Zoop
Game by Viacom
Reviewed by Philip Wesley
Save: None
Released: 1995
Works with: Game Boy/Pocket/Color/Advance/SP
ESRB Rated: K-A
Rating Descriptions: Kids to Adults/Nothing objectionable.
Quick Opinion: Borrow.

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Opening Snide Remarks: What is ZOOP? ZOOP is a game. In particular, ZOOP is
a PUZZLE game. ZOOP? There it is! ZOOP exists to be an enigma. Published by
Viacom, developed by Hookstone, and released in 1995 for the Game Boy.

This game was advertised as being able to drive people insanely MAD! That
appears to be some sort of challenge!

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Gameplay Description: The main idea of ZOOP is pretty simple. You are a
random triangle in the middle of a square. On each side of the square are
four tracks. Tiles come down the four tracks with different patterns on
them. There are about four different patterns. When one of the tracks fills
up with seven tiles, you LOSE THE GAME. In order to prevent that from
happening, you have to get rid of the tiles as quickly as possible.

In order to get rid of a tile or group of tiles, you need to match tile
patterns. In order to get a tile pattern, you need to grab a tile from one
of the tracks around you. If you touch a tile that is different than your
current tile, you swap the tile you were holding for the tile you touched.
If the tile you touch matches the tile you are holding, the tile (or group
of tiles) that you touched disappears. There is a "level clear" mode, an
endless mode, and a multi-player Game Link version.

There are a few power ups that show up in the game as well. There is a
spring which clears the board for you and a lightning bolt that clears tiles
that are touching tiles of their same pattern from the side.

The idea is either to clear the board completely or just survive the ever
faster onslaught of tiles. A pretty simple premise from a pretty simple
puzzle game.

Liked: Interesting concept!

Hated: There are a few problems here and they have to do with the other
sections of the review.

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Graphics Description: To make up for the lack of color on the Game Boy
system, all of the tiles have fairly easy to see patterns. The graphics are
incredibly sparse and there is no character or other graphics to get in the
way of what is a pretty simple puzzle game. The graphics are visible and
effective. There really is nothing to complain about, aside from the bland
nature of the game presentation. There are no fun graphic additions like in
other puzzle games. Even games like Tetris had something interesting happen
when you made a high score, or lost badly. This game appears to be more
interested in being just an example of how to deal with "colored" tiles on
a black and white system.

Liked: Easy to see.

Hated: No passion, no character, no personality, and nothing except for pure
puzzle game. With a name like ZOOP, you would think there would be some sort
of neat graphic presentation. There is nothing here in the graphics that will
make you feel good about this game.

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Sound/Music Description: The sounds and the music feel inappropriate. It
feels like the producer (or producers) decided that the game should have a
big band inspired main tune that plays over and over, OVER, and over
again to the point of just having to turn it off. The sounds in the game
feel the same way. There really is nothing to stand out or garner any
attention. In the options menu, you can turn off the sound, and the music.
I think I may have to suggest that you take advantage of those options.

Liked: Nothing really.

Hated: The music, the lazy sound design.

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Play Control/Game Design: This would be great if a few things were changed.
The ability to control your triangle with some sense of accuracy would be a
very welcome addition to this game. Adding more to the graphic presentation
of the title would make this a more tightly designed and compelling game.

The play control needs to be fixed up a bit as it is akward to line up shots
due to the D-Pad. It feels like the game does not take portable restrictions
of the time seriously and was not tailor made for the portable system. This
hurts the game play of the title.

The back and forth nature of the multi-player is good though and worth that
good, old, College Try.

Liked: The concept is great and multi-player is an amusing addition.

Hated: The play control is plodding, inaccurate, and hurts the game a lot.

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Improve: This is a title that could benefit from the Nintendo DS touch
controls. It could also use better presentation.

RIYL: Quirky puzzle games.

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Final Words: Zoop is a good concept done poorly on a hand held. Which is a
real shame, because the concept is what makes it worth a little bit of your
time. Will it drive you mad like the magazine ads say? Of course it will not
drive you mad. It is worth playing, but on a different system. The Game Boy
one is a bit too bare bones to be considered.

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Score
Gameplay: ****
Graphics: **
Sound/Music: *
Play Control/Game Design: ***
Value: **

Star Total: 36%

Personal Opinion Merit: 17%

Final Score: 53%

Letter Grade: D

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