It can be argued that one of the most important companies to ever be involved with the arts is Disney. The company has influenced generations of people with their animations and feature films, and had a big impact on the world of video games. Disney games have been part of the childhoods of kids around the world, and have been impactful on the industry in ways that changed it positively forever. Whether it was during the 16-bit era or the modern day on home consoles, the effect that Disney-related games had can be seen and felt even today.

But what were some of the most important Disney games to come out? The company and its many characters have managed to appear across home console generations over the decades. But while some video games have included Disney characters in ways that were meaningful, they haven't always impacted the industry or stood out to players in a big way. And yet, certain games were able to remain a benchmark for positive influence on video games beyond their initial release, and are often looked back on fondly as classics. Here are three Disney video game releases that positively changed gaming forever.

Ducktales (NES)

A legendary NES release

For some people, the release of Ducktales on the Nintendo Entertainment System marked a very important point for licensed games. Released in 1989 by Capcom, Ducktales is based on the popular animated television show of the same name, with players controlling Uncle Scrooge as he explores locations for treasures and clashes with different villains from the show. It was a simple platformer to play, with a lot of its depth coming from the many hidden collectibles and pathways to discover on each stage. The gameplay has Scrooge using his cane as a pogo stick to reach higher platforms and items high up on the screen, as well as knocking out enemies he encounters.

There are five stages within Ducktales on NES, each with their own theme and unique visuals. But one aspect of the game that stands out to many people is its soundtrack, with the moon stage being one of the most famous tracks that is referenced by people often. The game is also known for having multiple endings, which change based on the amount of treasure they accumulate by the end. Multiple characters from the show can be seen in the game, including Magica De Spell and Flintheart Glomgold. A remake of Ducktales was released in 2013, titled Ducktales: Remastered, and features the gameplay and expanded levels, but also has an entirely upgraded presentation and soundtrack. The game also included full voice acting for the characters, including the late voice of Uncle Scrooge, Alan Young.

The success of Ducktales paved the way for other Disney games to release on the NES, which were based on other hit Disney animated shows that were part of the Disney Afternoon block of television. Games like Darkwing Duck, Talespin, and two games based on Chip & Dale: Rescue Rangers were some of the system's biggest licensed releases, and were the springboard for more Disney games to appear on other platforms after the NES.

Disney Infinity

Figures coming to life

When people think of collectible figures connected to video games, they often think of two different kinds of "toys-to-life" franchises: Nintendo's amiibo and Disney Infinity. While Nintendo would release amiibo figures connected to their games in 2014, Disney Infinity was actually before it to release in 2013, even though it wasn't the first video game to have figures connected to it. The original game to do so was Activision's Skylanders series, which was related to the Spyro the Dragon franchise. But Disney Infinity took the concept and perfected it in a way only a company like Disney could, with its rich history of characters and popular franchises.

The game pushed the concept of players buying figures and having them appear in the game, which was done with a pad for character figures to be placed upon. At the same time, some figures came paired with toys that would open up new locations and themed settings to explore within the game, which were often tied to Disney series like Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars, Monster Inc., and many others. Getting the figures and connecting them to the game was a massively popular aspect to playing Disney Infinity, even though the game could be played without ever buying more figures. But to get the full effect and experience everything that Disney Infinity had to offer, players had to purchase at least one bundle to open up aspects of Playset mode and Toy Box mode.

There were a total of three major releases for Disney Infinity, which expanded the game in different ways. More figures were sold at retail stores, with new story and sandbox content added to the experience. Franchises like Marvel Comics and Star Wars became a major part of the game, as they both had multiple films being released in theaters. But while Disney Infinity was a success for many people, the series came to an abrupt end when Avalanche Studios was closed down in 2016. The series was retired by Disney and production on figures came to an end. Many connect what was done while Disney Infinity was still around to the success of Nintendo's amiibo figures, with many noting the quality of the figures and focus on popular series being a big component to their success in the same way Disney Infinity had done before.

Disney's Aladdin (Genesis)

Animation you can control

The console wars between Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis were filled with many game releases that were directly competing with one another. More often than not, some licensed games had alternate versions between the two consoles, which would look and play differently. One game release like that was Disney's Aladdin, which had very different experiences between both home consoles. The version that many people praise and feel was the better of the two was the release for the Sega Genesis in 1993, which was developed by Virgin Games. The version on Super Nintendo was made by Capcom, who had a long history at that point making games based on Disney properties.

The Genesis version of Disney's Aladdin stood out to players for its high-quality animation and straight-forward gameplay, which had Aladdin himself wielding a sword against enemies. While the game's story was loosely based on the plot of the iconic animated film, it took some liberties with it in multiple stages. Players still got to see all the main aspects from the movie, including the genie and other characters that Aladdin meets, but it was presented through the lens of an action-platformer where Aladdin would battle enemies like the sultan's guards and snakes. However, everything in motion had the same attention to detail with its animation and visual style that a Disney animated feature would have, with many frames providing smoother-looking movement for every character.

Many people consider Disney's Aladdin to be one of the best 16-bit Disney games to release, which also gave room for other Disney games to be developed for the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo. Disney's Aladdin was followed up by games based on The Lion King, The Jungle Book, and multiple games based on Disney's Beauty and the Beast for the Genesis. The Super Nintendo also saw games based on the same animated features, but were also somewhat different. The success of Disney's Aladdin on the Sega Genesis also contributed to Nintendo finding ways to compete with the game on the Super Nintendo, which directly led to the development and release of Donkey Kong Country.

Magical influence across generations

The influence that the Walt Disney company has across entertainment mediums cannot be understated. While the company was building a legacy in cinemas with their animated features, they also found parallel success in video games with the titles based on their franchises. Even today, many people reference and fondly remember Disney games that were part of their childhood, which also happen to be impactful on the gaming industry in positive ways for everyone. Although there have been many Disney-related games to come out over the years which may have been successful, not all of them have been able to influence people in a major way beyond their initial release. And yet, some games have that extra magical touch that has lasted throughout the decades and are still viewed as classics that people enjoy today, which will eventually be passed on to the generations that come after.