Three of Disney’s classic 16-bit platformers — Aladdin, The Lion King and The Jungle Book — have been updated for modern computers and re-released exclusively on GOG.com, the retailer announced today.
These aren’t remasters or HD remakes; all three games "have been meticulously updated to be compatible with modern operating systems while preserving the original graphics, sound, and gameplay," according to a press release from GOG.com. As you can see in the trailer above, the re-releases retain the games’ native 4:3 aspect ratio, with the rest of the space on today’s widescreen monitors taken up by what appears to be original 16-bit artwork from each title.
In case you’re wondering, the answer is yes: The source material for this update of Aladdin is the version that originated on Sega Genesis and was later ported to Amiga and MS-DOS — not its inferior, scimitar-less Super NES counterpart. Virgin Games and Disney Software co-developed the Genesis version, which was released on the console in November 1993.
The Jungle Book, which was developed by Virgin Games, debuted in 1993 on the Sega Master System; slightly different ports were released the following year on platforms including DOS, Genesis and Super NES. Westwood Studios’ The Lion King launched in December 1994 on Genesis and Super NES. We’ve reached out to GOG.com for information on the source versions for these re-releases, and will update this article with any information we receive.
All three games are playable on Linux, Mac and Windows PC. GOG.com is selling them individually for $9.99, with a 10 percent discount to $8.99 for the launch. You can also get a bundle of all three titles for $19.99. GOG.com’s partnership with Disney began in October 2014 with the re-releases of two Star Wars classics from the early ’90s. Since then, the retailer has put out more than two dozen Disney-owned titles, including LucasArts’ The Dig and The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition.
