The Disney Classic Games Collection is an intriguing microcosm of what playing licensed games back in the '90s was like. Sometimes, you'd get a hit. Other times, you'd land a dud. Back in the '90s, I remember so many rentals being games I'd play for a few minutes, thank my lucky stars I hadn't convinced my parents to buy it for me, and accept my mistake. For better or for worse, Disney Classic Games Collection brings back that feeling with three Disney properties from that time.
The best game in this entire collection is the Super Nintendo version of Aladdin. Yes, this was the version I grew up with, but it controls so smoothly and has a style and aesthetic to it that captures the spirit of the movie. It's not surprising at all that this is the only game in this collection from Capcom, who by this point knew how to make a great Disney adaptation, and it shows. Aladdin was the best-selling non-Street Fighter game on the Super Nintendo, and it's clear why.
The Genesis version, however, by Virgin Games, is floaty, with poor collision detection, and frustrating level design that makes the player almost have to memorize each move. At the time, Virgin's David Perry was becoming a name for himself, having just released Cool Spot, and would soon make Earthworm Jim. But all those games have the same issues as this Aladdin, where nothing feels quite right, and the games are more frustrating than fun.
In fact, this entire collection could also be the "Here's Why Virgin Sucks" collection. Which leads us right into The Lion King, which is essentially the same in both the SNES and Genesis versions. This is a game whose legacy has become just how difficult it is to play — especially for a kid's game. I think at least Capcom knew how to scale back the difficulty well when working with Disney. Here, it's hard to get past even the second level, and one of the most clever additions Digital Eclipse makes here is an option to just watch a game playthrough, where you can jump in when you want. If you want to get through The Lion King, this is honestly probably your best bet.
The final addition, which was added in later versions of this set, is The Jungle Book. Which, again, is just kind of irritating. The Genesis version is slightly less annoying, but doesn't look nearly as good as the SNES version. But also, while Aladdin and The Lion King somewhat make sense as video games, The Jungle Book doesn't have a story that lends itself to a platformer. But hey, that didn't stop any idea from getting a game in the '90s!
As always, Digital Eclipse excels at giving these games a second life, and digging into some great special features to explore if you really love these games. If you're going to play any of these games 30+ years later, this is probably the best way to do so. But beyond the Super Nintendo Aladdin, I don't know that there's much worth exploring here beyond some odd eccentirici
