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The Lion King (1994) is a 2D platform game developed by Westwood Studios and published by Virgin Interactive, released for MS-DOS, Sega Genesis, SNES, and other platforms. Based on Disney’s beloved animated film, the game lets players relive the story of Simba as he grows from a playful cub into the king of the Pride Lands.
The game faithfully follows the movie’s plot, with levels inspired by key scenes — from the wildebeest stampede to Scar’s final showdown. Players begin as young Simba, navigating colorful savannahs, climbing trees, and dodging hyenas. As the game progresses, Simba grows up, gaining new abilities like roaring louder and clawing enemies, reflecting his transformation into a mature lion.
Visually, The Lion King was a standout for its time. The game features hand-drawn animation created in collaboration with Disney’s animators, giving it a vibrant, movie-like appearance. Its soundtrack includes classic tracks like “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” in digitized form, enhancing the nostalgic feel.
Though often praised for its visuals and faithfulness to the film, the game is also remembered for its high difficulty, especially in early levels like “Can’t Wait to Be King,” which became infamous among players. Still, it remains a favorite among fans of '90s platformers and Disney games alike.
More than just a tie-in, The Lion King for DOS offered a challenging, beautifully crafted experience that captured the heart and adventure of the original film.
