🗝️ Secrets, Easter Eggs, and Cheat Codes
Aladdin on SEGA isn't just a beautifully animated platformer - it's a thrilling adventure filled with fast-paced action and vibrant visuals. Beyond its stunning animation, the game also hides a few clever secrets, rewarding players who take the time to explore and experiment with its mechanics.
Mickey Mouse Ears Extra Life
In the Desert level, take a moment to examine the background scenery carefully. Among the various details, you'll notice a clothesline with a pair of iconic Mickey Mouse ears hanging from it - a subtle but clever nod to Disney. If you move Aladdin beneath the ears and stop controlling him, he'll slowly shift forward on his own. When he's positioned just right, it creates the illusion that he's wearing the ears. As a reward for spotting this hidden moment, a 1-Up (extra life) will suddenly appear on screen. It's a fun and playful Easter egg that not only surprises the player but also highlights the creativity and charm packed into the game's level design.
Level Skip
During gameplay, pause the game and enter:
LKKLLKKL
You'll instantly skip to the next level - a simple trick that comes in handy if you're stuck on a tough section, want to revisit a specific stage, or just feel like speeding through the adventure. The input pattern, often remembered as "ABBA ABBA", is surprisingly easy to memorize, making it one of the more accessible cheats from the 16-bit era. Some fans even believe the code is a playful nod to the famous Swedish pop group ABBA, adding a bit of musical charm to the experience. Whether you're exploring Agrabah again or jumping ahead to the final showdown, this cheat lets you take control of the pace.
Cheat Menu
At the Options screen, press:
LSpaceLSpaceLSpaceLSpaceKKKK
If entered correctly, you'll be taken to a hidden screen featuring a smiley face of David Perry, one of the lead developers at Virgin Games. You'll also hear a voice clip of Aladdin saying "Yeah!" to confirm the code worked. After that, a full cheat menu will appear on screen, giving you access to powerful options like cheat mode, level select, and other developer tools. It's a fun behind-the-scenes feature that shows how much personality was packed into this classic game.
🧠 Did You Know? Hidden Facts About Aladdin
- Cut from the Movie, Added to the Game
The opening level, where Aladdin races across the rooftops of Agrabah, wasn't directly lifted from the film - it was actually inspired by an early storyboard sequence that never made it into the final cut of the movie. The developers at Virgin Games had access to concept art and deleted scenes, and they used this material to give players something fresh, yet still in the spirit of the film. It's a rare example of a game expanding the original story in an authentic way. - Apples as Weapons? Only in the Game
In the SEGA version, Aladdin hurls apples to temporarily stun enemies - a mechanic that never appeared in the film. The idea was added by the developers to give players a fun, non-lethal way to deal with threats. It's playful, slightly ridiculous, and surprisingly effective. Plus, it became one of the game's most iconic features. - Rotoscoping Makes It Shine
Part of what makes Aladdin so visually stunning is its use of rotoscoping. Instead of animating characters entirely by hand, real actors were filmed performing jumps, sword attacks, and other movements. Then, animators traced over the footage frame-by-frame to create incredibly fluid character animations - a technique rarely used in console games of the time. This is why Aladdin's movement feels more like a cartoon than a typical 16-bit sprite. - That Smiling Face Is a Real Person
When you unlock the cheat menu, you're greeted by a smiley face - that's David Perry, the lead programmer and co-developer of the game. This Easter egg wasn't just a joke, it became something of a trademark for Perry, who later included similar nods to himself in other games, like Earthworm Jim. It's a playful signature from one of the minds behind the magic.
💬 Behind the Scenes: Developer Stories & Scrapped Ideas
🎭 Two Aladdins, Two Visions
In 1993, both SEGA Genesis and Super Nintendo got their own Aladdin games - but they were completely different. Virgin Games developed the SEGA version, while Capcom handled the SNES title. Each studio had its own vision: SEGA's version emphasized fast-paced action and expressive animation, while Capcom's was a more traditional platformer with puzzle elements. The rivalry between fans still exists today - but most agree that both games brought something special to the table.
⚔ The Sword That Almost Wasn't
In the SEGA game, Aladdin fights enemies with a sword - a bold choice, considering the character doesn't wield one in the film. Originally, Disney opposed the idea of giving Aladdin a weapon, fearing it would make the game feel too violent. But after seeing how natural the swordplay looked in motion (thanks again to rotoscoping), they gave it the green light. It's a detail that gives the game a more adventurous tone and sets it apart from the SNES version.
🧞 Genie Flight: The Lost Bonus Game
One of the most interesting scrapped ideas was a bonus level where Genie helps Aladdin fly over obstacles in a dreamlike sky sequence. The level was reportedly cut late in development due to cartridge space limits. However, traces of the idea remain - unused sprites and animation frames were later discovered by fans digging through the game's code. It's a glimpse into what could have been, and a reminder of the technical challenges developers faced in the 16-bit era.