Zool (8-bit)

For the Sega Mega Drive version, see Zool.

n/a

Master System EU/JP US
Zool
System(s): Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear
Publisher: GameTek (US) Gremlin Graphics Software (EU) Nisshou Iwai Infocom (JP)
Developer: Gremlin Graphics Software
Genre: Action
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code EU 1994-03 27075-50 UK 1994-03 £29.9929.99 27075-50 JP 1994-07-29 ¥3,8003,800 T-149017 US 1994 $39.9539.95 T-83048 EU 1994-03 123018-50 UK 1994-03 £29.9929.99 123018-50
Non-Sega versions Game Boy

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 and ported to a number of platforms, including the Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear in 1994. The 8-bit versions of the game have different level layouts and music.

Story

While investigating a disturbance in the nth dimension, Zool is caught in a vortex and crashes his ship in a strange land. He learns that the evil Krool has conquered a number of worlds, including the one he has found, and that he must free these worlds from Krool's grip in order to make it back home.

Gameplay

The game is a platformer in which players control the gremlin ninja Zool. Zool moved with and and jumps with . He can defeat enemies by jumping on them. He can also attack by punching and shooting a ranged projectile with . He can kneel with and does a kick and fires his shot with +. He continues punching or kicking by holding . He can fire his shot in mid-air by pressing after the apex of the jump. He performs a spin attack by pressing before or at the apex of the jump. He grabs on to walls when he jumps onto them and can climb them with and . He cannot climb walls by jumping up them in this version of the game. Pushing while running does a sliding attack.

The objective of each stage is to collect 99 items (whose design varies depending on the world), whereupon the goal reveals itself and an arrow in the corner of the screen points the way to it. Unlike the Mega Drive version, power-up items such as extra lives also count toward this total. Stages contain more items than are necessary to complete them.

Zool has three hit points and loses one whenever he takes damage from an enemy. When he runs out of hit points, he can only take one more hit before losing a life. Zool starts each stage with full health. If enemies are defeated when Zool is not at full health, they drop a flying heart that heals Zool for one hit point if he catches it. Each stage is timed, and Zool loses a life if he runs out of time. He retains all of the items he has collected if he loses a life.

Items

	Heart
	Restores a hit point for Zool. Dropped by enemies when they are destroyed if Zool is not at full health. It floats away and must be caught before it leaves.
	Bomb
	Destroys all enemies on the screen.
	Jumping Zool
	Temporarily gives Zool an enhanced jump.
	Shield
	Temporary makes Zool invincible.
	Two Zool
	Creates a "shadow Zool" that follows Zool and mirrors his movements, including his attacks, for a duration.
	1-Up
	Awards the player an extra life.
	Goal
	Ends the stage. Only appears if the player has found the necessary amount of collectibles.

Worlds

Each world contains four different stages, with the fourth stage solely consisting of a boss fight.

The level designs are different between the Master System and Game Gear versions.

	The Sweet World
	The Music World
	The Fruit World
	The Fairground World
	The Toy World

Versions

This version of the game is considerably more forgiving in difficulty than the Mega Drive version since there are not as many enemies, healing hearts are much more plentiful, and Zool has a long period of invulnerability after being hit.

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

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

Source:

In-game credits

Game Gear version

Gremlin Graphics

• 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

GameTek

• Producer: Van Collins
• Packaging: Wendy Weber
• Manual Editing: Stacey Ruderman
• Art Director: Stephen Curran
• Production Manager: Sherry Kross
• Quality Assurance: Bobby King

Source:

US manual

Magazine articles

Main article: Zool (8-bit)/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

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

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

Print advert in Consoles + (FR) #25: "Novembre 1993" (1993-1x-xx)

Print advert in Video Games (DE) #1993-12: "12/93" (1993-11-22)

Print advert in Sega Magazin (DE) #7: "Juni 1994" (1994-05-11)

Physical scans

Master System version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score Joypad (FR) PAL 94 Mega Force (FR) 93 Player One (FR) 65 Sega Power (UK) PAL 78 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 78 Sega Master Force (UK) PAL 70 Todo Sega (ES) 77

	79
Based on 7 reviews

Zool (8-bit)

Master System, EU
Cover
Cart

Game Gear version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

{{{{{icon}}}|L}}
Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J 55 Consoles + (FR) 86 Computer & Video Games (UK) 79 Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J 48 Game Players (US) NTSC-U 65 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 85 Gamer (GR) 82 Joker (SI) 87 Player One (FR) 66 Sega Power (UK) PAL 78 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 75 Sega Zone (UK) PAL 90 Todo Sega (ES) 82 VideoGames (US) NTSC-U 70

	75
Based on 14 reviews

Zool (8-bit)

Game Gear, JP
Cover
Cart

Game Gear, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Technical information

ROM dump status

System	Hash	Size	Build Date	Source	Comments
?	CRC32 9d9d0a5f MD5 42fb44c9a2c82b8c4aef8191c1b5676f SHA-1 aed98f2fc885c9a6e121982108f843388eb46304	256kB		Cartridge (EU)
?	CRC32 b287c695 MD5 db7dc3e8f0d46f0396af99a87ff0489f SHA-1 8143c1d5e6c677ae5dd8143620b9fd02be8873f6	256kB		Cartridge (US)
?	CRC32 23904898 MD5 3c200f229978af32c223bccd65428426 SHA-1 40b68abd8f2419178ea2e0d02412c29306bff46c	256kB		Cartridge (EU)
?	CRC32 e35ef7ed MD5 ff5f8ad2c620e25d2b028f2e1fed2b54 SHA-1 2c799ee084b858cb71cfaa7a3f6d3a4f364b6c43	256kB		Cartridge (JP)