I worked as an apprentice in retail back in the day and Cool Spot was, besides other games, which I would sometimes run as a demo on the Mega-Drive/Gensis. The Amiga conversion sucked though, John Twiddy who did the Amiga conversion programmed mostly for the C64 beforehand (most prominently the Last Ninja series, Ikari Warriors and the developer system for the failed C64GS console). Cool Spot was one of his first Amiga games and it shows, he also did the Aladdin conversion a year later which was one of his last job as a game programmer. He stayed in the industry but more on the project managment side till the late 2000s.
Hey dude, do you know how many copies of the prototype were made for the UK Cool Spot? I have a working copy for the Mega Drive that still has the 7-Up stuff in-game. The art for the box is simply a few screenshots on the back and the intro screen on the front.
The Mega Drive is the original version and remains the best one. 320x224 pixels, smooth, responsive and the music sounds nicer than on other systems, a super catchy and memorable soundtrack made via the handy (and underrated) GEMS sound driver. The SNES port is actually pretty good. There are some added visuals details and the controls have been tweaked a bit. But the resolution is significantly lower (256x224), there are some added borders, some animation frames are missing and the music rendition is rather mediocre. The Amiga port is quite poor. The resolution is very low (something like, 256x200 pixels?), the frame rate is about 20 FPS and the color depth is significantly lower. Also, due to hardware limitations, the sound is not in stereo anymore and the music is a hit-or-miss affair (but it seems to run too slow here, maybe it was meant for 60 Hz?). Master System, Game Gear and Game Boy versions seem all quite good considering the hardware they run on. And MS-DOS seems surprisingly solid and in fact, not too far from the Mega Drive version aside from the inconsistent pace and tiny music. I wonder though what are the specs required and their price at the time to run this game (I mean, by that point a Mega Drive cost about $100 haha making it an incredibly good performances/price ratio).
My only big complaint about the MD/Gen version is how sounds cut out. I guess the programmers didn't know about the software mixing tricks to allow 2 PCM samples to play at once. But listening to the music in this video of the SNES version, even with it's 8 sample channels, sounds seem to cut out as well, odd. OK, as the video plays, I'm noticing all version have sounds that cut out! I also don't like how you have to move to shoot diagonally.
All Amiga music was stereo, the design of the audio chip meant that it couldn't not be, as 2 of the 4 channels were physically wired to the left hand audio jack and the other two were wired to the right-hand jack. The issue was there were 4 channels, which meant you had to either a) have just music, b) have just SFX, c) design your music to only use 3 channels and leave the 4th for SFX, or d) stop one of the music channels when SFX needed to be played. Looks like they opted for D on this game.
The increased resolution/field of view are the advantages of the Genesis version, otherwise the SNES version is superior in every other way. Better music, better sound (that doesn't clip unlike the Genesis version), and much better graphics.
For me, between the Genesis and Super Nintendo versions, it's Super Nintendo all the way. It's probably mostly nostalgia, but I think the music and sounds sound much better. The graphics might be lower res, but they seem a lot more colorful (plus actual transparency effects, not the dithering trick the Genesis used). Plus you can hold R to aim diagonally, which is really handy. The Game Boy one isn't *bad*, but the controls are really wonky and kinda ruin it. I can only imagine that's how the other 8 bit versions are too, but I don't own them yet.
The Snes version looks better indeed, but there is 2 really bad things about that version. First of all, all enimies reappears after you lose a life and as severel levels are quite maze like, that is a huge thing. In the Mega drive version, you always know that where thete are enemies, you should fallow. The snes version, is also way to zoomed in, as many other games on that console. Those stuff makes Segas version a lot bette gameplay wise.
Hey Fernando, we played with the same configuration (Amiga 1000 with 1MB RAM) and we don't appreciate any difference compared to other RUclips videos. It would be nice see the game running in a real Amiga to see if it is an emulator issue...
The SNES has a much better color pallette and way better sound but lower res than Mega Drive. The master system one looks not too bad either. I actually sent away the secret screen photo for the prize I can tell you it was a virgin branded black wallet and a metal virgin pin badge, both are now lost to history unfortunately.
Sega all day everyday, sounds and soundtrack is perfect. The only thing which I noticed is the when he’s using on the NES, it’s slightly faster input then the sega.
Big love to who ported the main code and graphics to DOS. Big dissapointment eyes to who did the opl2 programming because that choice of instruments HURTS (and well, sound effects are also quite poor). Always take care of the sound design when doing a game, people.
Always thought, as a kid, the 7Up would provide 7 lives.... Until I started drinking 7up, the soft drink of choice, sponsored by Tony Soprano, & Matthew Bevilaqua...
Cool spot. Played this on Amiga back in the day. What a bland aweful platformer. The only good thing it had was the "Wipeout" theme. Great video as always Sutra. Thanks.
Thank you! As I said in another comment, I am disappointed with the Amiga version due to its low framerate and limitations with the controls. Also, It hasn't the parallax scrolling that features Genesis and SNES either...
The SNES version has more graphical details and a better colour palette. The music and sound effects are also better IMO. The Megadrive version has better resolution, has some extra music tracks that are missing from the SNES version, and probably runs a twee but faster.
Let’s Compare Cool Spot 1: Sega Genesis (1993) 2: Super Nintendo (1993) 3: Amiga (1993) 4: Master System (1993) 5: Game Gear (1993) 6: Game Boy (1994) 7: Pc Dos (1994)
For me : 1/ Sega Genesis 2/ MS DOS 3- SNES 4/ Amiga 5/ Master System 6/ GG 7/ GB I could be wrong, but it looks like the MS Dos version has the definition of the SNES in height, and the one of the Mega Drive in width, it's weird. It is also closer to the SNES for the colors, but its information bar looks like that of the MD. For sound, I guess the MS DOS version is technically the best, but I prefer the MD sounds. We have the right to dream : a redesigned MD version today under SGDK with a 32meg cartridge instead of the current 8 would be completely perfect.
@@laughingseal2282 It's true that the 20fps of the Amiga is annoying... It's still a better version than the 8 Bit anyway. The sound of the Gameboy is atrocious 😅
@@laughingseal2282This is for the Sega Master System, not a portable version. You could play it on the Game Gear via Master Gear Converter, but this is not a portable version.
I will give props to the Amiga version for its art design. Though its performance seems really low for what the amiga was capable of. So either an emulation issue or poorly optimized game? I will need to dig out my hardware to find out one day... . SMS seems very decent for the hardware. And seems like most ports try to show the hardware in good light, if not pushing at all.
We have seen several RUclips videos and we don't see differences with the Amiga version shown here, but we are surprised with its poor performance. Maybe it is an emulation issue as you say...
@@retrosutra It's a bad port, it ran like balls on a real A500 (don't remember if it ran better on a 1200). Both the Megadrive and the Amiga used 68000 CPUs (so porting the main game code was easy), but completely different graphics and sound architectures (that made porting things like the scrolling and sprite routines hard). I'm guessing they just slapped together enough Amiga-specific code to allow porting of the rest as quickly, easily and cheaply as possible. But hey, the Amiga version does at least have the nicest music of the various versions, so there is that.
Bad version is Amiga, yet the 16-bit computer or SFC/SNES-like computer introduced in 1985 could not fit to run Cool Spot aka 7Up first mascot (pre-Fido Dido).
La de SNES sí me gustó, pero me llevé una gran decepción con la de Amiga. Tiene un framerate terrible y otro gran inconveniente: al poder usar solo un botón y tener que saltar pulsando arriba, no es posible disparar hacia arriba sin pegar un salto...
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
I worked as an apprentice in retail back in the day and Cool Spot was, besides other games, which I would sometimes run as a demo on the Mega-Drive/Gensis. The Amiga conversion sucked though, John Twiddy who did the Amiga conversion programmed mostly for the C64 beforehand (most prominently the Last Ninja series, Ikari Warriors and the developer system for the failed C64GS console). Cool Spot was one of his first Amiga games and it shows, he also did the Aladdin conversion a year later which was one of his last job as a game programmer. He stayed in the industry but more on the project managment side till the late 2000s.
Very interesting!
@Augustus Bridger BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
@Thatcher Colson stop
Hey dude, do you know how many copies of the prototype were made for the UK Cool Spot? I have a working copy for the Mega Drive that still has the 7-Up stuff in-game. The art for the box is simply a few screenshots on the back and the intro screen on the front.
For me Genesis version is the best...
The Mega Drive is the original version and remains the best one. 320x224 pixels, smooth, responsive and the music sounds nicer than on other systems, a super catchy and memorable soundtrack made via the handy (and underrated) GEMS sound driver.
The SNES port is actually pretty good. There are some added visuals details and the controls have been tweaked a bit. But the resolution is significantly lower (256x224), there are some added borders, some animation frames are missing and the music rendition is rather mediocre.
The Amiga port is quite poor. The resolution is very low (something like, 256x200 pixels?), the frame rate is about 20 FPS and the color depth is significantly lower. Also, due to hardware limitations, the sound is not in stereo anymore and the music is a hit-or-miss affair (but it seems to run too slow here, maybe it was meant for 60 Hz?).
Master System, Game Gear and Game Boy versions seem all quite good considering the hardware they run on.
And MS-DOS seems surprisingly solid and in fact, not too far from the Mega Drive version aside from the inconsistent pace and tiny music. I wonder though what are the specs required and their price at the time to run this game (I mean, by that point a Mega Drive cost about $100 haha making it an incredibly good performances/price ratio).
My only big complaint about the MD/Gen version is how sounds cut out. I guess the programmers didn't know about the software mixing tricks to allow 2 PCM samples to play at once. But listening to the music in this video of the SNES version, even with it's 8 sample channels, sounds seem to cut out as well, odd. OK, as the video plays, I'm noticing all version have sounds that cut out! I also don't like how you have to move to shoot diagonally.
@MADNUB aside from all of the facts that he pointed out?
All Amiga music was stereo, the design of the audio chip meant that it couldn't not be, as 2 of the 4 channels were physically wired to the left hand audio jack and the other two were wired to the right-hand jack.
The issue was there were 4 channels, which meant you had to either a) have just music, b) have just SFX, c) design your music to only use 3 channels and leave the 4th for SFX, or d) stop one of the music channels when SFX needed to be played. Looks like they opted for D on this game.
Amiga's minimal resolution is 320x256 😉
The increased resolution/field of view are the advantages of the Genesis version, otherwise the SNES version is superior in every other way. Better music, better sound (that doesn't clip unlike the Genesis version), and much better graphics.
For me, between the Genesis and Super Nintendo versions, it's Super Nintendo all the way. It's probably mostly nostalgia, but I think the music and sounds sound much better. The graphics might be lower res, but they seem a lot more colorful (plus actual transparency effects, not the dithering trick the Genesis used). Plus you can hold R to aim diagonally, which is really handy.
The Game Boy one isn't *bad*, but the controls are really wonky and kinda ruin it. I can only imagine that's how the other 8 bit versions are too, but I don't own them yet.
The Snes version looks better indeed, but there is 2 really bad things about that version. First of all, all enimies reappears after you lose a life and as severel levels are quite maze like, that is a huge thing. In the Mega drive version, you always know that where thete are enemies, you should fallow. The snes version, is also way to zoomed in, as many other games on that console. Those stuff makes Segas version a lot bette gameplay wise.
I Loved SNES Version!
GREAT COOL SPOT 1993 SEGA GENESIS - VERSION COMPARISON - (HD ) !!!!
The megadrive is the best version, but Cool Spot runs flawless into my 1985 Amiga 1000 upgraded to 1Mb RAM...
Hey Fernando, we played with the same configuration (Amiga 1000 with 1MB RAM) and we don't appreciate any difference compared to other RUclips videos. It would be nice see the game running in a real Amiga to see if it is an emulator issue...
@@retrosutra That's the speed the game runs at, 25 fps.
1:09 it sounds like sonic hitting eggman sound effect
replying 3 years late, but that sound effect isn't just for sonic, it's actually used in a ton of genesis games!
Somebody’s gonna have to make a deluxe color hack on Cool Spot for the Game Boy!
My favourite port is the Master System version
The SNES has a much better color pallette and way better sound but lower res than Mega Drive. The master system one looks not too bad either. I actually sent away the secret screen photo for the prize I can tell you it was a virgin branded black wallet and a metal virgin pin badge, both are now lost to history unfortunately.
Nowadays producers would think twice before releasing a game which starts with a beached plastic bottle 🤔
Would have been cool to see the European Mega Drive version considering it didn't have the 7up branding, resulting in a few quirky visual differences
Sega all day everyday, sounds and soundtrack is perfect. The only thing which I noticed is the when he’s using on the NES, it’s slightly faster input then the sega.
Big love to who ported the main code and graphics to DOS. Big dissapointment eyes to who did the opl2 programming because that choice of instruments HURTS (and well, sound effects are also quite poor). Always take care of the sound design when doing a game, people.
Always thought, as a kid, the 7Up would provide 7 lives.... Until I started drinking 7up, the soft drink of choice, sponsored by Tony Soprano, & Matthew Bevilaqua...
Sounds like the game was specifically designed for the Genesis.
I would like the DOS version with the target fps of the genesis version. If anyone knows about a mod like that please tell me.
Отличная работа! Спасибо друг!) Люблю эту игру именно на genesis
I like the GB all day!
Version Of Cool Spot Best to Worst Not My Opinion
1: Sega Genesis
Sorry For The Small Mistake On The Text
Cool spot. Played this on Amiga back in the day. What a bland aweful platformer. The only good thing it had was the "Wipeout" theme. Great video as always Sutra. Thanks.
Thank you! As I said in another comment, I am disappointed with the Amiga version due to its low framerate and limitations with the controls. Also, It hasn't the parallax scrolling that features Genesis and SNES either...
The real I like sega more is the soundtrack
I remember that russian bootleg version with spongebob in it and it is using the european version.
The people who make the amiga verison are smart guys
The Amiga port should have been much better!
A melhor versão na minha opinião e de snes pra mim os graficos e bem bonitos e a jogabilidade e mais fluida
A jogabilidade do snes é muito dificil, e vc tem q completar uma palavra q n tem no mega, prefiro o de mega
why do soda companies always have the best licensed games
Super Nintendo ❤ 🇧🇷
Cool Spot are mascot from 7.Ups before Fido Dido (unfortunately, 7.Ups discontinued at Indonesian region alongside Pepsi Cola & Miranda)
Too bad this game wasn't released on the Atari ST.
1- Sega Genesis
2- SNES
3- MS DOS
4- Master System
5- GG
6- GB
7- Amiga
Best graphics: SNES
Best SFX: SNES
Best music: Amiga
Better than you think it would be award: Master System
What were they thinking? award: Gameboy
That's You're Opinion Right?
Make 7
Up Yours
Mega drive
The SNES version has more graphical details and a better colour palette. The music and sound effects are also better IMO.
The Megadrive version has better resolution, has some extra music tracks that are missing from the SNES version, and probably runs a twee but faster.
Let’s Compare Cool Spot
1: Sega Genesis (1993)
2: Super Nintendo (1993)
3: Amiga (1993)
4: Master System (1993)
5: Game Gear (1993)
6: Game Boy (1994)
7: Pc Dos (1994)
For me :
1/ Sega Genesis
2/ MS DOS
3- SNES
4/ Amiga
5/ Master System
6/ GG
7/ GB
I could be wrong, but it looks like the MS Dos version has the definition of the SNES in height, and the one of the Mega Drive in width, it's weird. It is also closer to the SNES for the colors, but its information bar looks like that of the MD. For sound, I guess the MS DOS version is technically the best, but I prefer the MD sounds.
We have the right to dream : a redesigned MD version today under SGDK with a 32meg cartridge instead of the current 8 would be completely perfect.
Bruh, the Amiga version is trash. Worse than the portable versions because of the framerate being abysmal.
@@laughingseal2282 It's true that the 20fps of the Amiga is annoying... It's still a better version than the 8 Bit anyway. The sound of the Gameboy is atrocious 😅
@@laughingseal2282 You mean the Master System versions, not the portable versions.
@@laughingseal2282This is for the Sega Master System, not a portable version. You could play it on the Game Gear via Master Gear Converter, but this is not a portable version.
I play this on Sega Genesis and SNES
I will give props to the Amiga version for its art design. Though its performance seems really low for what the amiga was capable of. So either an emulation issue or poorly optimized game? I will need to dig out my hardware to find out one day... . SMS seems very decent for the hardware. And seems like most ports try to show the hardware in good light, if not pushing at all.
We have seen several RUclips videos and we don't see differences with the Amiga version shown here, but we are surprised with its poor performance. Maybe it is an emulation issue as you say...
greater differences can be seen at subsequent levelsretro-sanctuary.com/Comparisons-Cool-Spot.html
@@retrosutra It's a bad port, it ran like balls on a real A500 (don't remember if it ran better on a 1200). Both the Megadrive and the Amiga used 68000 CPUs (so porting the main game code was easy), but completely different graphics and sound architectures (that made porting things like the scrolling and sprite routines hard). I'm guessing they just slapped together enough Amiga-specific code to allow porting of the rest as quickly, easily and cheaply as possible.
But hey, the Amiga version does at least have the nicest music of the various versions, so there is that.
Snes wins
Bad version is Amiga, yet the 16-bit computer or SFC/SNES-like computer introduced in 1985 could not fit to run Cool Spot aka 7Up first mascot (pre-Fido Dido).
La versión de dos supera por muy poco a la de mega drive y la de game Gear es increíble.... La de snes , amiga y game hoy no me parecieron buenas...
La de SNES sí me gustó, pero me llevé una gran decepción con la de Amiga. Tiene un framerate terrible y otro gran inconveniente: al poder usar solo un botón y tener que saltar pulsando arriba, no es posible disparar hacia arriba sin pegar un salto...
Muy parecido a cuphead
if they can port cool spot to amiga than why not sonic the hedgehog?
I think Sonic the Hedgehog did have an cancelled Amiga Port.
PC is the best version and after the SNES and Megadrive
: - )
Boring, annoying, frustrating. Avoid this game.
No, thanks, I don't want to.
@@supbruh2009 Lol. The Mega Drive version is one of my faves now. Funny how trying an smd game is more fun than watching it.
I do now!