Is Cool World [SNES] Worth Playing Today? - SNESdrunk

Duration: 4:10 771 transcript words EN summary

Video summary

The video review examines the 1993 Super Nintendo title *Cool World*, developed by Paint by Numbers and published by Ocean Software shortly after its controversial film adaptation. The host notes that while the movie had some interesting concepts, it was often confusing and poorly executed, a sentiment that carries over into the game itself. Unlike other ports of the time, this SNES version stands as an entirely unique experience, though one that is unfortunately difficult to recommend due to its fundamental design flaws and unsettling atmosphere from the very first moment players are dropped into its hideous world without any clear instructions on what to do next. The gameplay mechanics are heavily criticized for their poor execution and unintuitive controls, specifically the arbitrary decision to assign jumping to the Y button instead of B, which immediately signals a lack of polish in development. Players assume the role of Jack, who must navigate seven short worlds while avoiding "noids," small blue gnome-like creatures that will arrest the player if they get too close, forcing constant evasion and frequent restarts upon capture. Even when attempting more structured tasks like returning books to libraries or collecting items at a pawn shop, the experience is marred by clunky movement, one-hit-kill enemies, and driving segments where players merely avoid obstacles rather than actually controlling vehicles in any meaningful way. Despite these overwhelming negatives, the reviewer does highlight one significant positive aspect: the soundtrack composed by Dean Evans. The game features an impressive collection of tracks that match the edgy tone of the source material, with the composer also known for his work on *Waterworld* and other notable projects. While this musical element adds a layer of quality to the experience, it is not enough to save the rest of the package from being described as dull and player-unfriendly. The combination of awkward controls, haphazard level design, and an oppressive visual style creates a frustrating loop that prevents players from ever truly getting comfortable with the game's systems. Ultimately, the conclusion is clear: *Cool World* for the Super Nintendo is a giant waste of time and money that should be avoided by collectors looking to expand their libraries. The host points out that this cartridge can often be found in used stores for around ten or twelve dollars, but suggests that buyers would get far better value by purchasing Dean Evans' actual soundtrack album instead. For anyone considering picking up the game today, the review advises against it entirely, recommending that enthusiasts spend their resources on superior alternatives rather than enduring a title defined by its ugliness and lack of intuitive design.

Read the full video transcript

Sinister. On this week's edition of yes, everything had its own video game, we've got Cool World [music] developed by Paint by Numbers and published by Ocean Software in February 1993. And while I wanted to like the movie, it's a very confusing film that was likely greenlit because of the success of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The story is really hard to follow and while there's some good ideas, [music] the movie doesn't go through with them effectively at all. Leonard Maltin referred to it as a Roger Corman version of Roger Rabbit, which is both hilarious and accurate. Cool World got a bunch of games, of course, notably on NES and Game Boy, but the Super Nintendo game is its own thing entirely and let's be thankful for that because it freaking sucks. So, you start the game and you're immediately dropped into this hideously ugly world with no explanation as to where to go or what to do. You're playing as Jack, the Gabriel Byrne character, who created this universe while he was in prison. And if the visuals didn't give you enough bad vibes here, the only button that does anything at first is Y, which it jumps and picks up items. Anytime the devs make an arbitrary choice to have Y as jump instead of B, you know you're dealing with a truly bad game. Before you can do anything though, you get arrested by all these little blue gnome things. See, you're a humanoid or a noid as the movie refers to them. No, not that noid, unfortunately. But yeah, in the cartoon world, noids aren't allowed, so you have to avoid and shake off these irritating little things every time they get near you. Once you get arrested, and you will get arrested, you get your first shot of Brad Pitt in 16-bit form. They managed to make his face look like a half-melted butter sculpture, but hey, check out that hair. He's got the same stylist as Gordon Bombay. Anyway, when you get arrested, you have to start all over doing uh whatever it is you're supposed to do in this game. There's seven short worlds to explore, including this horrifying world that makes Amiga ass art design look demure by comparison. To Cool World's credit, this isn't just some hop and bop platformer, they managed to make an adventure game, sort of. With your first task here being to pick up this book on the street and return [music] it to the library. Eventually, you can earn money to buy stuff at the pawn shop, and you can collect stuff to help you attack, like this extended punching glove, which can also help you reach other platforms, which is nice. That might sound good, but it isn't because of the controls. Like, I'll be honest, if I were watching this video and you told me the jump is assigned to the freaking Y button, I'm shutting the video off because that's all I need to hear. >> [music] >> Combine that with enemies that can kill you in one shot, and the general awkwardness of how the game requires you to get from place to place, and you're going to have a bad time. There's also these driving levels where you're not actually driving, you're just avoiding stuff. Again, this could be at least decent, but the level is laid out so haphazardly and poorly that it's just another player-unfriendly game mode. Now, I am going to highlight one positive here, and that's the soundtrack. The movie featured songs from David Bowie, Bernard Sumner, Neil Tennant, [music] and My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, and the game features songs from our guy, Dean Evans. If you're unfamiliar, then I suggest you get familiar by checking out his work, the Waterworld soundtrack on Super Nintendo in particular. He always brings the goods, and this game is no different. But, yeah, otherwise, Cool World is a giant waste of time. It's ugly, it's unintuitive, the controls absolutely suck, and even if you manage to get the hang of things, it's just a dull game. It's one of those cartridges you always see for like 10 or 12 dollars at a used game store, so don't waste your money. For that price, just go buy the movie soundtrack, or check out Dean Evans' work instead, and don't waste any more time than you have to with Cool World. And that is all for now. I want to thank you for watching, and I hope you have a great rest of your day. >> [music]