Zool

Whoosh, it's Zool!!

Zool was released in 1993 by Gremlin Graphics. Late in the ST's life, yet they still went the extra mile to support both computer models - respect. At first, this appears to be a Sonic clone and does indeed have similarities, but Sonic it ain't. That fact disappointed many, back in the day (like me). I guess we wanted our Sonic? Well, I figured enough time had passed. Should I give this zippy insect another second chance?

Zool is a ninja from the Nth Dimension who finds himself stranded in a strange sugary universe filled with giant sweets, cakes, and enough sugary treats to make you insulin-resistant and fat. To earn the rank of a fully-fledged Ninja of the Nth Dimension, he must prove his worth by journeying through a series of colourful worlds, battling bizarre enemies and overcoming countless hazards on his quest to return home.

Our hero is a rather odd, ant-like ninja who can run, climb, leap, and even perform an airborne pirouette (big girl's blouse). It all feels more than a little Sonic-inspired, with fast-paced platforming and plenty of opportunities to keep moving. Each world is divided into three increasingly challenging stages, packed with hidden dangers, tricky obstacles, and an army of enemies determined to halt your progress.

Sonically, a very cool game this (ugh, sorry). Let's see the first screenshot of this ninja...

The first level is excellent and has a little iddy biddy Sonic vibe to it...

Things are getting music for the next level. And harder!

Look out for secret levels, this one sure looks like a horizontal shooter!

Run and leap like crazy!

There are several levels; the first is "Sweet World", which could be a child's best dream: an entire planet made of candy. But these are killer sweets: like wobbly jelly and a cute, rapidly-firing dolly mixture! The second is musically themed, with angry instruments like bongos and others that play helpful notes.

Sadly, that is as far as I've managed to get. Very disappointing, but that's me and my terrible gaming reactions for ya'!! Well, be disappointed no more, for I am extremely grateful that I found a much-needed cheat. This allowed me to play on the later levels - and the Meccano-style used in Tool World is excellent. Just carry on reading for more information about this handy cheat!

Zool is simple; it's all about collecting the items (in Sweet World, that's candy). Look at the bottom/left of your screen, which shows how many are required with an arrow pointing you in the right direction to find more. Thankfully, losing a life isn't a game-buster, as there are checkpoints from which to continue. That’s no easy task. Each level features a cruel layout filled with hidden traps and numerous enemies.

Power-ups are also frequently available to ease your hectic adventure, like Two Zool - your doppelganger. Zool even has an energy shield that can be replenished during play, but it can survive only three hits before you're as dead as a dodo. I would have liked more to balance it against the number of nasties.

However, this isn’t just a game that demands lightning-fast reactions; you’ll need to replay it countless times. Learning the levels is essential for progression; otherwise, you’ll be caught off guard by unexpected, dangerous obstacles. This inherent replay value makes Zool highly replayable by default.

It's screenshot time, and this one was taken with my phone when using real hardware...

Watch where you're walking! So many dangerous places in this world of weird.

Use the environment's features. The trombone boosts you up in the air.

Weeeeee, slide over those items and grab the points!

Input & Output

The joystick controls are incredibly intuitive and responsive. There’s also an inertia option, which I leave disabled (yikes!). For rapid firepower, simply keep pressing the fire button. Tapping it again during a jump activates a pirouette manoeuvre, letting you kill even more colourful nasties in this crazy world.

Visually, Zool is fantastic, and I’m sure they’ve used every colour imaginable for a strangely gaudy display. The sprites are lovely, particularly the purple dolly mixture. It’s incredible that a game like this runs on the ST, given the lack of hardware scrolling. It’s far superior to other 'similar' games I could mention.

Of course, it's best on the Atari STe, as Gremlin made use of the hardware, with 50fps scrolling. It's a thrill and crushes the experience on the standard ST. Not only that, but there are more colours too. Weirdly, there is some slowdown, which is a shame and doesn't make sense.

The audio is superb, featuring zesty effects and chiptunes. It would have been great to hear DMA samples, especially noticeable in the absence of them in World Two’s oddly silent musical instruments. I mean, come on, it's a music world, so a big chance to use the DMA... Perhaps a missed opportunity, I fear?

Right, who fancies a lollipop? No? Oh! Well, don't look at this next screenshot then...

Right, hands up who wants a lollipop now? What... Just me? Darn it!!

Zool is leaping with joy because he loves 50fps scrolling!

Woooo, watch out, Zool. Don't lose your balance.

The CryptO'pinion?

This is a great platformer packed with speedy fun, but some frustrating mechanics spoil what would have been a perfect game. For instance, don’t expect to zip across great distances like the spiky hedgehog. Zool’s levels are designed to contradict his Ninja-like abilities, as the levels are littered with deadly objects, many of which are off-screen. Plus, enemies constantly respawn, which is (arghh) incredibly annoying.

Despite my grumbles, I must admit I have enjoyed Zool. There's an infectious energy to its manic experience that keeps pulling you back for more. The action is fast, chaotic, and bursting with ridiculous stupidity. All in colourful worlds of bizarre enemies, ensuring there's always something weirdly unexpected.

Zool dares to be different, and for me, that sense of speed, constant silliness, and console-style action more than compensates for its flaws. It’s a blast, so prepare for frantic joystick mayhem that’s even more exhilarating on the Atari STe. This is an excellent platformer. Now, give me some more Chupa Chups!

8BitChip has the download for those with a hard drive/Ultrasatan.

If you're stuck using floppies, Atari Legend will ease your pain!

AtariMania features Zool in their ST database (with manual & code wheel).

To cheat, type in PANDA on the menu, and you will see a flicker.

During a game, you can now press:

Spacebar 1 - will make you invincible.

Spacebar 2 - to skip forward to the next stage.

Spacebar 3 - to skip forward to the next world.