Cool Spot

Cool Spot is a 1993 platform game developed by Virgin Games for the Mega Drive/Genesis, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Master System, Game Gear, Game Boy, Amiga, and MS-DOS. The title character is Spot, a mascot for the soft drink brand 7 Up. 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.

Gameplay

File:Cool Spot.png

Genesis version

Cool Spot is a single-player platform game in which the player controls the title character. Spot can jump and can attack by throwing soda bubbles in any direction. 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 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 collectable 7 Up logos were replaced by red discs with the Virgin "V", and the "UNCOLA" letters were similarly replaced with letters spelling out "VIRGIN". The decision was made because in international areas (where PepsiCo owns the rights to the 7 Up brand), Fido Dido has been considered the brand's official mascot since the 1980s.

Reception

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

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. 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." 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. In 1996, GamesMaster listed the Mega Drive version 92nd in their "Top 100 Games of All Time". 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 than a passing glance."

The game sold one million copies.

Legacy

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

See also

• Spot: The Video Game
• Spot: The Cool Adventure