The Lion King 1 1/2 (GBA) is a platformer game where you control Timon and Pumbaa trough 30 levels... And, well, the story is... How can I say ? If you don't know the movie, I don't think you'd be able to understand it :p. Oh, and something nice with this game is the complete absence of RNG.
- Emulator used : Bizhawk 1.11.1 (VBA-Next core)
- Aims for fastest time
- Takes damage to save time
The "100%" means all bugs and upgrades (see below)
Gameplay
This is a basic platformer game with only 2 directions and jump. Each character has special abilities : Timon can crawl, dig and distract hyenas with a dance and Pumbaa can charge and burp. If you land on Pumbaa with Timon, the meerkat will be launched higher by the warthog.
There are 3 types of levels :
- Single character : well, you only have one character to control...
- Coop : you must use the abilities of both Timon and Pumba to reach the end. You can switch by pressing select but the camera is really slow, so it's better to go as far as possible with a character (but no too far).
- Teamwork : Timon is on Pumbaa and they run. This is basically an auto-scroller (but you can speed it up by pressing the left button or slow it with the right button).
One important thing is that you can start moving as soon as the level is loaded because there are a few frames before the dialogue box (and so, you start gaining speed).
When a character is hurt, it jumps away (or bounces, if you prefer).
Also, each level has an internal timer (for enemies' movements).
Speed
You don't get the max speed immediately but there are a few frames with acceleration
- Global : when you jump, you need 10 frames to get the max speed but when you land, you slow down.
- Timon takes 19 frames while on the ground. Of course, crawling slows Timon down a lot.
- Pumbaa takes 12 frames while on the ground. It's better to charge as far as possible to avoid getting bumped away (or, at least, not too far away).
Enemies
- Hedgehogs : jumping/charging on them hurt the character (quite logic) but you can kill them with a burp.
- Hyenas : jumping/burping on them stun them. Timon can kill them with a charge. You can go trough them if they don't attack (or right after it). There are 4 types of hyenas:
- Blue : moves to reach you and attacks.
- Red : doesn't move but still attacks when you're nearby.
- Yellow/Green 1 : they don't move and call other hyenas when you're next to it (only when there is a "nest" around there).
- Yellow/Green 2 : probably the most annoying : jumps everywhere.
- Spikes : well, they are spikes... And they hurt.
- Spiders : they move up and down on liana without any rest... And they hurt, too (which makes you fall from the liana).
- Monkeys : throw coconuts (and they're REALLY annoying).
- Vulture : they're basically moving platforms (but they are used as enemies in a teamwork level).
Upgrades
If you get all bugs in a level, you get a piece of a picture.
Once you got all pieces, you have access to a new level which gives a heart bonus. There are 2 for Timon, 2 for Pumbaa and 1 for "teamwork". These levels must be done before time runs out but you can collect clocks to get 10 more seconds.
There are also 2 "dance" upgrades for Timon (the first gives him a hat and a cane, the second a flower skirt) and 2 "burp" for Pumbaa (each makes it bigger). They're hidden in 4 levels.
Burping
If you burp while on the ground, Pumbaa is stopped... But if you do that while on air, Pumbaa isn't stopped. This is important for a TAS (btw, you won't see any burp made on the ground ;) ).
Bug/Glitch
I've found a single little bug : when Pumbaa pushes a rock and if Timon is on it, starts running and then jumps, the speed of the rock will be added to its own speed. The same thing happens with the vulture (but their speed is so small that it's almost unnoticeable).
Levels:
By world I mean the group of levels (each group ends with a heart-upgrade level).
World 1 (20387 frames):
- Level 2 : bouncing on spikes is faster than taking the liana.
- Timon 1 : the timing is almost frame perfect.
World 2 (21239 frames):
Nothing to say
World 3 (35882 frames):
- Level 6 : Jumping over the hyenas is as fast as going trough it.
World 4 (22125 frames):
- Level 1 : the speed bug is shown here.
- Level 2 : bouncing on the vultures takes the same time than running to them.
- Level 3 : the problem with that level is that using the perfect route would be a problem because of the level's timer (an hedgehog would be right in my way)... So, instead of simply waiting after picking the bugs, I changed the route. It's a little bit slower but it's more entertaining like this ;).
World 5 (43620 frames):
- Level 3 : burping on the hyenas is useless but entertaining.
- Level 6 : this level shows quite well the principle of a level's timer.
- Level 7 : probably the worst level with falling rocks that you can't see. The only level where I slow down.
Thankings
Thanks to everyone who supported me! :D
ars4326: Hi again, Doc Skellington. Overall, this was good-paced platformer that was remarkably engaging, throughout. The 100% collecting aspect (as well as the general stage pace) maintained a good level of interest, and I also liked the tight co-opting you implemented with Timon & Pumbaa in the team levels. Another well-done run from you :)
Accepting for publication to Moons!
*For example, in level "The Big Fight" [between 32:40-35:30] such long and time consuming camera scrollings happens several time.
