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COOL SPOT Company: Virgin Released: September 1993 Genre: Side-Scroller Graphics: 9.0 Control: 8.0 Sound/Music: 7.5 Storyline: 7.0 Review by: Corbie Dillard ©2008 SUPER-NES.COM

If you look at most of the video games that have been developed around a licensed product, whether it be a movie, television show, or even a soft drink mascot, you'll normally see a bunch of terrible, thrown-together products that were just used to try to sell games based on the license itself. Cool Spot is based on the cool little red dot you see in 7up commercials. But unlike most other licensed games, Cool Spot is actually a pretty good game. In fact it's bordering on great. It's obvious Virgin put a lot of time and effort into making Cool Spot more than just another high-profile license. Although the Sega Genesis version of this game, which was released prior to this Super NES version, had terrific graphics, the Super NES version once again shines above it in almost every way concievable. Great use of vibrant color schemes and really good details in the backgrounds make Cool Spot a good looking game. All of the scenery in the game has this "over-the-top" look to it that really makes the game look like a Saturday morning cartoon in most places. Fans of 7-Up will especially appreciate the bonus levels which take place inside of a 7-Up bottle, complete with fizzy bubbles to add to the realism. As if it's possible to feel "real" inside of a soft drink bottle. Given the time this game was released, in 1993, it's definately impressive how great it looks considering it's not one of the later games in the Super Nintendo's lifespan. Keep a special eye out for the quite impressive "Locomotive" level if you want to see some snappy visuals. If it's one area that Cool Spot excels in, it's definately the visuals. A lot was made about the soundtrack of Cool Spot back when it was first released, due in part, because it was composed and played by a gifted young talent named Tommy Tallarico. And what a great job he did. You don't often see such variety and catchiness in the tunes of a side-scroller, but Cool Spot has a very distinctive sound to it and it makes playing this off-the-wall game that much more fun. It's not gonna set the video game industry on it's head, but you'll catch yourself humming the tunes long after you've put down the controller. I have to say, however, that I did begin to get a little tired of the sound Cool Spot makes everytime he takes a hit from an enemy. It really began to get on my nerves after several hours worth of play time. Other than that, the game has a fresh sound to it that at least sets it apart from many of the other bland-sounding side-scrollers of this time period. Gameplay-wise, Cool Spot is pretty standard stuff for the most part. You can move around, shoot fizzy bubbles at enemies and the locks on the cages, and even hang from ballons and other things in each level, but there's not much originality otherwise. The play control feels a little loose at times, which can sometimes be a little distracting in tight situations in the game. I also didn't like the way Cool Spot doesn't jump very far unless you get a moving start in that direction. If you decided to make a quick jump forward in order to jump over an enemy, Spot doesn't normally make the jump completely over them thus causing you to take a hit. Also, although you can shoot your bubbles in diagonal directions, this feat is sometimes a bit difficult to pull off in a pinch, as Spot continues to move in the direction your pressing the pad to shoot in. Keep in mind these small annoyances in no way ruin the gameplay experience, but it will take gamers who are new to the game a little time to get the feel for these little nuances. It's hard not to like Cool Spot. It's not a great platformer, but it's a pretty decent one. Plus, considering how many bad platformers the Super NES sports, I think you'll find Cool Spot a welcome addition to your system. It's got enough challenge and playability to keep your attention, but it's a platformer that may take some time for players to get used to playing. Cool Spot is definately one of the best "licensed" games I've ever played, so if you're hesitant to buy it because you're afraid it's going to be like the other 90% of the big-name licensed games that generally suck, put your mind at ease. If you're a side-scroller fan, or even a Cool Spot fan, then you should definately pick this game up. If you're not, this is one you might want to pass on. Good but not great.