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Virgin have taken the most undesirable of undesirables - namely a facial blemish - and turned it into a computer game. Tina Hackett goes dotty over Cool Spot.

Platformers come and go without so much as a second glance from the games playing public. So why should Cool Spot be any different? What’s going to make this release stand out from countless others? Have faith, believe me – this is different.
First I saw the console version, and gobsmacked by it I was too! I awaited the Amiga release with baited breath. I screamed, cried, sulked and blackmailed my way to reviewing it. I mean, a girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do. And boy, it was worth the effort.

Smoother than the guy’s chin off the Gillette adverts, faster than a Ferrari, and more playable than your little cousin’s Scalextric, Cool Spot is quite something. OK, so the game is based around a small, red dot, but hey, who cares? Certainly not me guvner, and especially when playability is this darn good and the little character so well animated. He lolls along, huge trainers and all, arms swinging at his sides looking as if he hasn’t a care in the world, not even looking even slightly perturbed that all his friends have been kidnapped and locked in cages, and that he must rescue them. He must collect a certain number of red tokens which can be found around the level, before he can locate and then blast open the cage containing one of his chums, thus rescuing him. Other objects can be found and will help Cool Spot considerably such as super-cool counters worth seven normal tokens, or one-ups usually hidden behind parts of the scenery.
The scenery itself can also help. Cool Spot can get around by means of floating balloons, blobby bubbles and bouncy bubbles. Parts of scenery can also be moved by pushing against them.

Cool Spot is armed with fizzy drinks bombs which he must fire at the various enemies he will encounter throughout the many levels. Cool Spot must make his way through beaches, where he must avoid nipping crustaceans, cupboard shelves, manic mice who throw cheese at him, and piers invested with dive-bombing bees – to name but a few.
The gameplay, although not all that varied, remains challenging for a fair while, especially with three levels of difficulty to choose from. The platforms you need to jump from will tax even the most coordinated gamesplayer.

The exceptionally wonderful graphics and brilliant sound effects will ensure that you don’t become bored, too. The funky/jazz/reggae music will cater for all tastes and is well above some of the usual platform dross. Nice touches, such as the way Cool Spot yawns when left standing, or wipes his sunglasses, show the huge amount of attention to detail that has been lavished on this release.
Mr Cool is definitely the spot with the lot – platformer addicts everywhere will lurve it and want to have its babies.
TINA HACKETT