Zool

From Sega Retro

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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

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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. 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.

Version differences

  • 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

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
93 №27, p146-148
82 №145, p89
58 №54, p46/234/235[2]
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[3]
65 №37, p146
78 №49, p46/47
84 №25, p70-72
80 №6, p42/43[4]
83 №18, p12
Sega Mega Drive
76
Based on
15 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
50
[5]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
83
[6]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
55
[7]
Console Mania (IT)
86
[8]
Consoles + (FR)
93
[9]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
82
[10]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
58
[2]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU)
60
[11]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 10 (RU)
80
[12]
Freak (IL)
80
[13]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
85
[14]
Gamers (DE)
53
[15]
Hyper (AU)
79
[16]
Joker (SI)
87
[17]
Joypad (FR) PAL
78
[18]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
83
[19]
Mega (UK) PAL
74
[20]
Mega Action (UK) PAL
80
[21]
Mega Force (FR)
84
[22]
Mega Fun (DE) PAL
74
[23]
MegaTech (UK) PAL
71
[24]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
67
[3]
Player One (FR)
65
[25]
Play Time (DE)
64
[26]
Power Up! (UK)
76
[27]
Power Unlimited (NL)
81
[28]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
78
[29]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
84
[30]
Sega Zone (UK) PAL
86
[31]
Sega Force Mega (UK) PAL
80
[32]
Sega Force (SE)
72
[33]
Sonic the Comic (UK) PAL
83
[34]
Todo Sega (ES) PAL
85
[35]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
71
[36]
Video Games (DE) PAL
74
[37]
VideoGames (US) NTSC-U
50
[38]
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[39]
65 №38, p116[40]
78 №53, p62/63
70 №6, p22/23[41]
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[42]
79 №149, p79
66 №40, p108[43]
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
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:CVG UK 152.pdf, page 67
  2. 2.0 2.1 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
  3. 3.0 3.1 File:MeanMachinesSega15UK.pdf, page 96 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega15UK.pdf_p96" defined multiple times with different content
  4. File:SegaForceMega UK 06.pdf, page 42
  5. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 275
  6. Aktueller Software Markt, "Avril 1994" (DE; 1994-03-07), page 113
  7. Beep! MegaDrive, "August 1994" (JP; 1994-07-08), page 21
  8. Console Mania, "Gennaio 1994" (IT; 199x-xx-xx), page 117
  9. Consoles +, "Décembre 1993" (FR; 1993-1x-xx), page 146
  10. Computer & Video Games, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-15), page 89
  11. Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 369
  12. Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 10, "" (RU; 2003-10-08), page 246
  13. Freak, "1/94" (IL; 1994-xx-xx), page 1
  14. GamePro, "March 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 50
  15. Gamers, "Juli/August 1994" (DE; 1994-07-01), page 37
  16. Hyper, "January 1994" (AU; 199x-xx-xx), page 37
  17. Joker, "Maj 1994" (SI; 1994-xx-xx), page 21
  18. Joypad, "Décembre 1993" (FR; 1993-1x-xx), page 130
  19. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 34
  20. Mega, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 48
  21. Mega Action, "Christmas 1993" (UK; 1993-12-02), page 16
  22. Mega Force, "Décembre 1993" (FR; 1993-12-10), page 100
  23. Mega Fun, "01/94" (DE; 1993-12-22), page 74
  24. MegaTech, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-20), page 64
  25. Player One, "Décembre 1993" (FR; 1993-1x-xx), page 146
  26. Play Time, "5/94" (DE; 1994-04-06), page 137
  27. Power Up!, "Saturday, January 08, 1994" (UK; 1994-01-08), page 1
  28. Power Unlimited, "Jaargang 2, Nummer 3, Maart 1994" (NL; 1994-02-23), page 38
  29. Sega Power, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-xx), page 46
  30. Sega Pro, "November 1993" (UK; 1993-10-14), page 70
  31. Sega Zone, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-25), page 36
  32. Sega Force Mega, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-16), page 48
  33. Sega Force, "2/94" (SE; 1994-02-23), page 24
  34. Sonic the Comic, "February 4th 1994" (UK; 1994-01-22), page 12
  35. Todo Sega, "Diciembre 1993" (ES; 1993-1x-xx), page 56
  36. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 236
  37. Video Games, "3/94" (DE; 1994-02-23), page 82
  38. VideoGames, "February 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 88
  39. File:Joypad FR 025.pdf, page 126
  40. File:PlayerOne FR 038.pdf, page 116
  41. File:SegaMasterForce UK 06.pdf, page 22
  42. File:ConsolesPlus FR 030.pdf, page 155
  43. File:PlayerOne FR 040.pdf, page 108