In the run-up to the theatrical release of Mufasa: The Lion King, a news item should delight fans of The Lion King (which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year), as well as enthusiasts of video game heritage preservation.

The game preservation group Codebound has announced that it has archived a previously unreleased prototype of the famous Super Nintendo platform game The Lion King.

Released simultaneously on Super Nintendo and Mega Drive in November 1994, this game offered the chance to play as Simba, first as a lion cub and then as an adult, as he relives the adventures of the film of the same name.

The prototype in question dates back to 22 March 1994, eight months before the game's official release. Codebound has shared some interesting images showing that the developers were already working on the project before they even had the sprites and backgrounds supplied by Disney, which are to be found in the final version.

The screenshots show a crudely drawn Simba in the famous wildebeest chasm scene. Other images show a lion cub with rudimentary, even comical features, so unrecognisable.

Meanwhile, Codebound has taken the opportunity to reveal images of the game's prototype on Game Gear, dated 25 May 1994. It's an incomplete prototype on which several levels are missing, sending you back to the selection screen when you try to launch them.

Almost all such finds are listed on the Hidden Palace website, which is "a community dedicated to preserving video game development media (such as prototypes, hardware, source code, artwork, and more) ’. A real goldmine for fans of the (often) well-hidden history of video games.