Here is the first time attack of this hard game.

The plot pretty much summarizes the movie (while adding in some elements to maintain it as a game). I skipped the plot points at the end of the levels that had them.

- As fast as possible

- Takes damage to save time

- Manipulates luck

- Plays at hardest level

- Genre: Platform

Emulator used: Gens 9a

This game was a hard project for me because of, in my opinion, the below-average controls. Simba (you) jumps two different ways:

1. Jumping while standing still, which is slower, but gains more height.

2. Jumping while running, which I used at every possible occurance. Also, if you are to jump without getting enough acceleration, you will not accelerate in the air.

As you will be able to see, I sometimes have to move farther than I need to jump, this was needed to create enough acceleration to reach the next part of the level.

This game also has some bad collision detection, but that didn't cause much trouble.

I take damage intentionally in most areas, here are some that might seem awkward:

- At the end of the Pridelands, I jump and get hurt by falling on the hyena. This is to start the battle sooner.

- In the elephant graveyard, at the end of level as I'm fighting the hyena I get hit. I do this for two reasons: 1) If I went the other way, it would waste too much time because the hyena would have to turn towards me and start walking again and 2) Getting hit made the hyena start barking and I was able to manipulate it to jump.

FUN FACT: The first "hyena" fought at the end of Elephant Gravyard is actually two.

- At the end of Hakuna Matata, on the last platform I get hit by the ape twice. This I could not control due to the limited space on the platform and the amount needed to make one trip through rolling.

- In Simba's Destiny, near the beginning I get hit by a monkey, saving me little to no time. This I could not avoid save waiting a few seconds for the monkey to finally throw his rock the other way. In the same level, the same thing happens, only I do save some time.

Manipulating the enemies movements are fairly easy to do. The hyenas follow a set path - battle begins, opening action (bite, jump), walk a fixed unalterable path, action, pant. As demonstrated in the movie, jumping after an action will result in the hyena jumping straight up, then begin panting. I don't know if this counts as "manipulating luck", but it did make it faster...

Probably the most frustrating aspect of the game was climbing up slopes because it so slow. I tried to avoid this at all times, but Simba cannot jump as high as I'd like him to. Also, jumping up the sides of mountains is annoying as well.

My favorite level is Simba's return. Quite simply, Simba just kicks ass the entire time and the music reminds me of the heist scene in the movie Heat.

The hardest and most annoying level is Be Prepared, basically nothing went the way I wanted it to. So I had to figure where the best place was to take damage. I stopped for a couple seconds after the first few eruptions near the beginning because taking damage on the last eruption is faster than the second-to-last (I would have died if I had hit both.)

Another thing about this game is rolling. It is faster to get through enemies (vultures in Elephant Graveyard, for example) through rolling rather than jumping on them due to acceleration issues and the fact you'll have a higher chance of getting hit in the process.

When the transition to adult happens, the jumping height rises slightly and you're not able to roll when an adult. The adult Simba also climbs up slopes slower.

Being an adult carries a three new features - slashing, wrestling and mauling. Slashing is performed faster when in the air as you'll see. Wrestling can kill a hyena faster than slashing does, however, killing a hyena with one shot is nearly impossible, but I was able to pull it off with two mauls with a little luck. There's also the ability to throw, but only with Scar will you need it.

I took three different approaches to killing Scar:

1. I first tried just plain slashing, but this took forever and was boring.

2. I figured wrestling was the best way, so I tried it while up against a wall so I wouldn't have to jump in between wrestles, but I can't get out of the way of Scar after he's been defeated and that causes a delay, so I didn't continue it.

3. I decided wrestling with periodic jumps would be the best way and I was right. Slashing elongated the run about 3 minutes (not kidding) and wrestling while pinned against a wall delayed the fights by about 10 seconds.

Scar's hitpoints can be modeled by how many slashes it takes to defeat him. The first time I fight him requires 100 slashes, the second requires 150 slashes, and the final requires 200 (what was Virgin thinking?) Luckily, 1 wrestle = 10 slashes.

Scar's movements are pretty erratic. If he's moving backwards, he will block you every time, so in order for him to turn the direction you want him to, you'll have to wait until he starts panting (after wrestling with him) and then slash him. The throwing action is only useful when he's panting. If I tried it before that, that would cause me to maul instead, and most likely, be a victim on Scar's special move (being mauled to death).

Recorded at 6% speed for the greatest control. This includes jumping up mountainsides, slashing as fast as possible, swinging and finding the exact frame to pounce on a hyena.

This movie may not look too cool, but anyone who's played this game knows how hard it is and will hopefully appreciate it.

Enjoy!