While video game adaptations of movies aimed at children are often sub-par, these games stand out from the crowd. Disney licensed their properties out to talented teams including Virgin Games and Westwood Studios, and the titles produced as a result are still remembered fondly to this day.
Aladdin, released in 1993, follows the titular protagonist as he fends off enemies with swings of his scimitar and the occasional thrown apple. The Sega Genesis version of the game is being made available on GOG, rather than the adaptation developed by Capcom that released for the Super Nintendo in the same year.
In The Lion King, players adopt the role of Simba as he grows from a lion cub into an adult. Complex level layouts provide more challenge than you might expect from a game based on a Disney movie, and you’ll need some serious platforming skills to make your way to the end and see off Scar.
Meanwhile, The Jungle Book is a Pitfall-inspired romp that boasts chiptune versions of some of the most memorable songs from the 1967 movie.
The gameplay of all three titles still holds up, but the real appeal is their visuals, which were especially impressive back when they were first released. Digicel technology was used to translate hand-drawn art from the animation team at Disney into sprites that could be used in-game.
GOG is selling each game separately for $10, with a special launch promotion cutting that price to $9 for a limited time only. There’s also the option to buy all three as a bundle for $20.
