Hardware
The Aladdin Deck Enhancer invented by Richard Darling, contains a bypass Security Circuit Chip, a Memory Control Chip, and a Graphics Chip, which would work with the lock-out chip and other features inside the Nintendo Entertainment System. First the Compact Cartridge would be inserted into the Aladdin Deck Enhancer which is shaped the same as a standard NES cartridge, and then this would be inserted into the control deck. Inside the slot where the Compact Cartridge is placed there is a recessed switch, which changes the Security/Region settings from position A to position B. The device contains 8 kilobytes of RAM for graphics use, much like 24.7% of all other NES games released in the US.
The idea behind the Aladdin Deck Enhancer was to provide a cheaper means with which to make the game cartridges mainly because each cartridge requires its own 10NES lock-out chip, RAM and extra circuitry. Camerica was one of the major purveyors of unlicensed NES games, so the Deck Enhancer was a logical creation for them. Also, since the slot for the actual game was much smaller, less material was needed to produce a cartridge. However by the time the product was released the Super NES and Mega Drive/Genesis were already released and the product never had a large installed base to warrant a large amount of software. Camerica never recovered from the release and shortly was forced to close down. This led to a small amount of game systems produced, which in turn made it a valuable collectible to many collectors that can be sold for a good price.
Codemasters' game Dizzy Prince of the Yolkfolk designed by the Oliver twins was enhanced for the NES this release and retitled Dizzy the Adventurer and originally bundled with the Aladdin released in November 1992, it was the only 'Aladdin' game not released on a normal sized NES cartridge. Only another six titles were ever released, all primarily from Codemasters' library. More titles were listed as "Coming Soon", but never released as Aladdin cartridges. CJ's Elephant Antics wasn't released as a standalone game at all but was part of the Quattro Arcade NES cartridge which contained three other games. Aladdin games were typically identical to their standalone counterparts with a few exceptions. The Fantastic Adventures of Dizzy was the only one to receive any improvement, having a faster character, changed items system, and 250 instead of 100 stars to collect (other smaller things were changed as well). Baseball Pros on the Quattro Sports Aladdin cartridge seems to have a small problem. It always plays ten innings despite the score, rather than ending after nine when the score isn't tied.
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