Aladdin on Master system is a platform game released in 1994.
Most Aladdin's adaptations are considered as good games, and, if this one is not especially famous, it's a very decent Master System game, with great graphics and good musics.
Unfortunately, controls are quite bad, and it's part of the difficulty of the game. They are kind of stiff, and it can become a real nightmare with a Master System controller.
The game gives you unlimited continues, but even if the game is short, reaching the final boss is not that easy.
This is a Tool-Assisted Speedrun aiming for the fastest completion while taking no damage (that was not a goal at first, but there was no way to gain speed via damage).
Last input is entered at 9:46,77, at frame 35160.
After that the video keeps playing for 9min of story and credits.
/!\Spoiler alert: The story of the game is EXACTLY the same as the movie, even some dialogs. So if you, somehow, didn't see this awesome 20-years old Disney's movie, the second half of the video might be a spoiler./!\
This is a very classic speedrun, and there is no major glitch or warp trick that can be useful for a speedrun. The only glitch I found is the one in second level. I use it for entertainment, but it can only be used to gain something like 10-15frames. Not a very impressive glitch...
So this is mostly path optimization and lag reduction technics, while using frame-per-frame precision.
(By the way, like my Asterix's TAS, I didn't keep track of rerecords count, sorry. I should really think of this for the next time).
Level 1: The market:
This is a classic scrolling level, and there is not much to do to gain speed here. Bonuses are collected as soon as possible, as they can reduce the framerate if too much objects are displayed on the screen. The game is well programmed, this does not happen very often. In some levels picking bonuses is not necessary.
The only way to save some frames here is for Aladdin to be as close as possible of the trigger that end the level, on the right of the screen.
Level 2: The rooftops:
Again, a scrolling level. This is the only level of the game that has a "useful" glitch. It is mostly used as entertainment, but it does save some frames at the end of the level (as previous level, Aladdin need to activate the trigger on the right as soon as possible). The glitch is self-explanatory and can be done with some practice on a real Master System, even I don't recommend you to do so. It only save between 10 and 15 frames on the whole level.
This level can has some lag, so bonuses are picked up as soon as possible.
Level 3: The cavern:
Finally, the first "real" level of the game. And since there is no glitch here, time to show some frame-per-frame skills!
Aladdin can walk, run, crouch, jump while walking and running, hang to platforms, slide...
Most of the time, the player has to wait the end of an animation before he can start a new move. Also, jump have fixed height and length. That's why I consider the controls as "stiff". Aladdin can run and jump at the same speed, while sliding is slightly slower (very slightly).
There are not many differents paths availables for this level, so optimizations have been made mostly on moves and timings.
About the 2nd spikes encountered in this level. Aladdin can jump over it in one way, but no matter how I try, this can't be done in the other direction.
On second floor, avoiding the bat by completly stop and crouch can not seems very optimized, but it's actually the fastest solution I found (by 2 frames, exactly).
The thing is, in this case the animation is delayed by 2 frames. When Aladdin seems to be crouching, he had in fact started both running and jumping, while his hitbox is still small.
On last screen of the level, Aladdin stop for a few moments (5 frames exactly). This is due to the only falling rock in the game that can't be avoided with another move.
Level 4: The road to the lamp:
This level seems very short on a TAS, but is really difficult on a real console. Just imagine: you are completly stopped if you take damage while half of enemies in this level are encountered while jumping over a pit.
Basically, Aladdin don't stop running. If jump don't seems as precise as the others levels, it's mostly to avoid bats.
While I said sliding is slightly slower than running, it also reduce lag. And, this is the most laggy level of the game (can't collect items). In this case only, sliding as much as possible is the fastest way out.
Level 5: The cavern escape:
A scrolling level on our friend the flying carpet! Here, collecting objects does not reduce lag (there is not at all), and all my attempts to reach the end faster have failed. No matter what I do, I still have the exact same frame count for this level.
Level 6: The palace:
A new platform level, and again, no glitch or warp here. Just path optimizations and good timings.
The path chosen is not very different from the one attended by the developpers. It only skips one key and one stone. This allow to save about 6 seconds for the key part, and about 10 seconds for the stone part (compared to a normal speedrun I've made with normal path).
The last guard is not knocked out the same way as the others, for two reasons:
1-after climbing, it takes 6 frames to start running, 8 frames to completly stop from running, 8 frames to throw a stone and recover, then again 6 frames to start running. So launching at first available moment save about 14 frames minimum.
2-the trigger on the ground activate a door, and this make the game slow down. The guard need to be knocked out before jumping over the trigger.
Not much to say about the end of the level, it's mostly done frame-per-frame.
Level 7: A whole new world:
♫♪A whole new world♫♪
♫♪A new fantastic point of view♫♪
♫♪No one to tell us no or where to go♫♪
...Ahem... not much to say about this scrolling level. There is no lag so collecting bonuses is not necessary (but it's done anyway).
Level 8: Chasing Jafar:
A scrolling level, but way more technical than the others. A real nightmare with an original controller.
It doesn't look like it, but Aladdin is supposed to be chasing Jafar, not racing him.
But, as I tried to make this level more entertaining, I figured out jumping around cause lag somehow. This is the simplest segment I've recorded, yet the fastest.
Level 9: Fighting Jafar:
The final fight! First: get the sword, hit Jafar (one hit is enough), react like a man fighting a giant fire-spitting snake, then hit him some more!
The pattern is fixed and cannot be manipulated. Whatever you do, once you've hit the snake once, you WILL be ejected back (without taking damage, and the hitbox is very permissive). When Jafar throw fire, he aim at your feet, jumping over it require some adjustments.
The fire bouncy thing is slow enough and allow to hit a few times, then make the last fireball close enough to hit Jafar again.
The final hit is the final input required to see the end of the game. After that, it's 9 minutes of cinematics.
All cutscenes are skipped by pressing B1+B2 as soon as possible.
I apologize for every grammatical mistake I could have made in this submission. I hope it's still understandable. Feel free to correct if necessary.
And, of course, to leave a comment.
Thanks for watching!
feos: Accepting to Moons.
