Cool Spot

Date added: Unknown

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Game Information:

Cool Spot was a mascot for 7 Up beginning in the second half of the 1980s. During this time, the red spot in the 7 Up logo was anthropomorphized: given arms, legs, a mouth, and sunglasses. Many choose to link this design to the 'cool mascot' trend of the time started mainly by the success of Sonic the Hedgehog.

British video games developer Virgin Interactive produced a platform game starring the 7 Up Spot, entitled Cool Spot. Set in a vivid beach/seaport, it was praised for its challenging gameplay and smooth graphics, as well as most of its background music by Tommy Tallarico, for which it won awards. The game won many fans, even among those who were turned off by the commercial connections or in areas where the mascot was not used. It was originally programmed by David Perry for the Mega Drive/Genesis, and then ported by other teams to other systems.

Cool Spot was released for the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis, Amiga, Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear, and Super Nintendo / Super Famicom, in 1993. It was released for PC DOS and Game Boy in 1994.

The game is a 1-player platformer in which the player controls Cool Spot, who can jump, and attack by firing soda bubbles, which could be shot in all directions and while jumping. Cool Spot could 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 cages at the end of that level, which is not necessarily the point at the far right of the level map. In order to do so, the player is required to collect a certain number of "spots" that would change (usually increase) as the game progressed. "Spots" were placed across the level in large quantities, and were the game's substitute for items such as the coins in Super Mario Bros or Sonic the Hedgehog's gold rings (these were often used in this style of game, mostly for points and extra lives). A player's health is monitored by a humorous Cool Spot face that gradually bends forward and will eventually fall from its position as damage occurs. Damage is taken by touching enemies, their projectiles, or certain level obstacles. Each level is played with a time limit. If the clock reached zero, a life would be lost regardless of a player's health. If Spot lost a life and had no more lives left, the game would end, taking the player back to the title screen. The game had no save feature but did use checkpoints in the form of flagpoles. Once walked past, the flag would raise and a trumpet would sound. If a player lost a life after reaching a checkpoint, the player could restart further in the game.

How to play:

↑ = up
→ = right
↓ = down
← = left

Z = A Button
X = B Button
A = X Button
S = Y Button

Q = L Button
E = R Button

Shift = Select
Enter = Start