Cool Spot

The Good
Well, it's a decent platformer, with a fast engine, smooth graphics and gameplay, good controls and a cute action figure. The design is interesting, if not innovative. A solid game which is fun to play, this is an interesting attempt by Virgin.

The Bad
I didn't like the premise - too silly and commercial. The game is so repetitive I never got passed the first level (if there's more than one anyway...) because it bored me, and the sound effects and music could and should have been better.

The Bottom Line
A cute though somewhat annoying game, which is generally fun to play. 'nuff said.

The Good
Cool Spot for the Sega Genesis was one of many high-quality, 2D platforming games by Virgin Software in the early - mid 1990s.

The player takes control of the 7UP mascot through several platforming levels that show off the hardware capabilities of the Genesis as well as the creativity of the folks at Virgin.

Spot can do what most platforming characters can do; walk, jump and climb. He has an unlimited supply of fizzy balls that he can shoot as projectiles and there are lots and lots of items and secrets to locate in each level (i.e. for extra lives, restored level, bonus points, etc).

At the end each level you will find a group of your fellow Spot people (spot-tians?) imprisoned in a cage, which you need to blast with your fizzy balls (assuming you collected enough of the Spot icons).

The "coolness" about Cool Spot comes in its amazing animation, graphics, music and sound effects. The game play mechanics are simple and easy to pick up and it is clearly one of the best video games based on a soft drink or snack food mascot.

The Bad
Cool Spot could have done with bosses at the end of the levels, in addition to the imprisoned Spots.

The in-game story line, beyond recusing other Spots, is virtually non-existent. Sometimes you may get a tad bored at blasting enemies with fizzy balls, which cannot be upgraded, and yes, sometimes you may find yourself wanting a bit more originality in the platforming adventure.

The Bottom Line
Cool Spot is a truly "cool" when it comes to perfecting the look, sound and overall feel of 16-bit, 2D platforming. In the 1990s, the talent, creativity and skill at Virgin was simply revolutionary and this game is a fine example of its well deserved praise.

The Good
The Cool Spot is an anthropomorphic red dot which has apparently peeled himself off of his normal place on a can or bottle of 7-Up lemon-lime soda. He presents an image appropriate to his name, complete with sneakers and black sunglasses, and arrives to tout the virtues of the "un-cola", 7-Up, as an alternative to products like Coca-Cola and Pepsi. From the first, the Cool Spot was a big hit. So perhaps it is not surprising that a game was eventually made featuring the little guy. And, unusual for product tie-ins, the game was actually pretty good.

Cool Spot, the game, is a by-the-numbers platformer. Your character runs, jumps, and fights through a variety of environments filled with obstacles and enemies. Very little is much different from games like the Super Mario Bros. or the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Even so, it is a well-done example of the genre and therefore fun to play. The action is fast and involves a lot of high-flying jumps. It has everything you look for in a solid platformer.

The story, which is as brief as might be expected, is that all of the Spots except one (the player) have been captured. It is naturally up to the hero to go rescue his comrades.

Level design is the most creative part of Cool Spot. Since the main character is a tiny icon off the side of a soda, the environments are all seen from that perspective. The player gets to explore such places as the beach, the inside of a wall, a room full of toys, and the like. Everything is extra large to the diminutive Spot.

There is really only one attack in the game. Cool Spot can "shoot" soda bubbles at his enemies. It is works fine and enemies are never much trouble to dispatch. However, it does lack variety.

Music is pretty good in the game. The soundtrack is a fun and suitably cool set. It matches the subject matter. And the sound effects are decent. The Cool Spot's squeaks are generally amusing.

Graphics are at the high end for the Super Nintendo. The creative levels were all well drawn and animated.

The Bad
The gameplay suffers from a lack of variety by the end. And having only one weapon does not help.

Not being able to save also gets to be a pain.

The Bottom Line
Cool Spot is one of the best tie-in games ever made and an enjoyable game overall. It did not do anything genre breaking, but it is a solid platformer.