Zool The Ninja From The Nth Dimension Is Back

NEXT GEN PC SUXX, AMIGA STILL ROXX?

I’ll admit, my expectations for this “remake” were pretty low. The first PC version I tried last year wasn’t great — it looked like a ZOOL game, sure, but something just felt off. Then again, maybe I didn’t really give it a fair chance at the time.

And honestly, how good can a fan-service remake be when the developers — in this case, Sumo Digital Academy — can’t even get the basics right in their own trailer? The so-called ZOOL remake trailer proudly features the ZOOL 2 box art instead (yep, “ZOOZ” and “ZOON” are right there on display… doh!). To make matters worse, someone even edited out the ZOOL 2 logo, which makes the mistake even more obvious.

Still, a few weeks before launch, one of my friends over at Sumo Digital (hello Ade!) told me he’d really enjoyed this new version. That was enough to convince me — so, of course, I rushed out to grab the PS4 version on launch day.

RETRO IS MY TIME MACHINE …

Zool, for me, is like stepping into a colossal time machine. While I usually remember plenty of details from the games of a certain era — the atmosphere, the music, even the smell of the hardware — Zool was somehow different.

It’s as if the game had been completely wiped from my memory for decades… until I booted up this new version. Suddenly, everything came rushing back — including memories of one of my best friends from that time, Karl Petter. He wasn’t much of a gamer himself, more of a creative, tech-savvy type who loved reading magazine hype and technical write-ups.

ADVANCED GRAPHICS ARCHITECTURE (AGA) WILL CHANGE THE WORLD…

My brother and I made quite a few demos, tests, and even a full commercial project together with Karl Petter over the years. He really knew his stuff and had this unstoppable drive to experiment with new software and create something cool. I’ve always remembered that side of him — but what came flooding back to me recently was how he reacted the first time he saw Zool.

That memory became even clearer when I recalled him trying Zool AGA for the first time. He was actually the first among my friends to get an Amiga 4000 — a full three months before I got my A1200 — and he couldn’t stop raving about how incredible Zool looked in AGA.

But honestly, all I could see was a chaotic mix of foreground and background graphics. It was at that moment I realised something important: more power, more colours, and more memory don’t automatically make a better game — not unless real care and artistry go into it. Ironically, all that graphical “upgrade” work even made the framerate choppy… which was funny, considering that buttery-smooth performance was one of the biggest selling points of the original A500 version.

I should also mention that I bought the CD32 at launch and picked up Zool for it as soon as it was released (which, unfortunately, was a little while after the console itself came out). I was really hoping that Gremlin Graphics would have fixed everything that was broken in the AGA version for this new 32-bit console wonder. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.

To be fair, they did add a brand-new world and several bonus levels exclusive to the CD32 version. They even included a ray-traced intro, a handful of smaller cutscenes throughout the game, and a bunch of “Red Book” audio tracks (CDDA) to boost the presentation.

It has to be said, though — Zool 2 really went back to its roots. Both the floppy version and the CD32 release were nothing short of brilliant.

TIME TO CHOOSE: MODERN, CLASSIC, PARTY OR THE “ORIGINAL” GAME?

The first thing you’ll notice in this “reimagining” is that the gameplay has been simplified quite a bit, likely to make it more accessible for a new generation of players. Fortunately, fans of the old-school challenge can still enjoy the original style in a mode called ULTIMATE NINJA. The biggest changes in the standard version include endless continues, double-jumping, and a few other tweaks to make things easier.

There’s also a Party Mode, a local multiplayer option featuring various mini-games. Honestly, I couldn’t get into it — it feels more aimed at kids than veteran players like myself. As an old Amiga fan of Zool, I really couldn’t see much value in it. Sure, the original Zool games on Amiga had some mini-games scattered throughout, but I doubt many remember them — aside from the occasional shoot-’em-up section or the keyboard music game. I certainly had forgotten most of them, even after replaying both games a few years ago.

And yes, there’s also an “emulated classic” included — hooray, right? Well… not exactly. Due to licensing restrictions (likely related to the Amiga ROMs), the version included isn’t the Amiga original at all. Instead, it’s the SEGA Mega Drive version, which plays completely differently from the Amiga version. Seriously, WTF?

ZOON THE DOG AIN’T IN HERE BUT THERE IS STILL A ZOOM (EHH UMM?) TO BE FOUND…

At first, I really didn’t like Zool: Redimensioned — as I mentioned earlier. In fact, I almost didn’t plan on getting the game at all. A friend at Sumo loved it, though, and that was enough to convince me to give it another try. But guess what? I still didn’t like it. Everything felt off, the controls didn’t feel right, and somehow the details, the challenges, and the original magic seemed completely gone, even though it looked more or less like the classic game.

That was, until I discovered the “ZOOMED IN” option, alongside the usual CRT filter and other visual tweaks.

I was literally seconds away from quitting the game for good. But the moment I turned the Zoom option on, everything changed. Suddenly, the game looked great, felt fun to play, and — most importantly — it finally resembled the way I remembered it. On top of that, it became harder, since you couldn’t see as far ahead anymore. That was probably the main reason I hadn’t liked the new high-resolution widescreen look before — everything felt tiny, open, and completely wrong for a game like Zool.

NOW THIS IS MUSIC IN MY EARS, OR IS IT?…

In my opinion, the second world — the music-themed level — has always been the weakest across both Zool games. It could be incredibly frustrating, thanks to certain enemies, the chaotic colour schemes, and hidden foes lurking on the floor. That said, there were definitely some highlights, like the keyboard mini-game and the collectable music notes. When the level finally clicked, it really worked — and that’s true of the game as a whole.

The developers have done a great job of preserving all the little quirks and special touches that longtime Zool fans will love rediscovering — even if much of it was originally “bad design” from the original team (yes, including the bugs!).

OUR NINJA FROM THE 9TH DIMENSION EVEN GOT A SIDESCROLLING SHOOT ‘EM UP…

The classic shoot-’em-up section has made it into this new Zool as well — woohoo! I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised. Most retro-era remakes or remasters tend to drop cross-genre sections or mini-games that don’t fit the main gameplay, so it was great to see this one survive.

It’s a fun little shoot-’em-up, and not many people know the backstory: this section was actually more or less forced into Zool by George Allan, the main mind behind the game. Gremlin wasn’t a fan of mixed-genre games, but George’s love for arcade classics like Konami’s Nemesis and Salamander (you guessed it — the Gradius series) won out.

That said, the shoot-’em-up in Redimensioned is a bit of a letdown for seasoned players. It’s just too easy — a problem that applies to much of the game — and honestly, it felt like it was over before it even started.

HOW ABOUT A BANANA OR A CACTUS UP YOUR BUM?

The classic levels — the Banana world (fruit), the Toy House (toy), and the Sonic-inspired Sand world — all make a return in Redimensioned. I have to admit, I had a great time exploring the game even before reaching these familiar stages. While the gameplay didn’t really innovate or feel drastically different from the originals, it was still a lot of fun to journey across the varied worlds of Zool.

One thing that really stands out is how good this retro game looks on my massive big-screen TV. Unlike so many other modern releases that rely on downscaling to force a “retro” look — often ruining the art in the process — Zool: Redimensioned genuinely looks sharp and vibrant. Seriously, developers, stop destroying classic art with lazy downscaling!

Everything felt like a solid remake — until I reached the final boss. Here, you have to jump on some ridiculously wobbly clouds while trying to take down a boss that simply won’t stay still (I won’t spoil it for you!). My goodness, it’s an incredibly frustrating boss fight — almost exactly like the one on the Mega Drive back in the day.

A CLASSIC ZOOL FAN ZOOMED-IN VERDICT IT IS THEN…

Now this one’s a tough nut to crack. At first, I hated Zool: Redimensioned. Then I discovered the zoomed-in camera option — and suddenly, the game clicked. I couldn’t put it down. I found myself humming along to the music while simultaneously getting frustrated as my poorly timed jumps and attacks kept failing.

Seriously, Zool: Redimensioned works best when played as it’s meant to be — in close-up mode, where you can’t always plan ahead. The game is designed for blind jumps and off-screen attacks, which the default zoomed-out view just doesn’t give you. Zool is faster, finally climbs properly (something the Amiga version struggled with), and can even double-jump now. All of this combines to make it, in my opinion, a much better game than the original 1992 classic. The price is spot-on too — $7.99 / £7.99.

Should you buy Zool: Redimensioned? I’d recommend it to anyone who loved the original back in the heyday of the Amiga. That said, this is definitely one of those games you either love or hate. My advice? Just grab the game and try it for yourself. The zoomed-in option saved it for me, but some might prefer the zoomed-out perspective (judging by other reviews, many do!). The key thing to remember is this: it’s a new game using classic assets, and it’s surprisingly fun if you give it a chance.

Zool ReDimensioned was part of a “school project” at the SUMO DIGITAL ACADEMY, which is basically a trainee program (Click for a rather inspirational introduction Video) for people who want to get into the gaming industry. I’d say they nailed it as a first project.

I have included the release trailer below, pretty cool trailer all in all, but notice how it’s only showing the zoomed-out mode, YUCK…