Challenging and fun Disney platformer
The Disney movie on which this game is based really shouldn't need any introduction and it remains one of the finest animated films of recent years. Fortunately, the game lives up to the movie's high standards and stands as a great, if challenging and rather traditional, platformer. In terms of gameplay, the Lion King takes a fairly standard approach to licensed games in that it translates the movie's story into a side scrolling platform game. Players control Simba and take him through several levels inspired by the environments from the movie and which require them to avoid, jump on or roar at the various enemies that populate the level. The roar meter is one of the more original additions to the game and when it is fully charged up it allows Simba to scare his opponents into submission. Later levels also see players controlling a grown up version of Simba which adds in the ability to slash at enemies or grab them and toss them off the screen and which mixes things up a bit. Although it is nothing particularly innovative, the Lion King really is a great platformer. Notably, the graphics really are beautiful, with all the gorgeous colours and effects you would expect and with silky smooth animation on all the personality-filled sprites. Gameplay wise too, the Lion King stands comfortably alongside classics of the genre, like Rayman and Sonic 3 but don't be fooled by its cartoony appearance as it is highly challenging, even for old hands at this kind of game. Disney's Hercules and the Jungle Book are also worth a look if you are into animated platforming fun.
