Zool

From Sega Retro

n/a

  • Mega Drive
  • Master System
  • Game Gear
Zool Title.png
Zool SMS Title.png
Zool GG Title.png
Zool
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear
Publisher:
Sega Mega Drive
Sega Game Gear
GameTek (US)
Sega Mega Drive
Electronic Arts (EU)
Sega Master System
Sega Game Gear
Gremlin Graphics Software (EU)
Sega Game Gear
Nisshouiwai Infocom (JP)
Developer:
Sound driver: Krisalis sound driver
Genre: Action[1][2][3]

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
US 		$59.9559.95[4] T-83096
Videogame Rating Council: GA
Sega Mega Drive
EU 		E264SMXI
Sega Mega Drive
UK 		£44.9944.99[6][7] E264SMXI
Sega Mega Drive
AU
Sega Master System
EU 		27075-50
Sega Master System
UK 		£29.9929.99[9][8] 27075-50
Sega Game Gear
JP 		¥3,8003,800 T-149017
Sega Game Gear
US 		$39.9539.95 T-83048
Videogame Rating Council: GA
Sega Game Gear
EU 		123018-50
Sega Game Gear
UK 		£29.9929.99[11][8] 123018-50

This short article is in need of work. You can help Sega Retro by adding to it.

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. 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.

Levels

Notavailable.svg
 The Sweet World
Notavailable.svg
 The Music World
Notavailable.svg
 The Fruit World
Notavailable.svg
 The Fairground World
Notavailable.svg
 The Toy World

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

Localised names

Also known as
Language Localised Name English Translation
English Zool: Ninja of the Nth Dimension Zool: Ninja of the Nth Dimension
English (US) Zool: Ninja of the Nth Dimension Zool: Ninja of the Nth Dimension
Japanese ズールのゆめぼうけん Zool no Yume Bouken

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

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
55 [12]
93 №27, p146-148
82 [13]
58 [14]
85 [15]
70 №12, p78/79
78 №26
83 №17, p34/35
74 №15, p48/49
80 №8, p16
71 №24, p64-66
67 [16]
65 №37, p146
78 №49, p46/47
84 №25, p70-72
80 [17]
70 [18]
83 №18, p12
Sega Mega Drive
 75
Based on
18 reviews
Mega Drive, US
Zool MD US Box.jpg
Cover
Zool MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Zool MD US Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, EU
Zool MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
Zool MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, UK (English-only manual)

Mega Drive, AU
Zool MD AU cover.jpg
Cover

Master System version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Joypad (FR) PAL
94
[19]
Player One (FR)
65
[20]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
78
[21]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
78
[22]
Sega Master Force (UK) PAL
70
[23]
Sega Master System
 77
Based on
5 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
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Consoles + (FR)
86
[24]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
79
[25]
Game Players (US)Game Players (US) NTSC-U
65
[26]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
85
[27]
Joker (SI)
87
[28]
Player One (FR)
66
[29]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
78
[21]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
75
[30]
Sega Zone (UK) PAL
90
[31]
Sega Game Gear
 79
Based on
9 reviews

Zool

Game Gear, JP
Zool GG JP Box Back.jpgNospine-small.pngZool GG JP Box Front.jpg
Cover
Zool GG JP Cart.jpg
Cart
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

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32 cb2939f1
MD5 2d28ddb5be02a3b3612ba73ca064edb5
SHA-1 ee016f127b81f1ca2565738fa47fac0c4ed15c97
1MB 1994-01 Cartridge (US)
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 1ee58b03
MD5 98a9c42c965a336c2c3e6dca5319d031
SHA-1 cab14f63b7d00b35a11a3a7f60cf231199121dc8
1MB 1993-09 Cartridge (EU)
Sega Master System
 ?
CRC32 9d9d0a5f
MD5 42fb44c9a2c82b8c4aef8191c1b5676f
SHA-1 aed98f2fc885c9a6e121982108f843388eb46304
256kB Cartridge (EU)
Sega Game Gear
 ?
CRC32 b287c695
MD5 db7dc3e8f0d46f0396af99a87ff0489f
SHA-1 8143c1d5e6c677ae5dd8143620b9fd02be8873f6
256kB Cartridge (US)
Sega Game Gear
 ?
CRC32 23904898
MD5 3c200f229978af32c223bccd65428426
SHA-1 40b68abd8f2419178ea2e0d02412c29306bff46c
256kB Cartridge (EU)
Sega Game Gear
 ?
CRC32 e35ef7ed
MD5 ff5f8ad2c620e25d2b028f2e1fed2b54
SHA-1 2c799ee084b858cb71cfaa7a3f6d3a4f364b6c43
256kB Cartridge (JP)

References

  1. ↑ File:Zool GG EU Box Back.jpg
  2. ↑ File:Zool GG JP Box Front.jpg
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://sega.jp/fb/segahard/gg/soft_licensee.html (Wayback Machine: 2013-01-01 20:24)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 GamePro, "March 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 50
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Mega, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-16), page 107
  6. ↑ Sega Force Mega, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-16), page 49
  7. ↑ Mega Action, "Christmas 1993" (UK; 1993-12-02), page 16
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Sega Magazine, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-03-15), page 100
  9. ↑ Sega Master Force, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-11), page 23
  10. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1994" (DE; 1994-03-23), page 47
  11. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "July 1994" (UK; 1994-06-15), page 67
  12. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "August 1994" (JP; 1994-07-08), page 19 (21)
  13. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-15), page 89
  14. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "January 1994" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 46/234/235 (46)
  15. ↑ GamePro, "March 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 48 (50)
  16. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-11-30), page 96/97 (96)
  17. ↑ Sega Force Mega, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-16), page 42/43 (42)
  18. ↑ SuperGamePower, "Abril 1994" (BR; 1994-0x-xx), page 45
  19. ↑ Joypad, "Novembre 1993" (FR; 1993-1x-xx), page 126
  20. ↑ Player One, "Janvier 1994" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 116
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Sega Power, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-03-03), page 62
  22. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-02-24), page 48
  23. ↑ Sega Master Force, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-11), page 22
  24. ↑ Consoles +, "Mars 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 155
  25. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-03-15), page 79
  26. ↑ Game Players, "Vol. 7 No. 2 February 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 74
  27. ↑ GamePro, "May 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 132
  28. ↑ Joker, "Maj 1994" (SI; 1994-xx-xx), page 21
  29. ↑ Player One, "Mars 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 108
  30. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-02-24), page 57
  31. ↑ Sega Zone, "March 1994" (UK; 1994-02-24), page 65


Zool
Zool Title.png

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