Zool

Zool is a video game originally produced for the Amiga by Gremlin Graphics in 1992. It was intended as a rival to Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog. It was heavily hyped upon its initial release, including being bundled with the newly launched Amiga 1200. In 2000 the game was re-released as part of The Best of Gremlin compilation.

Zool is a Gremlin Ninja from the Nth dimension sent to Earth. To complete his ninja training, he has to pass seven worlds filled with enemies.

A sequel, Zool 2, was released in 1993.

Zool displays the following tropes:

 * Animate Inanimate Object: Most of the enemies you face.
 * Distaff Counterpart: the sequel lets you play either as Zool or his (girlfriend? sister? female clone?) Zooz. The two have slightly different abilities.
 * Everything's Worse With Bees: Sweets World contains giant bees as enemies. The stage boss is a giant bee that shoots bouncy sweets and missiles.
 * Everything Trying to Kill You: Candy, Musical Instruments, Fruit, Toys, Tools, etc.
 * Griping About Gremlins: Zool is a gremlin ninja.
 * Hopping Machine: The boss of the Toy World.
 * Instrument of Murder: The boss of Music World is an electric guitar that rains fireballs on Zool.
 * Monster Clown: The boss of the carnival world. It's a clown head hanging from one disembodied eye (that shoots bouncy eyeballs) and has a spring-loaded boxing glove in its mouth.
 * Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: Zool is a Gremlin Ninja from the nth Dimension.
 * Product Placement: the first, candy-based level is full of Chupa Chups logos.
 * Spikes of Doom: They differ by level.
 * Super Drowning Skills: Zool takes damage if he touches water.
 * Take That: The ending to the Amiga version has Zool kicking away what looks like a blue hedgehog with red shoes.
 * There's also a music titled "Sonic Basher". Real subtle there.
 * Video Game Settings:
 * Sweets World: Level Ate (with Junk food)
 * Music World: Band Land
 * Forest World: Green Hill Zone/Level Ate (with fruits and vegetables)
 * Tools World: Eternal Engine
 * Toy World: Toy Time
 * Carnival World: Amusement Park
 * Desert World: Green Hill Zone (although a desert, it is not a sandy one and looks very green)
 * Wall Crawl: Zool can scale up and down walls.