Skip to main content

The Lion King

The Lion King Game Cover
61%Game Brain Score
music, gameplay
graphics, optimization
63% User Score Based on 41 reviews
Critic Score 80%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

LinuxPCMac OSSega Mega DriveAmigaWindowsSuper NintendoMs Dos
The Lion King Game Cover

About

The Lion King is a single player action adventure game with a kids theme. It was developed by Westwood Studios and was released on December 18, 2017. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

In Disney's The Lion King game, players journey with Simba the lion through 10 levels, from cub to king, while overcoming enemies and obstacles. The experience features memorable music from the movie and involves problem-solving, bug collecting, and battles with hyenas. Characters Pumbaa and Timon accompany Simba on his quest to reclaim his rightful place in the Pride Lands.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Skip User Reviews

63%
Audience ScoreBased on 41 reviews
music3 positive mentions
optimization3 negative mentions

  • Strong nostalgia factor that effectively brings back childhood memories.
  • Graphics, music, and animation are faithful and appealing, preserving the original game's charm.
  • Gameplay is fun and challenging, with varied mechanics and difficulty options including a helpful easy mode.
  • This Steam release is just a DOSBox emulation of the 1994 original with no enhancements or modern optimizations.
  • Numerous technical issues including crashes, glitches, input lag, poor controls, and a limited screen view frustrate gameplay.
  • Lack of modern features such as save functionality, resolution options, achievements, or ability to record gameplay diminishes user experience.
  • graphics
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics are generally praised for their quality and faithful recreation of movie scenes, especially compared to earlier versions. However, some users note issues such as low frame rates, bugs, and aging visuals that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are seen as impressive for their time but show signs of age and technical flaws.

    • “I have played the Sega Genesis and the Super Nintendo versions, and this version has the best graphics and music quality.”
    • “One of the best movie-based games of the '90s, with cool graphics and faithful playable reproductions of the movie scenes.”
    • “It offered some of the best graphics, character animations, fast responsive movement, and sound available on the Mega Drive (that's the Genesis for the American folks).”
    • “The sound and graphics are fine but due to the low frame rate and poor speed of the game, it controls horribly and just isn't enjoyable.”
    • “The game is buggy, and there are a lot of issues with the sound and graphics.”
    • “The graphics are also pretty rough, and it's clear that the game hasn't aged well.”
  • optimization
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game suffers from poor optimization, as it essentially runs through a DOSBox emulator without enhancements for modern systems, leading to stuttering, unresponsive controls, and bugs. Overall, it feels like a lackluster port with little effort made to improve performance or usability.

    • “The Lion King still runs on the DOS version with little optimization, has strange controls, and is one of the hardest games ever made.”
    • “Still, all things considered, although precious to me, I think $9.99 is a bit steep a price considering there has been no optimization or improvements made to the game.”
    • “It's clear that this is just a DOSBox emulator, and it's not optimized for modern systems.”
    • “The game is buggy and unoptimized, and it's clear that little effort went into porting it to modern systems.”
    • “10 € shameful hidden emulator with zero optimization for PC.”
  • music
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music is generally praised for being atmospheric and high quality, especially in comparison to earlier versions. However, some users note issues such as missing boss fight tracks and that certain soundtracks, like the original MIDI versions, do not fully capture the brilliance of composers like Hans Zimmer and Elton John.

    • “The art is incredibly pretty, the music is really atmospheric and gaming mechanics are varying enough to make each level unique.”
    • “Great animation, fun gameplay and good music.”
    • “I have played the Sega Genesis and the Super Nintendo versions and this version has the best graphics and music quality.”
    • “The first little hyena boss fight is supposed to play some boss fight music but it doesn't, it just stays ambient like the entirety of level 1.”
    • “Even the soundtrack is the original MIDI version, which really doesn't do the amazing music of Hans Zimmer and Elton John justice at all.”
  • gameplay
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is varied, dynamic, and engaging, with unique mechanics that evolve as the game progresses, offering a mix of fun, challenge, and variety through bonus stages and character growth.

    • “The art is incredibly pretty, the music is really atmospheric and gaming mechanics are varying enough to make each level unique.”
    • “The bonus phases, the secrets, and the gameplay change when Simba grows up make it varied, funny, and challenging.”
    • “The gameplay is varied and builds up throughout the game.”
  • stability
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game shows a mixed stability performance, with some players experiencing smooth, crash-free gameplay, while others report frequent glitches, crashes, and audio-visual issues. Overall, the port appears unoptimized and inconsistent across different systems.

    • “I encountered numerous glitches and crashes during my playthrough, which made the game nearly unplayable at times.”
    • “The game is buggy and unoptimized, and it's clear that little effort went into porting it to modern systems.”
    • “The game is buggy, and there are a lot of issues with the sound and graphics.”
  • atmosphere
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere is praised for its beautiful art and immersive music, which together create a captivating experience. Additionally, varied gameplay mechanics contribute to making each level feel distinct and engaging.

    • “The art is incredibly pretty, the music is really atmospheric, and gaming mechanics are varied enough to make each level unique.”
  • humor
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is appreciated for its variety and playful elements, especially through bonus phases, hidden secrets, and gameplay changes as Simba matures, providing a fun and engaging experience.

Skip Critic Reviews

80%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews
Skip Game Offers

Buy The Lion King

Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like The Lion King

Games Like The Lion King

Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King Image
Castle of Illusion Image
Soldiers of Fortune ImageSoldiers of Fortune ImageSoldiers of Fortune Image
Double Dragon Trilogy Image
Mega Man X Legacy Collection Image
Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

The Lion King is a action adventure game with kids theme.

The Lion King is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows, Linux and others.

The Lion King was released on December 18, 2017.

The Lion King was developed by Westwood Studios.

The Lion King has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its music but disliked it for its graphics.

The Lion King is a single player game.

Similar games include Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King, Castle of Illusion, Soldiers of Fortune, Double Dragon Trilogy, Mega Man X Legacy Collection and others.