The 1990s was one of the favorite eras of gaming because it was a transitional phase for video games. 2D platformers were reaching their peak and as mainstream titles were exploring the 3D realms, 2D platformers were becoming better and better with better technologies. One of the titles that hold a special place in my heart from the 90s is the Zool, which is not really a famous title like the original Sonic or Mario, but it managed to form its own cult following with its fast-paced gameplay and beautiful levels. While Gremlin Graphics developed the original game, Zool Redimensioned is a remake of the original game by Sumo Digital and Secret Mode. This is our review of Zool Redimensioned in which we revisit this charming platform of the 90s and experience the fast-paced action of the Nth Dimension.
Zool Redimensioned is a classic platformer brought back to life completely built from the ground up and filled with tons of modern in-game mechanics and features. Zool is a ninja of the Nth Dimension who can jump, spin and shoot as he moves from platform to platform avoiding enemies and other platforming hazards. The game is set in eight unique worlds, each based on a specific theme such as candy or music. Everything from the aesthetics to the enemies in that particular region revolves around this particular theme and it gives every level a unique feel. There is no hardcore story to follow in the game and there are no cutscenes detailing what is happening around you as well. The game starts right in a level and ends with a final boss fight, so you do not really know any other context than this.
Zool comes with a moveset that caters to an advanced level of platforming. You have your double jump, shooting and sliding to take out enemies. You can also climb tall hazards and perform spin attacks or landing attacks on your enemies. You will use everything at your disposal to clear the stages as quickly as possible and by making sure that you still have lives left at the end of the level. There are different checkpoints at key points in every level so if you run out of health, you will respawn at these checkpoints however killing enemies sometimes give you health so dying is not really something that you will be worried about in Zool Redimensioned. The game does not really fall into the harder lot of currently available platforms.
The real challenge of Zool lies in the speedy gameplay. Zool Redimensioned is excellent for speedrunners since the moveset of Zool is all about speed and control. This is one of the major changes that you will notice in the Zool Redimensioned. While the original game featured a floaty feel to the controls, the controls in Zool Redimensioned are much tighter and more accurate giving you sublime movements and precise reactions to all key inputs. There is no floaty feel to the controls anymore and this opens up the game to be a solid one if you love completing levels quickly or just want to try out how fast you can really beat the game.
Zool Redimensioned comes with a bonus Beastipedia which lists all of the characters and enemies that you will encounter in the game. Here you can read about different characters as well as enemies. Apart from this, you will also find the original 1992 release of Zool in the extras section which is played inside an emulator. This is the original hardcore Zool experience and if you want to experience the original release as well as the modern release to see how much the game has evolved in the remake, this is a great way of doing this. There are no saved slots for this version of the game, so you have to complete the whole game in one sitting, just like in the good old times. There are two game modes in the game for you to play and each mode completely changes the experience.
The Redimensioned mode is the default ‘remake’ mode of the game, and it comes with all of the bonuses and additional features that you would expect from a remake. It allows you to choose a specific chapter and level that you want to play once you have unlocked it and it allows you to pick and play any level that you want to retry instead of playing the whole game again. This mode also features a wider screen which allows you to see more of the screen and there is no time limit for completing the levels. You also have a double jump and a lot of accessibility options. If you need a challenge with the modern UI, you can play the Ultimate Ninja mode which does not come with the double jump, level selection, and the screen is not as wide as well making it harder to see what is coming up next.
At its core, Zool Redimensioned still brings the same energy as the original Zool, only better than before. I am happy that Sumo Digital decided to bring back this beloved franchise to life because otherwise, I and tons of other fans would have just forgotten about it. Zool Redimensioned is also the perfect way of remaking this title without ruining the core gameplay of the title. The newly added features complement the original playstyle of the game instead of making it too easy or ruining the fun that the original game offered. Other features are just icing at the top and I hope that more and more players now experience this forgotten classic.
When I was a little boy, I used to have a Sega Mega Drive however we were not that rich back then to afford brand-new games. What I would do instead is go for video game rentals, get a game that I wanted and then later switch it with another game. The shopkeeper recommended Zool once and I was instantly hooked on the title when I got home. I was so hooked on the title that I recommended it to a friend of mine who took it for some time. However, he ended up exchanging it with another title from another game rental shop and I never could find the game again. This is me now playing this brilliant platformer after more than 20 years and I am equally excited about this game as I was 20 years ago. I love the fact that it comes with the original Zool title as well because modern players need to know how video games evolved and what sort of challenging prospects these platformers once used to be.
Final Verdict:
If you loved the original Sega Mega release of Zool and would like to jump into the game again, Zool Redimensioned brings the nostalgia back in full force. Not only is the original release part of the remake, but you have two brand-new modes to experience the adventure of Zool in new ways. The new modes added to the game also make Zool Redimensioned highly accessible for modern players who are not comfortable with the classic controllers and the gameplay mechanics of the old times. With improved UI, updated gameplay mechanics, and much-needed visual enhancement, Zool Redimensioned is a brilliant package that makes it extremely hard to pass if you love old-school platformers and would just want to visit this brilliant game again on a modern platform.
Final Score: 9.5/10
