Cool Spot

Cool Spot is a 1993 platform game developed by Virgin Games USA for the Mega Drive/Genesis, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Master System, Game Gear, Game Boy, Amiga, and MS-DOS.[7] The title character is Cool Spot, a mascot for the soft drink brand 7 Up. Cool Spot's appearance in his own video game came at a time when other brand mascots (like Chester Cheetah and the Noid) were appearing in their own video games.[8]

Not to be confused with Spot: The Cool Adventure.
Cool Spot
European Mega Drive cover art
Developer(s)Virgin Games USA
NMS Software (Game Boy)
Publisher(s)Virgin Games
Producer(s)Cathie A. Bartz-Todd
Designer(s)David Bishop
Bill Anderson
Programmer(s)David Perry
Artist(s)Christian Laursen
Mike Dietz
Shawn McLean
Ed Schofield
Roger Hardy
Willis Wong
Composer(s)Tommy Tallarico (Genesis/SNES)
Andrew Barnabas (Amiga)
Matt Furniss (Master System/Game Gear)
Mark Cooksey (Game Boy)
Platform(s)Mega Drive, Master System, Game Gear, Super NES, Game Boy, MS-DOS, Amiga
ReleaseMega Drive/Genesis
Super NES
  • NA: September 1993[3]
  • EU: February 24, 1994
Master System
Game Gear
  • EU: June 19, 1994
  • NA: October 1994[5]
Game Boy
  • EU: September 3, 1994
  • NA: October 1994[6]
Amiga
  • EU: October 10, 1994
MS-DOS
  • EU: December 17, 1994
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay
Genesis version

Cool Spot is a single-player platform game in which the player controls the title character.[9] Cool Spot can jump and can attack by throwing soda bubbles in any direction. Cool Spot can also cling to and climb various things by jumping up in front of them. In each level the player must rescue other cool spots, who look exactly alike, from their cages. In order to do so, the player is required to collect a certain number of "spots" that changes (usually increasing) as the game progresses. "Spots" are placed around the level in large quantities. The player's health is monitored by a humorous Cool Spot face that gradually bends forward and eventually falls from its position as damage occurs. Damage is taken by touching enemies and their projectiles and certain other obstacles. There is also a time limit for each level. The game has no save feature but does include checkpoints in the form of flagpoles.

If the player successfully collects enough Spots to enter the Bonus Stage after defeating a level, it is possible to collect Continues by grabbing a letter hidden within the stage. All letters spell "UNCOLA" (7 Up's slogan). If a Continue letter is collected, Spot will be able to restart on the level he was on at the time of losing his last life, although his total points will be reset.

Regional differences

In the European release, the 7 Up bottle was removed from the intro and replaced by a generic soda bottle of similar color. The decision was made to avoid associating the 7 Up Spot with the 7 Up brand, in a region where Fido Dido has been considered the brand's official mascot since the 1980s.[10]

Reception

Pelit gave it a score of 82%, and summarized it as "one of the most enjoyable platform games in a long time".[18]

Cool Spot was ranked 88th on Complex's 'Best Super Nintendo Games of All Time' list, which praised the game for being a 'pretty enjoyable platformer' despite blatant product placement.[21] In 1995, Total! rated the game 65th on its Top 100 SNES Games writing: "The game that Dave Perry really showed his talents off with. Not deep, but a great laugh."[22] In the same year, MegaZone included Cool Spot in their Top 50 Games In History. They praised the game calling it a "Gorgeous platformer" and praised the animation.[23] In 1996, GamesMaster listed the Mega Drive version 92nd in their "Top 100 Games of All Time."[24] also in 1996, Super Play named Cool Spot 100th on its Top 100 SNES Games of All Time. They also praised the game’s graphics concluding: "One of the few non-Mario platformers worth anything more then a passing glance."[25]

The game sold one million copies.[26]

Legacy

A sequel, Spot Goes to Hollywood, was released in 1995.

See also

References
  1. "GamePro #45 pg. 43". Sega Retro. April 1993. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  2. "Sega Force No.18 pg. 61". Sega Retro. June 1996. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  3. Nintendo staff. "Super NES Games" (PDF). Nintendo. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  4. "Mean Machines Sega No 14 pg. 100". Sega Retro. December 1993. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  5. "GamePro #51 pg. 154". Sega Retro. October 1993. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  6. Nintendo staff. "Game Boy (original) Games" (PDF). Nintendo. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  7. Cool Spot at MobyGames
  8. "When McDonald's, Domino's, and Chester Cheetah Took Over Your Nintendo". Motherboard. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  9. "9 SUPER NINTENDO GAMES AND ODDITIES TOO WEIRD FOR THE SNES CLASSIC". Newsweek. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  10. "Fido Dido returns as face of 7 Up" Archived May 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine at B&T,
  11. MacDonald, Duncan (January 1994). "Cool Spot". Nintendo Game Zone. No. 15. pp. 34–36. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  12. Olivier; AHL (November 1993). "Cool Spot". Joypad (in French). pp. 84–85. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  13. "Now Playing". Nintendo Power. Vol. 63. August 1994. pp. 68–73. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  14. "Now Playing". Nintendo Power. Vol. 53. October 1993. pp. 100–105. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  15. Frank; Dane (December 1993). "Cool Spot". Total!. No. 24. pp. 24–26. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  16. "Cool Spot". Video Games (in German). November 1993. p. 54. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  17. West, Neil (June 1993). "Cool Spot". Mega. No. 9. pp. 42–43. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  18. "Cool Spot – Viileä Piste". www.pelit.fi. February 1994. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
  19. Rob; Nick (December 1993). "Cool Spot". Sega Master Force. No. 6. pp. 14–16. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  20. Johnson, Jason (May 1993). "Cool Spot". Sega Pro. No. 19. pp. 24–26. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  21. "The Best Super Nintendo Games of All Time". Complex. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  22. "Top 100 SNES Games". Total! (43): 47. July 1995. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  23. "Top 50 Games In History". MegaZone (50): 4. April 1995.
  24. "Top 100 Games of All Time" (PDF). GamesMaster (44): 74. July 1996.
  25. "The Super Play All-time top 100 SNES games". Super Play. No. 42. Future Publishing. April 1996.
  26. Horowitz, Ken (March 28, 2006). "Interview: Dr. Stephen Clarke-Willson (Virgin Int. VP of Product Dev.)". Sega-16. Archived from the original on August 2, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
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