A group of students at Sheffield Hallam University have formed a new development team under the guidance of Sumo Digital creative director Sean Millard, Revolution Software founder Charles Cecil and Ian Stewert, founder of Gremlin Graphics the publishers of the original Amiga title.
It is hoped that at the end of the project a new PlayStation Mini version of Zool will be released. Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, Dr. Jacob Habgood said:
“The lecture marks a new relationship between Sheffield Hallam and local developers Sumo-Digital, who have an industry heritage which dates back to the 1980s”
“It also marks a new era in gaming education provision and knowledge exchange at the University in that we are now one of the few universities in the country to have an in-house development studio for our students.”
Zool, a Ninja from the Nth Dimension, was originally conceived by Gremlin Graphics to be the Amiga’s answer to Sonic The Hedgehog, and in 1992 sales of the game almost beat those of Sonic The Hedgehog 2. The game was ported to the Atari ST, SNES, Megadrive and Gameboy and was also housed in a cabinet and turned into an arcade game.
The game gained excellent reviews but was criticised for the blatant in-game advertising of popular confectionery ‘Chupa Chups’. The first three levels of the game were based in a “sweet” world and saw Zool clambering over giant Chupa Chups lollipops.
Topov81
I’d love to see a Gremlin compilation on PSN… but a mini of Zool would be a great starter.
PS. Whilst talking of Amiga classics, any news on Super Putty ?
LivedeviL
When I was a lad I used to love the old “Copyright Protection” disc device they on the Atari, still have it somewhere too :D
Tuffcub
I’m trying to remember what the bad guy was callde – Krool?
hazelam
remember, he’s not an ant, he’s a ninja from the nth dimension. :)
dizwod
But he bloody well looks like an ant :)
Loved the game sooo much :)
I miss my Amiga dammit…. i used to love monkey island on it and simon the sorcerrer all 9 Disks it had :) *walk off Screen* Insert disc 3, insert disc 8, insert disc 2