Amiga

Zool 2

What the hell would anyone want another Zool for? I mean, when you have got one ultra-fast scrolling, colourful-as-a-very-colourful-thing platform blast, what more could you want? Especially when the first one scored a massive 95 per cent. Now, back when I gave Zool that huge score, putting it in the stratosphere of the AF scoring range along with a mere handful of other games that got so close to (but still so far away from) the perfect score, some people complained. They questioned my sanity, but the bloke in the white coat who checked me out proved to be even more insane than I was, especially after I showed him Zool).

Zool has finally sold out. No longer can it be claimed that he is to the Amiga what Mario and Sonic are to the Toys’R’Us consoles. That is right, he is appearing at a Sega and Nintendo console near you know. I do not know about you, but quite frankly I do not care what Zool chooses do. He never once said that his relationship with the Amiga was a monogamous one. Good luck to the lad – you have got to take work where you can get it these days. Right kids? Get your name about a bit. Rub shoulders (mandibles, thoraxes) with influential people capable of furthering your career. And once you have managed that, do not think that it is all plain sailing.

Alla ni som med avund sneglat på Segas Sonic behöver inte göra det längre. Zool 2 har nämligen många likheter med Sonic, emellanåt är de faktiskt väldigt lika. Tycker man om plattformsspel som trycker gaspedalen i botten så ska man verkligen titta närmare på Zool 2, för det här är ett spel med drag.

Hinzu kommen Probleme beim Diskhandlung: Die häufigen Nachladepausen sind lästig, und die Zweitfloppy wird kurioserweise zwar angesprochen (der Motor beginnt zu laufen), aber nicht wirklich unterstützt, so daß gelegentliche Diskwechsel nicht ausbleiben. Dem gegenüber steht eine detaillierte Grafik mit butterweichem Scrolling in alle Richtungen; bei der geplanten Version für den 1200er sollte dan selbst das leichte Ruckeln der Sprites kein Thema mehr sein. Außerdem hat man die Wahl zwischen gleichermaßen gelungenen Sound-FX und Musikstückchen. Trotz der kleinen Macken kann man Zool 2 also ein gutes Zeugnis ausstellen, denn der neue Plattform-Held zählt auf alle Fälle zu den originelleren Vertretern seiner derzeit so weitverbreiteten Art!

The problem with introducing sequels is that people tend to expect part 2 to be better than the original. I mean, with all the lessons of the last game learnt, you'd think that some improvements should be made to the gameplay, graphics, sound et al. But with a game as good as Zool you've got a pretty tough act to follow. SO you'd be lucky to reach the lofty heights scaled by that top platformer. Unfortunately, Gremlin seem to have fallen well short of that peak.