Zool

Zool
a game by Gremlin
Genres: Action, Educational/Kids, Platformer
Platforms: Sega GenesisGenesis, SNESSNES, Sega Master SystemSega Master System, GameGear
Editor Rating: 7/10, based on 6 reviews
User Rating: 9.3/10 - 3 votes
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See also: 2D Platformer Games, Side Scroller Games, Zool Games
Zool Poster
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View all 69 Zool Screenshots

The evil Krool has overtaken seven worlds in the "Nth" dimension, and Gametek has armed you with a new hero to rescue them. Enter Zool, Ninja of the Nth Dimension and interstellar freedom fighter. As Zool, you must battle through 28 levels of gut-wrenching action. Be prepared to master all of Zool's skills, 'cuz you'll need 'em to survive!

Nth Ninja Action

Zool is a slick, side-scrolling action game that gives you a solid dose of arcade-style fighting, even at the easiest setting. There are no save options or passwords, so you must beat this game in one session.

ProTip: Restart points enable you to continue from that particular location. Be sure to hit every Restart you find, but also keep in mind that you want to activate a Restart that's as close to the end of a level as possible.

You fight a weird army of enemies that changes in each world, and then you fight the usual end boss. Zool's movements are fluid and fast. They're easy to master, and master them you should, since enemies must be destroyed in different ways. You simply zap some head-on, while you jump on others. Zool blasts energy bolts, swings blades for a spinning mid-air attack, and doubles his firepower with a spectral body double. Overall, the controls are right on.

  • When Zool slides down a slope in the Sweet World, make him fire straight out to directly in his path.
  • Climbing up these blocks is impossible, but sometimes if you wait, a bubble bounces you up to the next level.

Dash with Flash

A techno jam session best describes Zool's sounds and music. It tends to get repetitious, however, and you may want to turn the volume down. At least each world has its own sound effects and musical scores.

  • Having trouble getting to an overhead location in the Music World? Ride up on the horn's musical notes.
  • When you come across any pit, climb over the ledge to see what awaits you below.

Zool's graphics are attractive -- sharp and colorful. While all of its visuals are eye-pleasing, some backgrounds might give you the impression that Zool is a kid's game, especially the sugar-coated candy land. Don't fret. This means game will turn your knuckles white!

Zool's Cool

Zool challenges all comers, from beginners to hard-core hack-n-slashers. If you're looking for a game with thumb-numbing action to whip you into a gaming frenzy, Zool takes you to school.

Download Zool

Genesis

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
  • Game modes: Single game mode

Player controls:

  • Up, Down, Left, Right - Arrow keys
  • Start - Enter (Pause, Menu select, Skip intro, Inventory)
  • "A" Gamepad button - Ctrl (usually Jump or Change weapon)
  • "B" button - Space (Jump, Fire, Menu select)
  • "C" button - Left Shift (Item select)

Use the F12 key to toggle mouse capture / release when using the mouse as a controller.

SNES

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
  • Pentium II (or equivalent) 266MHz (500MHz recommended), RAM: 64MB (128MB recommended), DirectX v8.0a or later must be installed
Sega Master System

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
GameGear

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP

Game Reviews

Zool, star of the acclaimed Genesis game, has been shoehomed into a Game Gear version. The transition doesn't seem to have hurt him one bit.

Throughout four worlds of puzzling action, Zool has to grab as many candies as he can. Along the way, his progress is impeded by various cronies of his archenemy, Krool. They get in the way, but they turn into health-saving hearts if jumped on.

Great graphics and sound abound, and the game play is crisp, requiring careful navigating to avoid the bothersome foes and hazards. Once the exit appears, the directional arrow guides you, but it usually requires controller calisthenics to exit before time runs out.

Zool is a great game-on-the-go for Game Gear owners.

ProTips:

  • Practice clinging to walls and making jumps from the sides of platforms. These skills are essential to saving your life count
  • Don't get too out of control on the ice slides. There may be a hazard at the bottom of a hill.

Zool is a ninja from the "Nth" dimension who (while investigating a strange vortex) was hurled in his ship to a strange new world. His ship landed in a lake of custard and sank fast. Left with only his mini-field computer, he contacts headquarters who tell him that the evil Krool's forces have taken over this world and five others. Krool and his assistant, Mental Block, have been hard at work using the forces of non-imagination to turn ordinary things into monsters. Zool's mission is to free these worlds. Only then can Zool be rescued from this other world and return home.

Zool sports great graphics, but ends up with a case of Super Trolland's disease: your character moves much too fast and with little control! This game is basically identical to Socket, so fans of that game may want to check this out.

Zool is an extraterrestrial ninja with a big responsibility: He's Protector of Creative Thought and Defender of Positive Action... for the entire universe! If you have a positive attitude toward SNES fighting/platform games, Zool's very cool.

Good-bye, Krool Worlds

Zool is battling the negative forces of the cosmos, which are led by the evil Krool. Zool must pull every martial arts trick in his arsenal to blow Krool's cool and plow through seven wild Worlds.

ProTips:

  • You can put some lift on your jumps by leaping onto flying beasts, such as the Bees.
  • If you fall to nab a fallen foe's flying Heart at ground level, it might come floating by you when you reach the upper regions of a level.

You run through major pulse-pounding platform action. Zool is one of the fastest-moving SNES ninjas around, but he must sprint and jump through 28 stages to beat the clock, fight Krool's weird minions, and find stage exits.

Each World looks like a theme park gone mad. For example, among the beings that overrun the Sweet World is pesky Humble Bees, gruesome Dodgy Jellies, and sharpshootin' Life-Saver clones called Sweet Beasties. The Music World is populated by cunning Cymbals, devious Drums, and violent Violins.

Colorful Combat

Zool's great-looking graphics make the game seem like an outrageous Disney hallucination. Krool's hordes feature handsome character sprites ^✓that launch a fun-loving f visual assault on your eyes with sharp animation and slick details.

The sounds swing hot and lukewarm. There's a ton of crystal clear effects, but most aren't too imaginative. The music tries hard with sometimes-catchy syncopated rhythms.

Zool's Tools

Zool possesses a nifty repertoire of moves. He fights by tossing energy blasts and stomping on his enemies. His speed enables him to take big-time flying leaps. Moreover, Zool climbs hand-over-hand, scales walls, and slide-kicks, too. One slick power-up creates a Zool shadow double. The top-notch controls make executing any move a breeze... and you need all the help you can get!

  • Bombs explode as soon as you touch them, so wait for a crowd.
  • The safest way to leap through the air is to whirl with your blade. Press Left or Right, hit Y, and hold down L.
  • Blast the walls every now and then. You might excavate a short cut.

Study Zool-ology

Zool is a tough game with great-looking graphics. If you think you're a pugnacious platform player, Zool will take you to school.

Zool is a British computer game originally produced for the Amiga by Gremlin Graphics. A Zool coin-op was released in 1993 to cash in on the hype surrounding the Amiga release. The game is a pure arcade platform game, relying on smooth, fast moving gameplay, colorful graphics and a popular soundtrack by Patrick Phelan which overlaps with the Lotus 3 soundtrack and has inspired several modern electro/techno remixes.

It was not well distributed and is now not widely remembered.

Snapshots and Media

Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Screenshots

SNES/Super Nintendo/Super Famicom Screenshots

Sega Master System Screenshots

GameGear Screenshots

See Also

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