Difference between revisions of "Zool"

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==References==
 
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Revision as of 01:51, 24 March 2017


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n/a

Zool Title.png

Zool
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear
Publisher: GameTek (US), Gremlin Graphics (EU), Nisshouiwai Infocom (JP),
Sega Mega Drive
Electronic Arts (EU)
Developer:
Genre: Action

















Release Date RRP Code
Sega Master System
EU
27075-50
Sega Game Gear
JP
¥3,8003,800 T-149017
Sega Game Gear
US
$39.9539.95 T-83048
Sega Game Gear
EU
123018-50

Zool or Zool: Ninja of the Nth Dimension, known as Zool no Yume Bouken (ズールのゆめぼうけん) in Japan, is a platform game developed by Gremlin Graphics for the Commodore Amiga in 1992 as an answer to the "mascot wars" of the early 1990s spearheadded by Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog. Zool's success saw it brought to a number of platforms, including the Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear during late 1993 and 1994.

Gameplay

Zool is a relatively basic but fast paced platform game. B/1 makes Zool jump, while A/2 makes him attack. Jumping into a wall will allow Zool to climb up or down it. Holding down A/2 makes Zool perform a punch motion which can be used to activate switches, which also serve as checkpoints. Holding C while jumping makes Zool perform a spinning attack. Pushing Down while running causes a sliding attack, which is vital due to the games fast pace and instantly appearing enemies.

Level designs and choices of music differ between the Sega versions (although the latter is likely due to the fact the original Amiga version had no in-game tracks). In order to clear a stage, a certain amount of items need to be collected before the exit beacon (a coin with Zools head impregnated) can be activated. This was a very common design for western platformers of that time, also seen in e.g. Global Gladiators. Running into enemies is a design problem in this game as it goes against the high speed gameplay it theoretically offers, forcing the player to either go slow or memorize stages down to enemy positioning.

The game ends with a cliffhanger and clear hint a sequel. While Zool was followed by Zool 2", it was not brought to a Sega system.

Versions

  • Compared to the Amiga original, the Sega Mega Drive version runs faster and has multiple parallax scrolling background planes instead of the Amiga's typical "copper mode" color gradients

Production credits

Mega Drive version

  • Sega/Game Code: Paul Hiley
  • Game/Frontend Code: George Allan
  • Artists: Ade Carless, Paul Gregory, Damon Godley
  • Music: Patrick Phelan, Krysalis
  • Maps: Paul Gregory, Ade Carless, Tony Dawson, Paul Green
  • Additional Help: Mick Lister
  • Test: Lee Campbell, Tony Howe, Rob Millington, Simon Short
  • Produced by: Mark Glossop

Master System version

  • Main Code: Siz
  • Additional Code: Richard Stevenson
  • Music Composition: Patrick Phelan
  • Sound: Krisalis Software
  • Art: Michael Hirst, Ade Carless, Greggs, Pete Daniels
  • Map and Level Design: Mike Lister, Michael Hirst
  • Project Manager: Tony Casson
  • Development Manager: James North-Hearn

© Gremlin Graphics, 1993

Game Gear version

  • Main Code: Siz
  • Additional Code: Richard Stevenson
  • Music Composition: Patrick Phelan
  • Sound: Krisalis Software
  • Art: Michael Hirst, Ade Carlesss, Pete Daniels, Greggs
  • Map and Level Design: Mike Lister, Michael Hirst
  • Project Manager: Tony Casson
  • Development Manager: James North-Hearn

Copyright 1993 Gremlin Graphics

Magazine articles

Main article: Zool/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #145: "December 1993" (1993-11-15)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #146: "January 1994" (1993-12-15)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Consoles + (FR) #25: "Novembre 1993" (1993-1x-xx)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Video Games (DE) #1993-12: "12/93" (1993-11-22)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Sega Magazin (DE) #7: "Juni 1994" (1994-05-11)
Logo-pdf.svg

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
93 №27, p146-148
82 №145, p89[3]
58 №54, p46/234/235[4]
85 №56, p48[5]
70 №12, p78/79
78 №26
83 №17, p34/35
74 №15, p48/49
80 №8, p16
71 №24, p64-66
67 №15, p96/97[6]
65 №37, p146
78 №49, p46/47
84 №25, p70-72
80 №6, p42/43[7]
70 №1, p45[8]
83 №18, p12
Sega Mega Drive
77
Based on
17 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
50
[9]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
83
[10]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
55
[11]
Console Mania (IT)
86
[12]
Consoles + (FR)
93
[13]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
82
[3]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
58
[4]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU)
60
[14]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 10 (RU)
80
[15]
Freak (IL)
80
[16]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
85
[5]
Gamers (DE)
53
[17]
Hyper (AU)
79
[18]
Joker (SI)
87
[19]
Joypad (FR) PAL
78
[20]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
83
[21]
Mega (UK) PAL
74
[22]
Mega Action (UK) PAL
80
[23]
Mega Force (FR)
84
[24]
Mega Fun (DE) PAL
74
[25]
MegaTech (UK) PAL
71
[26]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
67
[6]
Player One (FR)
65
[27]
Play Time (DE)
64
[28]
Power Up! (UK)
76
[29]
Power Unlimited (NL)
81
[30]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
78
[31]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
84
[32]
Sega Zone (UK) PAL
86
[33]
Sega Force Mega (UK) PAL
80
[34]
Sega Force (SE)
72
[35]
Sonic the Comic (UK) PAL
83
[36]
Todo Sega (ES) PAL
85
[37]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
71
[38]
Video Games (DE) PAL
74
[39]
VideoGames (US) NTSC-U
50
[40]
Sega Mega Drive
75
Based on
36 reviews

Zool

Mega Drive, US
Zool MD US Box.jpg
Cover
Zool MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, EU
Zool MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
Zool MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart

Master System version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
94 №25, p126[41]
65 №38, p116[42]
78 №53, p62/63
70 №6, p22/23[43]
78 №30, p48
Sega Master System
77
Based on
5 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Sega Master System
N/A
Based on
0 reviews

Zool

Master System, EU
Zool SMS EU Box.jpg
Cover
Zool SMS EU Cart.jpg
Cart

Game Gear version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
86 №30, p155[44]
79 №149, p79[45]
66 №40, p108[46]
78 №53, p62/63
75 №30, p57
Sega Game Gear
77
Based on
5 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Sega Game Gear
N/A
Based on
0 reviews

Zool

Game Gear, US
Zool GG US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngZool GG US Box Front.jpg
Cover
Zool GG US Cart.jpg
Cart
Zool GG US Manual.pdf
Manual
Game Gear, EU
Zool GG EU Box Back.jpgNospine.pngZool GG EU Box Front.jpg
Cover
Zool GG EU cart.jpg
Cart
Game Gear, JP
Zool GG JP Box Front.jpg
Cover
Zool GG JP Cart.jpg
Cart

References

  1. File:SegaPro DE 18.pdf, page 47
  2. File:CVG UK 152.pdf, page 67
  3. 3.0 3.1 File:CVG UK 145.pdf, page 89 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 145.pdf_p89" defined multiple times with different content
  4. 4.0 4.1 File:EGM US 054.pdf, page 46 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:EGM US 054.pdf_p46" defined multiple times with different content
  5. 5.0 5.1 File:GamePro US 056.pdf, page 50 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:GamePro US 056.pdf_p50" defined multiple times with different content
  6. 6.0 6.1 File:MeanMachinesSega15UK.pdf, page 96 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega15UK.pdf_p96" defined multiple times with different content
  7. File:SegaForceMega UK 06.pdf, page 42
  8. File:SuperGamePower BR 001.pdf, page 45
  9. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 275
  10. Aktueller Software Markt, "Avril 1994" (DE; 1994-03-07), page 113
  11. Beep! MegaDrive, "August 1994" (JP; 1994-07-08), page 21
  12. Console Mania, "Gennaio 1994" (IT; 199x-xx-xx), page 117
  13. Consoles +, "Décembre 1993" (FR; 1993-1x-xx), page 146
  14. Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 369
  15. Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 10, "" (RU; 2003-10-08), page 246
  16. Freak, "1/94" (IL; 1994-xx-xx), page 1
  17. Gamers, "Juli/August 1994" (DE; 1994-07-01), page 37
  18. Hyper, "January 1994" (AU; 199x-xx-xx), page 37
  19. Joker, "Maj 1994" (SI; 1994-xx-xx), page 21
  20. Joypad, "Décembre 1993" (FR; 1993-1x-xx), page 130
  21. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 34
  22. Mega, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 48
  23. Mega Action, "Christmas 1993" (UK; 1993-12-02), page 16
  24. Mega Force, "Décembre 1993" (FR; 1993-12-10), page 100
  25. Mega Fun, "01/94" (DE; 1993-12-22), page 74
  26. MegaTech, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-20), page 64
  27. Player One, "Décembre 1993" (FR; 1993-1x-xx), page 146
  28. Play Time, "5/94" (DE; 1994-04-06), page 137
  29. Power Up!, "Saturday, January 08, 1994" (UK; 1994-01-08), page 1
  30. Power Unlimited, "Jaargang 2, Nummer 3, Maart 1994" (NL; 1994-02-23), page 38
  31. Sega Power, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-xx), page 46
  32. Sega Pro, "November 1993" (UK; 1993-10-14), page 70
  33. Sega Zone, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-25), page 36
  34. Sega Force Mega, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-16), page 48
  35. Sega Force, "2/94" (SE; 1994-02-23), page 24
  36. Sonic the Comic, "February 4th 1994" (UK; 1994-01-22), page 12
  37. Todo Sega, "Diciembre 1993" (ES; 1993-1x-xx), page 56
  38. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 236
  39. Video Games, "3/94" (DE; 1994-02-23), page 82
  40. VideoGames, "February 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 88
  41. File:Joypad FR 025.pdf, page 126
  42. File:PlayerOne FR 038.pdf, page 116
  43. File:SegaMasterForce UK 06.pdf, page 22
  44. File:ConsolesPlus FR 030.pdf, page 155
  45. File:CVG UK 149.pdf, page 79
  46. File:PlayerOne FR 040.pdf, page 108