SNES

The Lion King

Though the two games are structurally identical, the Super NES Lion King is far superior to its Genesis counterpart — better graphics, music, and sound effects.) But what really makes this veldt vivid is something you might not expect from a Disney project: a palpable sense of menace that outstrips even the movie's scary regicide scene. A showcase sequence in which you have to guide Simba out of the path of a wildebeest stampede is the hairiest interactive experience this side of crossing a freeway on foot.

After the amazing success of Aladdin, they have joined forces to bring you the story of the maturing lion cub, Simba, and once again they have made an amazing game. From start to finish, The Lion King rolls with action, challenges and non-stop excitement.

Virgin has done a great job making a great game with a four-legged character, something I'm sure most developers wouldn't even want to attempt. Of course, the license will sell this game, we all know that. Problem is, the buyers will be mostly young kids and this game may be too hard for them. The graphics and music are outstanding. If you're a good (and patient) gamer, LK should be near the top of your SNES list.

The Lion King has the looks and the sounds of the animated movie, but it lacks the intensity that Virgin games usually have. Some of the places require you to automatically get hit and these areas are really annoying. The control is very good and the bonus scenes with the warthog are fun. Overall, The Lion King is an above-average action game. This would be good if you enjoy Disney's films. Try renting it first.

This is one of the best-looking SNES titles you'll ever find. Each stage in Lion King's world is bursting with vivid, colorful background scenery and well-animated animals of all sizes. You can interact with many of the animals, and many will help you in your quest. The game closely follows the storyline of the film. You begin as a baby Simba, but eventually grow into a mature lion. One unique feature is your ability to roar, which has different effects depending on what you direct it at. Also included is an exciting 3D stampede stage and some fun bonus rounds that let you play as Timba and Pumba. Lion King is a high quality title, but it does stumble here and there. Certain stages require far too much jumping between ledges, and it's very easy to become lost in the cave stages. There's a bit of frustration to be had, but fans will love how this great-looking game remains so faithful to the movie.

No title is perfect, and if you had to complain about The Lion King, you could say that the controls aren't quite up to the standards of the rest of the game, and sometimes repeating earlier areas gets to be a drag.

Like all of Virgin's Disney games, the animation flows like milk. The game uses actual Disney animation, not just a bunch of hacks churning out drawings. An original score was also done by Hans Zimmer, the film's soundtrack composer and original samples and voice-overs were taken from the movie. It's kind of nice of hearing James Earl Jones kicking it through the game; it makes you feel kind of classy. Even though I like Jackie Chan and speed metal, I'd buy this game. It's cool.

The Lion King has some of the best graphics and sounds we've seen this year, but the gameplay will make you snarl.