A few people have left comments here regarding this game so it’s got me thinking about it. This, folks, was the first SNES game I ever played.
And this game was GOOD. I mean, I dunno, maybe I’m just being nostalgic. And there was nothing particularly super-groundbreaking about it. But it was a solid platformer and every level had a sort of different twist to it.
There was a lot of memorization involved and a lot of trial and error. For the second level, you had to growl at monkeys in a particular order in order to beat it.
…and this was just a warmup for the ninth level, a labyrinthine series of caves that you could get lost in forever if you didn’t know where you were going.
Despite the many comments on YouTube crying about how hard the game was, however, it was never too hard for me a kid. I mean sure, there were levels I spent a lot of time on. But back then, (before I was spoiled by modern games which seem to put more emphasis on getting things right the first time), that’s just how games worked. Plus, it really wasn’t that hard. Not only did I memorize the cave level pretty quickly, but I also memorized all the little sideroutes where bonuses and secrets were hiding.
This game had tons of replay value and I don’t even know why, because once you nailed the game, every playthrough thereafter was essentially the same. I think it’s because once you figured it all out, you could beat the entire thing, bonus levels and all, in under a half hour, and it gave a smug sense of self-satisfaction to be able to do so. Sort of like how I would later go on to do repeat things like beating the 150cc Special Cup in Mario Kart 64 or redo-ing half of the Shadow Temple in Ocarina of Time or wandering around the map looking for stray clans in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance… just to unwind. These things were challenging but always do-able and they worked as little pick-me-ups because it meant you had mastered some skill, and The Lion King was no exception.
I’m not sure how well this game would hold up these days for someone who hasn’t played it before. But I guarantee that most of us who played this game back in the day have nothing but fond memories of it.
I LOVED this game. Loved loved loved. I think it was the first video game I actually felt passionate about.
Wait… people are complaining about this game being hard? XD
Granted, I did actually try to pick this up again a couple of years ago and I couldn’t get past the first level without dying miserably. But when I was 10-11 years old, I played over and over again and at some point also got to that “Hey I can beat this in 30 minutes without dying” phase XD
What an awesome game.
Wow, you must have been reading my mind. As of recently, my son has become enamored by the movie, and watches it several times a day (he’s two but already sings Hakuna Matata). Every time I watch it with him, I’m reminded of this game, and each part that coincided with the movie, even the Timon and Pumba bonus levels where you collected bugs. I loved this game as a kid. I think it’s time to go searching my closets for it.
I loved that game so much! To this day, I still can’t think of a game that was based off a movie that was better-done than TLK. The challenge was actually fun in it, and I remember really enjoying all the puzzles and mazes. While my sister would want to play Jurassic Park non-stop, I always wanted to play this non-stop.
I had the Sega Genesis version, and I remember really loving the game. I remember it being hard, and very tricky, but it’s one of the few games I’ve actually -beaten-, so…yeah, that doesn’t really say much as to how hard it was. >.>
I had the Genesis version as well and I absolutely loved it. This game really kept my attention a lot longer that most other games (other than WoW). If I had a Genesis still, I’d still be playing it.
I had a Sega Genesis for a long time before I got an SNES. Played a lot of games on it, but I never played this one.
And my first SNES game was “Super Godzilla”. Still have it, actually. Haven’t had the urge to play it again in years.
Ooh I remember figuring out the monkeys puzzle! I don’t think I ever got to play adult simba though. That cave level looks tough.
I think I came to this a bit late… I had never played it on a SNES, I downloaded it to play on an emulator around 2002. So I can attest that, at least as recently as five years ago, and to a ~20 year old, this game was still very enjoyable and playable 😀
I… I played that game, too. I loved it, though for some bizarre reason I couldn’t get past the rainforest (after graveyard). I have no idea why, I just couldn’t (I beat every other game with ease – Pac Man World, Pokemon, Frogger, whatever. Any games except racing I could beat within hours).
Then again, I was just seven years old. Could be why.
Thanks for bringing back fond memories! 😀
I remember the monkey level! 😀 Oddly enough, I figured it out immediately (and yet I couldn’t get past the tons-of-waterfalls jungle).