The Jungle Book has plenty of Disney charm, but the actual game never really does much for me. Playing as Mowgli, jumping through the jungle and throwing bananas at animals sounds like a good setup for a platformer. The backgrounds are colorful, the animation is nice and the music fits the movie well. At first it makes a pretty good impression.

I like that the stages are not completely straightforward. Searching around for the required gems gives me a reason to explore instead of simply running from left to right, and there are plenty of vines, platforms and hidden areas to investigate. Characters like Baloo, King Louie and Shere Khan also make it feel properly connected to The Jungle Book rather than just being a generic platformer with Mowgli added.

The problem is that collecting those gems can become more annoying than fun. Missing one somewhere in a level often means wandering back through areas I have already cleared, and the controls never feel precise enough for some of the jumps. Enemies also have a habit of getting in the way at exactly the wrong moment. Nothing is completely broken, but I spend too much time mildly irritated by it.

For me, The Jungle Book is a very average licensed platformer. I like the presentation, the music and some of the level ideas, but the actual platforming does not keep me interested for very long. It looks better than it plays, and the gem hunting starts wearing me down after a while. There is some fun here, but just as much frustration.

The jungle adventure subgenre features narratives set in dense and often treacherous jungle environments and follow characters as they navigate through lush vegetation, encounter wildlife, and confront the challenges presented by the jungle's natural hazards. This subgenre often emphasizes survival skills, exploration, and the characters' resilience in the face of the jungle's dangers.

Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Dwayne Johnson, and Karen Gillan in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)

The action genre features fast-paced, thrilling, and intense sequences of physical feats, combat, and excitement. The characters of these stories are involved in daring and often dangerous situations, requiring them to rely on their physical prowess, skills, and quick thinking to overcome challenges and adversaries.

The adventure genre features exciting journeys, quests, or expeditions undertaken by characters who often face challenges, obstacles, and risks in pursuit of a goal. Adventures can take place in a wide range of settings, from exotic and fantastical locations to historical or even everyday environments.

The family genre features stories specifically created to be suitable for a wide range of age groups within a family. Family-oriented content is designed to be enjoyed by both children and adults, often providing entertainment that is wholesome, relatable, and appropriate for all members of a family to watch or experience together.

Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Side-scroller based on the animated 1967 Disney movie The Jungle Book. Mowgli must collect gems on each of the 10 levels to beat it before the time runs out. Bosses include Kaa, King Louie and Shere Khan. The hard mode unlocks a bonus.

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The Jungle Book

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