History VideoGame / CoolSpot

''Cool Spot'' is one of the more notable aversions to TheProblemWithLicensedGames. The game was released on several systems during the 16-bit era. It is a PlatformGame starring the red spot in the 7-Up logo. As this spot, your goal is to explore what appears to be a tourist town or seaport of some kind and rescue others of your number from cages that, [[ExcusePlot for some reason]], they are imprisoned in. Although this concept sounds lame, the game itself is surprisingly well-made and fun, with catchy music, large levels, intuitive controls, a decent level of challenge, and plenty of secret areas. With its generous time limits, the game encourages--and sometimes requires--you to take your time to explore rather than immediately free your buddy and end the level.

* SpringSpringsEverywhere: In addition to bubbles, jumping on a mousetrap makes the 7-Up logo jump high in the air. This works only once per mouse trap though.

* EveryTenThousandPoints: Extra lives are awarded at every 50,000 points on Easy, every 75,000 on Normal, and every 100,000 on Hard.

%% * BlackBeadEyes: Spot has these.

* BonusStageCollectables: The [=UNCOLA=] letters mentioned under Bonus Stage.

* FetchQuest: Each level requires a specific number of Cool Points to not only complete them, but to also access the bonus levels.

* KiManipulation: Spot can inexplicably shoot energy blasts from his fingers.

* LogoJoke: For the Genesis version, we have Spot jumping up and down ''inside'' the logo.

[[quoteright:256:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Cool_Spot_guide.gif]]
[[caption-width-right:256:Everything you need to know.]]

* BlackBeadEyes: Spot has these.

* ExcusePlot: You're a red Spot. You free other red Spots from cages that they're in for no obvious reason. What more is there to say?
** [[AllThereInTheManual The actual story is described in the manual]].

* AdvertisingOnlyContinuity: The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_-5t1YZW3U Sega Genesis commercial]] has a news report of Cool Spot's mission to rescue his fellow spots, with the police on the lookout for the spots, and the reporter asking citizens to help. While it's apparently unknown to the humans in the game, [[AllThereInTheManual according to the manual]].

* AdvertisingOnlyContinuity: The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_-5t1YZW3U Sega Genesis commercial]] has a news report of Cool Spot's mission to rescue his fellow spots, with the police on the lookout for the spots, and asks citizens for help. While it's apparently unknown to the humans in the game, [[AllThereInTheManual according to the manual]].

[[Administrivia/NeedsABetterDescription Might need a better description.]]

* SuperDrowningSkills: In the kiddie pool level, falling in the water kills you.

* MinskyPickup: You her this within the first five seconds of the Parade Tune (heard when rescuing a Spot, as well as on the Radical Rails level).

* VideoGameSettings: Played with. The first level is a sunny, pleasant beach, but so is the final level. In fact, in general the game's levels form a very nearly symmetrical pattern: The first and last levels are on the beach, the second and second-to-last are on a pier, the third and third-to-last are inside the walls of a house, and the fifth and fifth-to-last levels are both on a shelf with toys on it. The only levels that break the symmetry are the fourth and fourth-to-last levels, which are a kiddie pool and a model train set respectively.
** Each setting is also related to the one before it and the one after it, forming a continuous journey. In other words, the themes are chosen to make it look like Cool Spot starting on a beach, making his way into a toy store, and back onto a beach.

* CoversAlwaysLie: Cool Spot surfs on a soda bottle, and there are beach levels, but Cool Spot does not ride on a surfboard, and this is not a surfing game.

* {{Studiopolis}}: The sequel revolves around a Spot being trapped in a movie projector after floating around in Hollywood to a movie theater. The levels are based on [[GangplankGalleon a pirate movie]], an ''Film/IndianaJones''-style [[MinecartMadness adventure movie]], and [[BigBoosHaunt a horror movie]]. The TrueFinalBoss takes place in a SpaceZone level called "It's Full of Stars", fitting for such a setting.

* GameEngine: Notably, used the same engine that would give Virgin Games even greater success in ''[[VideoGame/AladdinVirginGames the Genesis version of Aladdin]]''.