A remake of Zool
The Ninja of the Nth Dimension is back! Explore vibrant retro landscapes, discover hidden secrets and take down menacing bosses in a modern reimagining of the classic action platforming adventure Zool.
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This remaster/remake is still a weird little thing to exist but man I'm glad it was created because I had alot more fun with it than I expected to.
The quality of life enhancements definitely make this game such a breeze and I really love how Zool feels. He's breakneck fast, but that's remedied by the movement and level design feeling slick to slide through. My only gripe is it being really easy for Zool to get killed (the invincibility frame shortage is nuts) but overall, I still had a fun time; so fun that it warranted 2 playthroughs on both difficulties from me. Hell yeah!
The quality of life enhancements definitely make this game such a breeze and I really love how Zool feels. He's breakneck fast, but that's remedied by the movement and level design feeling slick to slide through. My only gripe is it being really easy for Zool to get killed (the invincibility frame shortage is nuts) but overall, I still had a fun time; so fun that it warranted 2 playthroughs on both difficulties from me. Hell yeah!
Disclaimer: I have never played the original Zool for the Amiga PC or any of its ports on Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis or Gameboy.
Zool Redimensioned is a 2D mascot platformer, but if I had to offer a more specific classification I'd describe it as a run-and-gun sonic-like collectathon. The single player has two campaign choices: Ninja Mode and Redimensioned Mode. NInja Mode is presumably a more faithful port of the original, and has all the frustrations you'd expect of the average 30 year old game. The camera is zoomed in too close, the knockback is fierce and there are a lot of leaps of faith. Redimensioned mode zooms the camera waaaay out, so you can always see upcoming foes and obstacles. It also gives you a double jump and infinite lives. But it eliminates any urge for exploration, as you no longer need to collect a pre-determined number of items before completing a level. Ideally, I'd prefer it if the game just gave you the option to toggle these features on and off separately. I think it would let the player create a better tailored experience. Ultimately I'd recommend the "old school" Ninja Mode for a short but challenging experience. However, if you often get frustrated by old school games then Redimensioned Mode is the way to go.
Zool can't hold a candle to Mario or Donkey Kong, but I'd still recommend it to fans of the genre and/or retro game enthusiasts. Especially at the very reasonable price of $10. Its twitch controls aren't as tight as the genesis-era Sonic titles are, but the game's fast pace and bizarre visuals kept me interested. A good time for the right kind of player.
Zool Redimensioned is a 2D mascot platformer, but if I had to offer a more specific classification I'd describe it as a run-and-gun sonic-like collectathon. The single player has two campaign choices: Ninja Mode and Redimensioned Mode. NInja Mode is presumably a more faithful port of the original, and has all the frustrations you'd expect of the average 30 year old game. The camera is zoomed in too close, the knockback is fierce and there are a lot of leaps of faith. Redimensioned mode zooms the camera waaaay out, so you can always see upcoming foes and obstacles. It also gives you a double jump and infinite lives. But it eliminates any urge for exploration, as you no longer need to collect a pre-determined number of items before completing a level. Ideally, I'd prefer it if the game just gave you the option to toggle these features on and off separately. I think it would let the player create a better tailored experience. Ultimately I'd recommend the "old school" Ninja Mode for a short but challenging experience. However, if you often get frustrated by old school games then Redimensioned Mode is the way to go.
Zool can't hold a candle to Mario or Donkey Kong, but I'd still recommend it to fans of the genre and/or retro game enthusiasts. Especially at the very reasonable price of $10. Its twitch controls aren't as tight as the genesis-era Sonic titles are, but the game's fast pace and bizarre visuals kept me interested. A good time for the right kind of player.
A lot of quality of life additions changes Zool from a game that did not really need to come back to a short experience that feels more like how someone with a lot of fond memories of the game would probably remember it. If you're fine with the quirks of old-school platformers (like awful enemy placements or the fact that you can get combo'd to death by getting bounced around after being hit once), I'd recommend checking this out
A more playable version of the terribly designed original Amiga game. Not only does it look cleaner, it zooms out the confusingly close camera and adds a double jump to aid the player in skipping the bad enemy placement in some sections. If you're gonna play Zool, play this version.
Zoolchads I think we got too cocky