Disney's The Lion King is a golden oldie of a platformer that is full of more or less hidden areas and items to find. My initial idea was to make a guide on specifically these secrets, but because drawing the line between what should be considered a secret and what shouldn't proved to be quite tricky, I decided to just make a full list of all of the items instead.

This guide is meant for the N, S and Japanese versions of this game. I have previously made a guide that handles the DOS version, and if there is interest for it I might write one for the Game Boy version some day, too.

If you find an error from the guide or know of an item that isn't mentioned here, please let me know! I'm always eager to learn more of this game.

So first things first: here are all of the items you will come across and what they will do when they are picked up/touched:



Keep in mind that the max amount of lives you can have is 8, and after that no extra lives will appear in the levels! The extra total health you gather stays with you for the whole playthrough, but the total roar power resets to default when Simba grows from kid to adult. The bonus stage bugs activate after you have beaten your current level.

In this guide I use the N version as the default version. S version is more or less the same as N, but whenever they differ in some ways, I will make a note on that. Japanese version on the other hand is identical with N version other than having some Japanese text here and there, so all the info for N version works for it, too.

(For full view click the image and then the url on top of the image.)


1-2. The first two items are health restoration bugs that you come across by just travelling straight through the level. In instances like these I will later just write "acquired through normal gameplay" as a method of obtaining.



3. The third item is an important one: a red bug that permanently gives you more max health. You get it by jumping down from the cliff above it and carefully platforming to the corner it is hiding in.


4-7. Acquired through normal gameplay.



8-9. N VERSION: This is the first version difference you will come across. In the N version you have to jump down from the treetops or cliffs at the very top of the stage in order to land to the trees that have the items number 8 and 9 on them.

S VERSION: The ledge grabbing mechanics of N and S versions work a tiny bit differently, which is why you can get to these items in S version just by jumping up towards the nearest tree and grabbing the edge of it with your tiny lion paws. This doesn't work in the N version.


10-12. Time for the first actually well hidden secret! In order to get the item number 10, an extra life, you have to go right and jump down from the platform with two chameleons on it. But that's only the first half of the fun! After grabbing the extra life roll towards the wall on the right and instead of bumping your head to the wall you'll fall down to a secret area which contains items number 11 and 12, a health restoration bug and an extra continue. You get out of the area by walking or rolling to the left from the topmost platform.



13-14. Acquired through normal gameplay.

(For full view click the image and then the url on top of the image.)



1. Acquired through normal gameplay.


2-3. N VERSION: Here's another version difference. When you come to the hippo pile, in the N version you have to painstakingly swing from one hippo's tail to another in order to grab the items 2-3 and to progress onwards. The timing of this can be a bit difficult to get right.

S VERSION: The difference in grabbing mechanic comes yet again to help those who play the S version, as you can skip the tail swinging completely by just jumping up and grabbing the ear of the hippo on the second row. This makes both progressing and grabbing the items 2 and 3 much easier than in the N version.



4. Acquired through normal gameplay.



5. When you have done the second ostrich ride you come to an island with two rhinos. You can get the item number 5, an extra life, by jumping to the horn of the rhino on the right.



6. Acquired through normal gameplay.



7. When you have managed to make the monkeys throw you to the very top of the larger island, you can grab the last item of the stage by carefully jumping right from where the monkeys threw you to - preferably AFTER you have roared to the pink monkey there.

(For full view click the image and then the url on top of the image.)


1-4. Acquired (or, in the case of 3, avoided) through normal gameplay.



5. Jump to the left from the platform with a hyena and the energy bug number 4 in order to reach this item.



6. Roll towards the bone... Cage... Thing... In order to break it and reach this item.


7-10. Swing up from the bone wall and jump left in order to get the item number 7, an extra life, or jump right to reach items 8, 9, and 10.



11. The leg of this bug is juuust barely visible from behind a pile of bones. This is the first hint of many more items being hidden behind the graphics in the later parts of the game.



12-13. These ones are pretty well hidden. After you have picked up the last item climb up and jump really far right in order to reach an empty platform. Roll towards the right wall there and you fall into a secret area where these items are hiding. Don't ask me how that vulture got there!


14. Acquired through normal gameplay.


15. This bug tempts you to keep jumping up while you are escaping the rising geysirs, but the insta-kill geysirs would trap you to the ledge if you climbed there without a plan. What you actually need to do is to let the bug be at first, move away from the geysirs to the left and then come back: the geysirs have now de-spawned and you can grab the bug without danger.



16. Acquired through normal gameplay.



17. You'll find this extra life above a skin trampoline (what even are the terms this level makes me write oh god) but it's not exactly as easy to grab as it first seems like. You can reach it either by doing some pixel-perfect jumping from the left (at least in N version; I haven't so far managed to do it in S version) or you can lure a vulture close enough to use it as an extra platform in order to reach it. It is difficult, but possible.



18. There's an extra continue lurking almost under that previous extra life. Fall down from the left in order to get it (you will get some damage from the spikes, but what can you do) and then jump to the skin trampoline in order to get back up.



19. Acquired through normal gameplay.

There is no map nor any items in this level. Otherwise it's a really neat level though, as you are trying to evade the stampeding wildebeests by dodging to left and right and jumping up. My general advise is to stay close to the right side of the screen during the first half of the level and on the left side during the latter half.

(For full view click the image and then the url on top of the image.)



1. You'll get this item by jumping down to the first pit on the left side of the stage.



2. To get this one you have to jump to the second pit on the right side of the stage and then roll left "through" the wall.



3-4. Third time's the charm: jump to the second pit on the left, roll towards the left wall and watch Simba fall into a secret area and pick up some items. Beware though that immediately after you jump up from the area, you will trigger a chase sequence where you have to run away from a rolling stone.



5. Acquired through normal gameplay.



6. After you have passed six consecutive porcupines you come to this ledge. There isn't much space, but if you manage to roll left and jump up, you'll get a hidden extra life. Amusingly sometimes this doesn't quite work though, and instead of going through the wall Simba will bounce back from the wall and fall into an endless pit.

Okay, this is the stage where the items of N and S versions of the game differ a lot! So much so that I'm going to write about them separately to avoid confusion.

N VERSION:


(For full view click the image and then the url on top of the image.)


1-2. The first two items are in different parts of the first waterfall section. They are just partial healing bugs so they aren't that important, but if you need you can grab the first one of them by continuously pressing to the left when sliding down the waterfalls. It's impossible to get both of these bugs thanks to the branching waterfall paths.



3. After you are back on solid land you can grab this item by walking to the very left corner of the stage.



4. The location of this healing bug isn't all that easy to explain, so I'd suggest to take a peek at the map if you are interested in finding it. You can grab it by jumping up and right from the platform on the left of the bug.



5. Acquired through normal gameplay.



6. This bug is hiding partially behind the waterfall. To grab it simply jump towards it from the platform on the right.



7. Acquired through normal gameplay.


8-9. These items are hiding in the second waterfall section. 9 is yet again just a health restoring bug that you can pretty much ignore, but 8 is one of those important bugs that makes your health meter permanently longer. You'll get it by going down from the rightmost waterfall and continuously pressing left while riding it down.



10. This extra life resides on the right side of the log waterfall that you have to scale. Carefully grab it if you dare!



11-14. After you have beaten the log waterfall, you can jump to left in order to grab the bonus stage bug number 11 while avoiding the rest. You also don't really want to fall down, as if you do you have to scale the log waterfall yet again.



15-16. These are on the right side of the log waterfall. Jump over 15 and roll towards the wall in order to grab 16, which is a health bug.


17-18. Acquired (or avoided) through normal gameplay.

S VERSION


(For full view click the image and then the url on top of the image.)



1. Unlike in N version, there are no items in the first waterfall section at all. Instead the first bug is found after the waterfalls by traveling to the left edge of the stage.



2. Acquired through normal gameplay.



3-4. Number 3 is hiding partially behind a waterfall and can be grabbed by jumping towards it from the platform on the right. Number 4 is acquired through normal gameplay.



5-7. The bugs on the second waterfall section are very different than in the N version, too. All of these three you can grab by going down from the rightmost waterfall and continuously pressing left while riding it down. Number 6 is one of those important bugs that makes your health meter permanently longer, so this is really the route you should pick.



8. There's one more health bug in the waterfalls, but as choosing the route that leads to it takes you away from the more important bug number 6, you shouldn't really go after this one.



9. This nasty bug is also hiding in the waterfall section. It is very easy to avoid, though.



10. This extra life resides on the right side of the log waterfall that you have to scale. Carefully grab it if you dare!



11-14. After you have beaten the log waterfall, you can jump to left in order to grab the bonus stage bug number 11 while avoiding the rest. You also don't really want to fall down, as if you do you have to scale the log waterfall yet again. (Even though this is otherwise the same as in the N version, for some reason the bug number 11 is Pumbaa's bonus stage bug instead of Timon's.)



15. This one is on the right side of the log waterfall. Roll towards the wall in order to grab the item number 15, which is a health bug.


16-17. Acquired (or avoided) through normal gameplay.

This first adult Simba level also has some notable version differences, but not quite enough to completely separate them from each other like the last level. Here are anyway maps for both of the versions:

N VERSION:


S VERSION:


(For full view click the image and then the url on top of the image.)


1-2. Acquired through normal gameplay.


3-4. These two items, a partial healing bug and an extra life, are completely covered by background graphics! Just jump up to the vegetation in order to grab them.


5-6. Acquired through normal gameplay.



7. This extra continue is almost covered by vegetation, too. You can only grab it by jumping on the rock when it's still hanging from the vines. If you accidentally cut it loose before you grab the item, you have missed your change on getting it.


8. This is where the version differences make their return.

N VERSION: You find the checkpoint just before the bonus stage bug. (The left image.)

S VERSION: The checkpoint is located a bit after the bonus stage bug. (The right image.)


9. N VERSION: The bonus stage bug is partially hidden.

S VERSION: The bonus stage bug is completely visible.


10. N VERSION: This item is a partial health restoration bug.

S VERSION: The item is a full health restoration bug instead.



11. The last item of the level is a big blue bug that permanently gives you more roar power. You get it by traveling to the right after you have freed the last boulder from the vines.

(For full view click the image and then the url on top of the image.)


1-2. Acquired through normal gameplay.



3-4. These are an amusing secret! You get these two items, a roar power bug and a partial health restoration bug, by walking inside a wall. After you have jumped down from a rather high ledge turn left instead of continuing right and you'll find yourself inside this secret area.



5. There's also a third secret in the same area, but the method of obtaining depends on your version.

N VERSION: The basic idea would be to jump up in a certain spot in the secret corridor, but in the N version Simba's sprite is actually too large to fit into the space this item, an extra continue, is in! However it is possible to still get it if you get attacked by the flying bats in a specific location, as the animation of Simba getting damaged throws him towards it.

S VERSION: In this game the secret works as it was likely intended, meaning you just have to keep jumping up in the secret corridor until you get the extra continue.


6-7. Acquired through normal gameplay.



8-10. After you have reached the right side of the stage you have to choose your path. If you go down from the rightmost hole, you get an extra life, a bonus stage bug and a full health restoration bug, but you lose your change to get to the item number 11.



11. If you choose to go down from the hole on the left, instead of the assortment of items you'll find a checkpoint marker. Which one you should choose really depends on your preference and skill level.



12-14. All of these items you find from the first lava surfing section of the game. Getting them and not falling to the lava is a bit tricky, but if you are confident in your platforming skills, getting them is certainly doable.



15-17. Acquired through normal gameplay.

This stage is actually a maze! Even if this guide isn't exactly about how to get through the game, I have added letters that tell you what exit leads where to the map.


(For full view click the image and then the url on top of the image.)



1. Acquired through normal gameplay.


2. Acquired by going through the cave A. However...

N VERSION: In this version the item, an extra life, is fully visible.

S VERSION: Because of how the screen is aligned, you can't actually see the item at all in this version! It is still there, so if you jump up at the right spot, you will get it.



3. Acquired by going through the cave B.



4. Acquired by going through caves B and C.



5. This item is the last bug that permanently increases your health meter. You'll get to it by going through caves B and D and then grabbing it from the right side of the area. It is hidden by background graphics, but it certainly is there.



6. Acquired by going through caves E, F, G and H.



7. Acquired by going through caves E, F, G, H and I.



8. Acquired by going through caves E, F, G, H, M, N and P.

(I have always found it really weird that there is seemingly no bonus stage bug in this level. If you know anything about it, please let me know!)

(For full view click the image and then the url on top of the image.)



1-3. Acquired through normal gameplay.



4. After fighting Scar for the second time scale the ledge wall in order to find the last item of the game, a full health restoration bug.

After that all you need to do is defeat your evil uncle once and for all in order to become the next Lion King!

Bonus stages can be played in between normal stages if you managed to pick up the bonus stage bug in the last level. There are two different bonus stages:

Pumbaa's bonus stage



In this stage you play as Pumbaa. Your goal is to catch bugs and other items that Timon drops at you. Every ten or so bugs there's a chance he'll throw you an extra life, an extra continue or even a max roar power bug. Rarely he can also drop a venomous bug that you should avoid. The level ends if you touch one of these "bad bugs" or if you fail to catch any of the other items. Once per stage you can belch to destroy all the bugs from the screen from what's normally your jump button.

Timon's bonus stage



In this stage (or stages, as there are a few different variations) you play as Timon. Your goal is to collect as many "good bugs" as you can within a time limit. There aren't any special items within the level itself, but in the corner of the screen there's a counter that shows how many more bugs you need to collect in order to earn either an extra life, an extra continue or rarely an extra max health bug. The level ends if you touch a venomous bug or when the time runs out.