

The Ancient City 1: Aladdin runs at top speed along a mountainous cliff wall toward an ancient, forgotten city searching for Nasira's secret lair. He enters a city in decay at night, populated by thieves and living skeletons. You have 180 seconds to reach the magic portal before it closes.

The Ancient City 2: Grab a full supply of rocks to defeat the Zombie. Cross the log to the gazebo. Push and defeat the Kali statues.

The Ancient City 3: Begin in a room with 7 doorways. Run past the hallway of daggers to the organ room. Replay the musical sequence on the organ to free the Sultan.

Battle with the Evil Sultan: Fly around and shoot the Evil Sultan while dodging his fireballs and charge attacks. The Sultan is immune to attacks when orange.

Nasira's Lair 1: The final battle between good and evil begins as Aladdin descends into the fiery depths of the volcano pit where Nasira prepares to bring back Jafar.

Defeat the fire snakes and utilize hard jumps (holding spacebar) to avoid the lava. Grab the key from the passage on the left. Hit the Jafar target to reveal more platforms.

Nasira's Lair 2: Dodge the pendulums. Stun the mummy with projectile knives and attack it when stunned. Grab as many jewels as possible.

The Final Battle: Attack Nasira with ice picks as she flies around Jafar's head at the center of the pit. Destroy any artifacts she drops.

How to Play Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge:

Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge was released for the PS1 and Windows PC in disc format. However, there is no remastered edition since the original release, making the title increasingly obsolete and a piece of Endangered Media.