The 16-bit era Disney games Aladdin, The Lion King, and The Jungle Book are now available on GOG.com. Here's a quick trailer from GOG.com that will give you an idea of what they're like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBbx41UaHVI Aladdin [Affiliate Link] is a platformer based on the 1992 movie of the same name featuring Robin Williams in his iconic role as The Genie. This version is based on the PC/SEGA version of the game. Players will adventure through iconic settings from Agrabah using a Scimitar for melee attacks and apples for ranged attacks. The Mega Drive version of the game was the third best-selling game for that particular console after Sonic and Sonic 2. The original Aladdin game was released in November of 1993.
The Jungle Book [Affiliate Link] is a platformer based on the 1967 animation which features classic songs such as "The Bare Necessities". Players will journey through jungle levels by jumping through trees and swinging on vines (similar to the Atari classic Pitfall). You'll have to collect a certain amount of gems each level and then find one of the characters from the movie such as Baloo. The original The Jungle Book game was released in August of 1994.
Lastly, The Lion King [Affiliate Link] is a platformer based on the 1994 animation which now has a successful stage adaptation. You play the first half of the game as young Simba and the second half as an Adult Simba. The transition between the two is divided by a level based on the stampede scene from the movie; this particular level is regarded by many gamers as being particularly brutal and unforgiving of mistakes. The original The Lion King game was released in December of 1994.
The GOG.com versions of the titles retain their most notable features from their original versions such as the hand-drawn animation cells in The Lion King and the soundtracks based on the scores of the movies. The games are discounted 10% for the first four days after launch. You can also purchase all three in a bundle for $19.99 at a 33% discount [Affiliate Link]. Each of the three games also come with a commemorative 16-bit poster art.
Quick Take
I've never played The Jungle Book, but The Lion King and Aladdin are unequivocal classics from the 16-bit era in my opinion. These are challenging platform games from a time when you would have to play through a level dozens of times to be able to get past it. The music and art in them are great. Some gamers might balk at $20 for three games that are over 20 years old, but if you love classic Disney movies or challenging platformers I think they make for a worthwhile purchase. And of course, GOG.com releasing these titles means they're going to be DRM-free and they'll run on modern systems without any tricks needed.
Have you played any of these Disney games in the SNES or Genesis era? Which of the three are your favorite? How many controllers did you break trying to beat The Lion King's stampede level? Let us know in the comments below!
