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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.
Robin Williams gets the World of Warcraft tribute gamers asked for
Blizzard promised gamers a tribute to the late, great Robin Williams in one of his favorite titles, World of Warcraft, and it looks like the studio has been quick to act on its word. Just days after Wowhead found hidden character code paying homage to the actor, that persona is live in the game. If you're in the Warlords of Draenor expansion's beta, you can visit an island with a familiar-looking lamp; rub it and a genie pops out flaunting his "infinite cosmic power," directly referencing Williams' beloved role in Aladdin.
Disney Infinity 2.0 is a whole new world with Aladdin, Jasmine
Disney Infinity 2.0 will include playable Aladdin and Princess Jasmine characters, Disney Interactive announced. Aladdin will have his magic lamp and scimitar on hand to defeat baddies, including familiar Agrabah guards from the Aladdin series of films. The acrobatic Jasmine will have the power to summon sandy cyclone winds. Aladdin and Jasmine will be accompanied by four power discs, one of which, named "Rags to Riches," transforms Aladdin into his more royal persona, Prince Ali. Another power disc gives the characters the ability to fly around the toy box on Aladdin's magic carpet. The final two discs affect the landscape of the toy box: The Sands of Agrabah and Jasmine's Palace View. Aladdin's figure will arrive this fall, whereas Jasmine's is slated to launch in early 2015. Disney Infinity 2.0 will launch September 23. [Image: Disney Interactive]
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.
Prototype magic carpet uses electrified threads to 'fly,' Aladdin pre-orders (video)
If you spent your childhood longing to fly, you're not alone -- and one Princeton grad may have come one step closer to making it a reality with a prototype magic carpet. Ok, it's not actually a rug of the magical variety, but a 4-inch piece of plastic electrified by tiny conducting threads. It works as such: by applying a current to the sheet, tiny air pockets form underneath, propelling it forward one centimeter a second. Since it requires air pockets to move forward, the carpet must stay close to the ground -- making it more like Marty McFly's hoverboard than Aladdin's preferred mode of transportation. Better yet, the inventor has plans for a solar powered version, which would free the carpet from heavy battery constraints and allow it to travel freely over larger distances. Check out the video and source after the break for more deets.
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:
