The fourth generations of consoles, which took place, roughly speaking, between 1987 and 1994, saw the emergence of the 16-bit consoles. These consisted of the TurboGrafx-16, the Sega Genesis, and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The early years of video games were not like they are today, especially when it comes to licensed games. Licensed games were not only widely accepted but were also some of the best games on their respective system, with Disney games being the prime example of this.
To show just how dominant and high-quality Disney games were at that time, we have comprised a list of some of the very best Disney games of that era.
10 Mickey Mania (SNES/GEN)
Mickey Mania was an adventure through the career of pop culture’s favorite little mouse. You start off in Steamboat Willie, widely known as the first appearance of Mickey. The first level is completely black and white, aside from our titular hero, before it transitions into full color to signify the transition of time from the black and white era into the color era, creating a really cool effect.
From there, you go through the history of Mickey Mouse, represented with some colorful levels, while also seeing some familiar faces along the way.
9 World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck (GEN)
World of Illusion is part of Sega's fantastic Illusion series which had entries on the Sega Genesis, Sega Master System, and Sega Game Gear. In the game, you have the ability to play as either Mickey, Donald, or both in two-player mode.
With the swing of Mickey or Donald’s cape, you make enemies disappear, which acts as your attack for the game. As with most Disney games, World of Illusion is rather easy and can be beaten in an afternoon, but the fun locations and platforming make it a great playthrough, especially if you bring along a friend.
8 The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse (SNES)
The Magical Quest was the start of a trilogy on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System which included Magical Quest, The Great Circus Mystery Starring Mickey & Minnie, and the Japanese-exclusive Magical Quest 3 Starring Mickey and Donald.
Throughout the game, you collect costumes for Mickey to wear, which will give him abilities that help him make his way through levels. First, you get a magician’s outfit which allows Mickey to shoot magic at his enemies, then a firefighter uniform which lets him spray water, and, finally, you get mountain-climbing gear which allows him to use a grappling hook to attach to certain objects.
7 Goof Troop (SNES)
One of the greatest co-op experiences on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System is Goof Troop. Goof Troop is a top-down puzzle game developed by Capcom. Capcom and Disney had a good relationship during both the fourth and third generation, creating many fantastic games like Duck Tales, The Magical Quest trilogy, Aladdin on the Super Nintendo, and many, many more.
In Goof Troop’s single-player, you play as Goofy solving puzzles built for one, but, in co-op, the first player controls Goofy, while the second controls his son, Max, solving puzzles built for 2 players.
6 Maui Mallard In Cold Shadow (GEN/SNES)
Maui Mallard In Cold Shadow stars Maui Mallard, who is actually just our favorite speech impaired duck Donald. Maui Mallard a Hawian wearing shirt duck by day and a ninja by night. The game is filled with some great use of color and excellent animation that really makes Donald come to life.
Throughout the game, you switch back and forth between Maui Mallad and Cold Shadow. The Maui Mallard parts play almost like a run and gun while the Cold Shadow parts play like an action platformer with the ability to use your staff to swing from platform to platform.
5 Donald Duck no Mahou no Boushi (SNES)
The Japanese-exclusive Donald Duck no Mahou no Boushi is, like just about every other game on this list, a very colorful platformer. In this game, you complete various chores for different characters in the game, such as putting mail in mailboxes and cleaning dirty windows. Trust us, it is more fun than it sounds.
The Donald sprite in this game is great and incredibly expressive, with many different animations to express just how our not-so-brave hero is feeling, with all of the levels also receiving the same amount of detail.
4 Mickey no Tokyo Disneyland Daibouken
Another Japanese-exclusive game, Mickey no Tokyo Disneyland Daibouken stars Mickey, as the name implies. Throughout the game, you explore Disneyland as Mickey with the help of balloons. You have the option to fill up your balloons with either helium so you can float or water use them to soak your enemies to death.
We find it odd that any Disney game would not be localized and brought to North America, the home of the characters. Mickey no Tokyo Disneyland Daibouken, Donald Duck no Mahou no Boushi, and Magical Quest 3 Starring Mickey and Donald are all fantastic games that would have been very much enjoyed in North America.
3 Aladdin (SNES)
This may start a small debate as many prefer the Sega Genesis version of Aladdin over the Super Nintendo Entertainment System version. We feel that, if you prefer action platformers, you’ll prefer the Sega Genesis version, but, if you prefer straight-up platformers, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System version is for you.
Throughout the game, you replay the events of the movie, using Aladdin’s acrobatic skills and pension for throwing fruit to progress all the way to the climactic final battle with Jafar. The game has some solid platforming and offers a bit of a challenge, especially when compared to other entries on this list.
2 Quackshot Starring Donald Duck (GEN)
Quackshot Starring Donald Duck borrows slightly from Nintendo’s Metroid series, as you must find items in one level of the game and use them to help you progress further through previous levels. While the levels are broken up, the need for backtracking with new items gives the game a feeling of cohesion.
Only four levels are available from the start, but more are unlocked once you have completed them. You start the game with only a plunger that can only stun enemies but quickly acquire different tools for fighting enemies and traversing levels.
1 Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (GEN)
One of the best platformers on the Sega Genesis, Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse is an easy but highly enjoyable playthrough that deserves every platformer lovers’ attention. You can do the classic hop and bop like in the Super Mario series to take out enemies or you can use apples to dispatch enemies safely.
This beloved game was remade for the seventh generation of consoles with updated visuals and soundtrack to ensure this great game is not forgotten to time. It's easily one of the best platformers and possibly one of the best games of the 16-bit era.