Cool Spot Had Some of the Best Music on the Sega Genesis

Cool Spot

Cool Spot was a way better video game than it had any right to be. What was essentially nothing more than a $50 ad for 7up somehow managed to be one of the golden treasures of the Genesis’ game catalog.

It couldn’t have come out in any other era, not with it’s cooler-than-cool, sunglasses-wearing protagonist and its platforming/exploration hybrid gameplay. It’s truly a self-aware relic of 90s pop culture.

Oh, and it included ditties like this one:

And this one:

And don’t forget the bonus stage music, which was also great.

Almost two decades later, these melodies have stuck with me, residing in some corner in the back of my brain. I could still hum or whistle them to you on command if prompted.

This is almost entirely the fault of Tommy Tallarico, who composed the soundtrack. This man is an absolute legend, having composed music for over 300 games, including Earthworm Jim and The Bard’s Tale. (He also did the soundtrack for the abysmal Color a Dinosaur, though most of us would probably rather forget that.)

When you think of more recent licensed dreck, things like Aliens: Colonial Marines and Battleship (the game based off the movie based off the board game) come to mind. You don’t ever expect these things to be any good; they’re merely leftovers you’d find in a bargain bin and reluctantly pay a discount price for in order to buff up your Trophies/Achievements.

But back in the 90s, you could take a shameless bit of carbonated beverage advertising and make it into something that left an impression that would last for decades.

If you’ve never experienced the glory that is Cool Spot for Sega Genesis, do what you can to fix that immediately. Finding a cheap cartridge or an emulated version shouldn’t be all that difficult.

Just be prepared to handle the 7up cravings. They can be relentless.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x