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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.
/
makes Zool jump, while
/
makes him attack. Jumping into a wall will allow Zool to climb up or down it. Holding down
/
makes Zool perform a punch motion which can be used to activate switches, which also serve as checkpoints. Holding
while jumping makes Zool perform a spinning attack. Pushing
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
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The Sweet World
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The Music World
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The Fruit World
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The Fairground World
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The Toy World
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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
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Zool: Ninja of the Nth Dimension
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Zool: Ninja of the Nth Dimension
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English (US)
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Zool: Ninja of the Nth Dimension
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Zool: Ninja of the Nth Dimension
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Japanese
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Zool no Yume Bouken (ズールのゆめぼうけん)
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Zool's Dream Adventure
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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

PDF
Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #145: "December 1993" (1993-11-15)

PDF
Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #146: "January 1994" (1993-12-15)

PDF
Print advert in Consoles + (FR) #25: "Novembre 1993" (1993-xx-xx)

PDF
Print advert in Video Games (DE) #1993-12: "12/93" (1993-11-22)
PDF
Print advert in
Sega Magazin (DE) #7: "Juni 1994" (1994-05-11)
Physical scans
Mega Drive version
Sega Retro Average
|
Publication
|
Score
|
Source
|
Beep! MegaDrive (JP)
|
55
|
More...[7]
|
Consoles + (FR)
|
93
|
№27, p146-148
|
Computer & Video Games (UK)
|
82
|
More...[8]
|
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US)
|
58
|
More...[9]
|
GamePro (US)
|
85
|
More...[10]
|
GamesMaster (UK)
|
70
|
№12, p78/79
|
Joypad (FR)
|
78
|
№26
|
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)
|
83
|
№17, p34/35
|
Mega (UK)
|
74
|
№15, p48/49
|
Mega Action (UK)
|
80
|
№8, p16
|
MegaTech (UK)
|
71
|
№24, p64-66
|
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
|
67
|
More...[11]
|
Player One (FR)
|
65
|
№37, p146
|
Sega Power (UK)
|
78
|
№49, p46/47
|
Sega Pro (UK)
|
84
|
№25, p70-72
|
Sega Force Mega (UK)
|
80
|
More...[12]
|
SuperGamePower (BR)
|
70
|
More...[13]
|
Sonic the Comic (UK)
|
83
|
№18, p12
|
|
Mega Drive, US
|
 Cover
|
 Cart  Manual
|
Mega Drive, EU
|
 Cover
|
 Cart
|
Master System version
Master System, EU
|
 Cover
|
 Cart
|
Game Gear version
Game Gear, US
|
|
 Cart
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Game Gear, EU
|
|
 Cart
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Game Gear, JP
|
|
 Cart
|
Technical information
ROM dump status
System |
Hash |
Size |
Build Date |
Source |
Comments |
|
|
|
?
|
|
1MB
|
1994-01
|
Cartridge (US)
|
|
|
|
|
?
|
|
1MB
|
1993-09
|
Cartridge (EU)
|
|
|
|
|
?
|
CRC32
|
9D9D0A5F
|
MD5
|
42FB44C9A2C82B8C4AEF8191C1B5676F
|
SHA-1
|
AED98F2FC885C9A6E121982108F843388EB46304
|
|
256kB
|
|
Cartridge (EU)
|
|
|
|
|
?
|
CRC32
|
23904898
|
MD5
|
3C200F229978AF32C223BCCD65428426
|
SHA-1
|
40B68ABD8F2419178EA2E0D02412C29306BFF46C
|
|
256kB
|
|
Cartridge (EU)
|
|
|
|
|
?
|
CRC32
|
E35EF7ED
|
MD5
|
FF5F8AD2C620E25D2B028F2E1FED2B54
|
SHA-1
|
2C799EE084B858CB71CFAA7A3F6D3A4F364B6C43
|
|
256kB
|
|
Cartridge (JP)
|
|
|
|
|
?
|
CRC32
|
B287C695
|
MD5
|
DB7DC3E8F0D46F0396AF99A87FF0489F
|
SHA-1
|
8143C1D5E6C677AE5DD8143620B9FD02BE8873F6
|
|
256kB
|
|
Cartridge (US)
|
|
|
|
|
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 GamePro, "March 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 50
- ↑ Sega Force Mega, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-16), page 49
- ↑ Mega, "January 1994" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 107
- ↑ Sega Master Force, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-11), page 23
- ↑ Computer & Video Games, "July 1994" (UK; 1994-06-15), page 67
- ↑ File:SegaPro DE 18.pdf, page 47
- ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "August 1994" (JP; 1994-07-08), page 19 (21)
- ↑ Computer & Video Games, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-15), page 89
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "January 1994" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 46/234/235 (46)
- ↑ GamePro, "March 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 48 (50)
- ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-11-30), page 96/97 (96)
- ↑ Sega Force Mega, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-16), page 42/43 (42)
- ↑ SuperGamePower, "Abril 1994" (BR; 1994-xx-xx), page 45
- ↑ Joypad, "Novembre 1993" (FR; 1993-xx-xx), page 126
- ↑ Player One, "Janvier 1994" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 116
- ↑ Sega Master Force, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-11), page 22/23 (22)
- ↑ Consoles +, "Mars 1994" (FR; 1994-xx-xx), page 155
- ↑ Computer & Video Games, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-03-15), page 79
- ↑ Player One, "Mars 1994" (FR; 1994-xx-xx), page 108