Cool Spot for SNES
Review #121
Cool Spot
Floating red spots, everywhere
Gameplay
Stupid hud with your face slowly melting to show damage taken.
Collectable red spots show where to jump next but often jumping to one lands you on an enemy for a cheap hit.
Major momentum issues with walking. Jumping is much faster so that's the primary means of movement.
Camera moves to show about 70% ahead of you and doesn't snap like in Aladdin on Genesis but is still a bit annoying.
Eightway shooting (soda fizz maybe?) is nice to have after so many games where you can only bop or use melee attacks.
Level Design
Earthworm Jim Zero - easy to see the elements and design choices that carried over to David Perry's next game like:
- indeterminate platform shapes as you walk inside of rather than on top of
- animated arrows pointing where to go (sign of bad level design)
Typical tall maze-like labyrinth levels.
Each level has a definite theme - beach, attic, bathtub, etc.
Level amounts to two enemies and constant platforming. There's a ton of climbing around in a maze. Nothing new is introduced at any point during a level. Just rinse and repeat in a different order. Climb vine>shoot mouse>jump over tacks>vine>two mice>tacks>descend vine>etc.
Theme
As much as I want to be annoyed, I actually like the Spot character. No idea what he's doing or why, but this is an appealing world. Actually it reminds me of Harley's Humongous Adventure, but with Spot. So I guess it's not that great.
Art Style
Hard to spot enemies and obstacles. For example a stationary fishing hook on a beach hurts you but doesn't look threatening.
Animation is impressive.
Lots of lighting and shading on sprites and backgrounds.
Audio
Pleasant music
Unobtrusive sound effects
Spot's voice is a bit annoying
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