Cool Spot

Cool Spot is a 1993 platform game developed and published by Virgin Games for the Mega Drive/Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The game was later ported by other teams to Master System, Game Gear, Game Boy, Amiga and MS-DOS in 1994.[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 notable 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
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)Genesis, Master System, Game Gear, Amiga, Super NES, Game Boy, MS-DOS
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 of Cool Spot

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. Depending on the version of the game, all letters either spell "UNCOLA" (7 Up's slogan), or "VIRGIN" (the game's developer). 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

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.[11]

Pelit gave it a score of 82%, and summarized it as "one of the most enjoyable platform games in a long time".[12]

Legacy

While Cool Spot was a side-scrolling platform game, its sequel, Spot Goes to Hollywood, was more 3D in orientation and featured gameplay inside various movies. Despite excellent visuals, its isometric perspective and unusual controls made it an exceedingly difficult game. This game, published once again by Virgin Interactive, was developed by Eurocom. It was released for Mega Drive/Genesis in 1995, Sega Saturn in 1996, and Sony PlayStation in 1997, with the 32-bit versions featuring revamped graphics and different levels than those of the Mega Drive/Genesis version, and being developed by Burst Studios instead of Eurocom.

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 ..." Motherboard. Motherboard. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  9. "9 SUPER NINTENDO GAMES AND ODDITIES TOO WEIRD FOR THE SNES CLASSIC". Newsweek. Newsweek. 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. "The Best Super Nintendo Games of All Time". Complex. Complex. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  12. "Cool Spot – Viileä Piste". www.pelit.fi. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
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