Cool Spot is the kind of game that probably wouldn't happen today. It’s kind of weird to think about it now, but back in the 90’s, soda commercials were a really big deal. There’s still a rivalry between Coke and Pepsi, but this stuff was a huge part of the collective consciousness back in the day. And yes, that even spilled into the world of video games. More than once, actually! But I can think of one instance where a soda commercial somehow gave rise to a pretty decent action platformer, and it wasn’t (technically) tied to Coke or Pepsi. This game was all about 7-Up.

7-Up the soda isn’t a thing anymore, which I don’t really understand. I think it’s called Starry now? Whatever. The important thing is, some lunatic at 7-Up decided that the red dot in their logo should wear sunglasses and become an anthropomorphic mascot. That lunatic turned out to be far more right than I ever could have imagined, as the 7-Up Spot quickly became a beloved brand icon. This little fella was everywhere, and eventually became the star of his very own video game. Well, several video games, but the one in particular that I’m talking about here is Cool Spot for Sega Genesis and Super NES (and a handful of other platforms). Now, I’m not going to get into the nitty gritty of which version is better. I personally prefer the SNES game, but they’re both effectively the same. You play as a Spot, and your other Spot friends have been captured. You have to run around a series of oversized environments to collect enough floating dots to get them out of their cages. Honestly, the whole premise is a bit dodgy, but it works as long as you don’t put a whole lot of thought into it. 

As Spot, you can run and jump like your typical action platforming star, but you also have a weird sense of momentum. Not quite Sonic the Hedgehog levels, but it’s somewhere between him and Mario. You also have some pretty effective offensive capabilities, as Spot can shoot what I think are soda bubbles in eight directions. That’s more than Mega Man! But also like Mega Man, there’s just as much focus on the actual platforming as there is the shooting action. Of course, I don’t mean to imply that this game is on the same level as Mega Man. It absolutely is not. But it’s also not a complete garbage licensed game either. The controls are accurate, and the level layouts are for the most part fairly well-done. What really elevates Cool Spot, though, is its presentation. 

MegaSD

$289.99

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I mentioned oversized worlds earlier, but that's not really accurate. You play as a literal 7-Up Spot, which means you’re tiny. So the world around you seems enormous, but only relative to your own size. There’s a stage that takes place inside the walls of a house, with beautifully detailed wires and bricks. There’s a level at the beach with a giant chair and Walkman at the center. Bonus levels take place inside bottles of 7-Up with you bouncing off the carbonated bubbles. It’s a really effective visual style. 

Then there’s the music. I love this game’s soundtrack, even though it’s credited to someone I’m not particularly fond of. Tommy Tallarico is a name you've likely heard before, and while he’s listed as this game’s composer, given his track record I’m not entirely convinced he actually did any composing at all. Regardless, there’s some really great music on hand to match the impressive visuals, which is always a great way to make a somewhat mediocre game feel far more special. 

Cool Spot isn’t some sort of lost masterpiece, but it is a rather fun game that if you’ve been avoiding under the assumption that it’s just licensed schlock, might surprise you. It’s got a weird difficulty curve, and half of the levels are repeats of earlier stages, but at the end of the day, this is a game that’s way better than it has any right to be. 7-Up itself may be gone, but Cool Spot will be cool forever. 

Cool Spot isn’t currently available on any modern platforms, but original cartridges aren’t very expensive.