Friend wants to get back into gaming, what's the best game?

Here's a hardcore gamer that STOPPED. He played the SNES and N64, and then he stopped, but I still was able to jot down what he played...

Lion King, Aladdin on SNES
Goldeneye(his favorite) Star Fox, Mario Kart on the 64.

He said he also played one of those call of duties (can't blame him for not specifying which) and that it was too "complex", and that killing guys was too hard this time around.
(Failing at COD:MW multiplayer?)

Anyway, he's giving me a chance, so what game, any game, would you recommend he play?

Call of Duty is too...complex?
 
I guess Super Mario Galaxy 2 or New Super Mario Brothers Wii?

Yeah, it sounds like he should get into some Wii games.

Arkham Asylum

the most gamey game in recent memory is without a doubt joe danger... fun, short, from very easy to very challenging. get's you addicted in no time!

Aladdin was basically a Prince of Persia game. He'd probably like Prince of Persia.

He needs to get used to modern games. If he refuses that, it seems like the Wii would be right up his alley.

Gears of War 2. Pretty simple and fun. Just shoot locust doods ;)

I would check out games on the PSN/XBLA/Virtual Console for your friend. You can get a good mix of games that feel older or more classic in their mechanics while they add on some new fangled technological advances. 
 
Top XBLA recommendations: 
Perfect Dark 
'Splosion Man 
Braid 
Castle Crashers 
Geometry Wars: Evolved 
 
With the virtual console you can literally redownload a bunch of those NES/SNES/N64 games your friend liked. From there you could ween him on to stuff like: 
Dead Space: Extraction 
Metroid Trilogy 
New Super Mario Bros. 
Mario Kart Wii 
Red Steel 2

Yeah, Ratchet and Clank or Prince of Persia The Sands of Time.  Actually Ratchet and Clank 2 or 3 because the first one has some control issues that might put them off.

Give him some good ole' Deadly Premonition and tell him that's what all games are like now.

Super Metroid.  It is the Best Game™ 

I'd start him on the obvious franchises.
Gears of War or Uncharted.
 
@apertura said:

" Give him some good ole' Deadly Premonition and tell him that's what all games are like now. "

Prince of Persia and Ratchet & Clank would probably be good.

Any of the Ratchet and Clank games on the PS3

Super Mario Galaxy 2
Burnout Paradise 
Geometry Wars 2
 
If he finds Call of Duty complicated, I'm not really sure if there are any modern shooters that I can recommend. What turned him off from it? If it was the class customization than maybe he should play Halo 3.
 
Maybe Portal could be a possibility too. It's pretty mind-bending at times, but the basic concept is simple to grasp.
 
Also, I think that Fable 2 might be a nice and simple way to introduce him to modern RPGs.

How about Shadow Complex if he has a 360?

Go back to the Gamecube/ PS2/xbox and some classic PC.. and play catch up with:
 
Shadow of the collosus/Ico
Metroid series
Mario series  
Half Life 1-2  and CS/DOF etc
Prince of persia series
Mario Kart series 
Maybe a bit of pro evo? 
Timesplitters 2, XIII... etc
Halo series

 
Then:
World of warcraft
 
Then: 
After 6 moths upgrade him to the current console generation with current FPS etc and he should be back upto date

Tell him to read a book.

" Give him some good ole' Deadly Premonition and tell him that's what all games are like now. "

" Call of Duty is too...complex?  I guess Super Mario Galaxy 2 or New Super Mario Brothers Wii? "

give him Fable or Fable 2
RPG games are slower and shouldn't be that difficult to get used to especially since the Fable games are fairly easy and streamlined
you can train him with modern wii or gamecube sequels to his old favorites
shooter he'll just have to get used to. don't know an easier shooter than the current Call of Duties
 
actually buy him the orange box and let him play portal. that should get him used to aiming

get him a virtual boy

Maybe should try something that is side scrolling game like shadow complex, street fighter 4, braid, or trine.  A side scrolling type game might bring back some good memories. Does he like sports or racing? that could make it easier lol

If he liked Mario Kart for the 64, he's probably love ModNation Racers (http://www.giantbomb.com/modnation-racers/61-26848/) for the PS3.  It'll be casual enough to help shake off the cobwebs but deep enough to remind him it's the 21-st century.

Mass Effect 1&2
Team Fortress 2
God of War 3
Uncharted 2
Batman Arkham Asylum

" Prince of Persia and Ratchet & Clank would probably be good. "

He's probably going to want to go with some downloadable titles, like Sin & Punishment, or Rez HD, if he likes Star Fox.  And since you mentioned the Virgin platformers, you may want to look into Rocket Knight, 'Splosion Man, or the upcoming Comic Jumper.
 
Also, anything first-party on the Wii is good. What console(s) does your friend currently own?

Frog Bog. It has a super deep story, and award winning graphics.

• inFAMOUS for PS3 is straight-forward and very quickly satisfying.
• Prototype for X360, PS3, and PC pretty much plays like inFAMOUS, and isn't too complicated right off the bat.
  
• Since you mentioned the Lion King game on SNES and Sega Genesis, I'd say go with one of the major platforms' side-scroller downloadable games. Such as Shadow Complex for X360 or Bionic Commando Rearmed for PSN