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16-bit 'Aladdin' and 'Lion King' cartridges are returning in 2020
Are the modern ports of Aladdin and The Lion King not sufficiently nostalgic for you? You're about to get your retro fix, and then some. Nighthawk Interactive and iam8bit are planning physical releases of the classic Disney games, including limited "Legacy" cartridges for Aladdin on the Genesis/Mega Drive, and Lion King on SNES -- about as authentic as it gets short of finding an original copy on eBay. They'll cost $100 each, won't ship until early 2020 and will only have 4,500 available units each, but you don't get many opportunities like this. Pre-orders start October 24th at 1PM Eastern on iam8bit.
Disney's retro 'Aladdin' and 'Lion King' games reach modern systems this fall
If you childhood was defined as much by playing Disney's movie tie-in games as it was watching the movies, you're in for a treat. Nighthawk Interactive and Digital Eclipse are releasing a Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King collection on October 29th that brings its two namesake games to modern systems like the PC (via Steam), PS4, Switch and Xbox One. These aren't just upscaled versions of the 16-bit titles, either. They both have modern creature comforts as well as a museum-like approach to the material.
MMO Blender: Bree's big-budget sandbox
Writing MMO Blender feels like getting three wishes from a magical lamp and having to think very, very carefully about what you ask for. You have to word it just right and ponder the consequences of each wish on the others because you just know that Genie's going to screw with you. If I were stronger, I'd reject the wishes (here, the 1000 words) outright, knowing they're a trap, but I just can't resist a turn at this column. I want a new sandbox. A good one, not one made by gank-obsessed fanboys on a shoestring budget. I don't think sandboxes are dead; I just know it takes money to make money, and modern indie sandboxes are forgetting that rule. Fortunately, I don't need money for this column. I'll take my MMO Blender wishes and build a sandbox that's more than just a pile of sand and an empty box.
A whole new world: Nadirim moves into closed beta
When free-to-play browser MMOs are -- seemingly -- a dime a dozen these days, it requires a little something special for a title to stand out. Nadirim hopes that its Arabian Nights setting is enough to do the trick, using the mysterious sands of the desert and the rich mythology of the region as the backdrop to an exciting saga. Nadirim just announced that it is entering the closed beta stage of development, and Twisted Tribe is handing out a number of keys to willing testers. Currently, the closed beta is featuring three of the game's five classes -- Warrior, Ruffian and Sage -- and has a level cap of 15. Other features, such as PvP and guilds, are slated to be patched in later. If you're interested, you can apply to be a tester on the official website. Steel yourself if you do decide to undergo this brutal process, for you will be asked to enter your email address and click "Submit!" We don't blame you if it's too overwhelming.
Pantech Aladdin for AT&T: QWERTY when you need it, numeric when you don't
Between the Matrix and Matrix Pro, Pantech seems to be carving out a curious niche for itself on AT&T with multi-keypad devices, and the trend looks like it could continue if the "Aladdin" ends up coming to market. The HSDPA-capable dumbphone starts life as a chubby candybar with a numeric pad, but a flick of the finger brings out full QWERTY for when the SMS conversations (threaded, no less!) start to get heated. It's got a meager 1.3 megapixel cam -- proof that it's a lower-end device -- along with AGPS, stereo Bluetooth, Video Share, and support for Windows Media DRM. According to our documentation, AT&T wants this one out in August, but it's unclear if they'll meet that date -- assuming it successfully makes it through carrier certification. Follow the break for a couple closeup shots of the phone.
What Sega Genesis Collection is missing
The Sega Genesis Collection has been earning some good reviews from critics. Featuring 28 games at a bargain price, it's certainly a steal (especially compared to the insane prices of Sega's Virtual Console offerings). However, Modojo points out the titles that could've been part of this collection to make quite possibly the greatest game anthology ever. Here's but a sampling of their suggestions: Gunstar Heroes Treasure's action game is beloved by hardcore gamers everywhere. It's probably not included in the Collection simply because people like myself will be buying it on the Wii Virtual Console... at least two times. Toe Jam & Earl Yet another game that Nintendo Wii owners will be downloading. Classic platforming. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Well, the first two are in the collection. Sonic & Knuckles See above. Streets of Rage It's only like, totally, the best beat-em-up, like, ever created. Streets of Rage 2 See above. Disney's Aladdin I think this breaks the rules, as the game was developed by Capcom. However, this is licensed platforming at its best. Michael Jackson's Moowalker No comment. Considering how many more classics remain in the Genesis library, it wouldn't surprise me if Sega didn't make yet another compilation of these games, and more. In fact, if Sega made a compilation of just these games alone, they'd be more than worth the price of admission. C'mon Sega! Let me give you more money!
Aladdin's "XCD" smart card-on-a-disc
Security firm Aladdin Knowledge Systems thinks it has found two great tastes that go good together, recently snagging a patent for a combination smart card / optical disc. Dubbed the "XCD" (for Extended, not Xtreme, alas), the technology embeds the smart card chip on the surface of the disc, along with a foldable or detachable USB (or FireWire) connector to connect the disc to a PC or other device. The idea, apart from the just-for-the-heck-of-it factor, is to use the smart card functionality to control access to data on the disc -- for instance, limiting the number of times a CD can be played. Not surprisingly, Aladdin sees virtually limitless potential for the device, with XCDs able to replace ATM cards, credit cards, ID cards, and key cards, with the disc even able to fold up and fit in your wallet. Let's just hope they've also got a patent for super-durable CDs.[Via NewScientistTech]