This simple dungeon crawler compares favorably even to similar games on current generation handhelds.
Despite many of the stages being set outdoors, Return of the King gameplay is pure dungeon crawler and it succeeds is by keeping it simple and doing the few things it does very well. Essentially, you hack away at enemies to collect new equipment to make you better able to hack away at enemies. There is not much to it but it works.
Also surprising for a GBA game of its type is there's quite a lot of content here. You can play as many different characters from the movie and each has on has his or her own set of strengths and weeknesses and play notably different from the others. Additionally, each follows their own plot arch and, while many settings are used for multiple story paths, these are all considerably different as well. You get plenty of save slots as well so you're free to explore all these many avenues at a rate of your chosing.
Graphics and sound here are pretty bare bones but effective. The music is good and based on songs from the movies and the sound samples are voiced by the proper actors. The graphics are a bit muddy and pixelated but good enough that you never get confused or miss things you need to see and still frame from the movie used in cut scenes actually look rather impressive. Overall, function is put above form here and it makes for a very playable game.
As mentioned, gameplay is very straightforward. You really spend most of your time mashing the attack button and picking up things off the ground but loot cycle and multiple upgrade paths for each character are quite satisfying. Whichever character you chose is stuck his or her basic mold--so no turning Gimli into a hybrid bowfighter/magic user for example--but you can chose to focus entirely on strong attacks or making a more balanced character. It does not quite have the depth of a real PC dungeon crawler here but simplicity is a strength on the GBA where you do not want to get bogged down by hours of sorting through inventory opions during short handheld gaming sessions.
I typically would avoid saying a game is great for a handheld version of a given genre as I feel like the best handheld games are every bit as good as PC or home console counterparts but that's just what this is. It takes an experience that doesn't necessarily work on a lower powered device and simplifies it in such a way that it emphasizes the most satisfying elements. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King does just that and is a great option for anyone looking to add a dungeon crawler to their GBA library.