Cool Cool Toon

Cool Cool Toon (クルクルトゥーン) is an interactive 3D rhythm-comic game developed by SNK for the Dreamcast, making it one of the last games the company developed for the console. The title is also capable of linking with its Neo Geo Pocket Color companion title, Cool Cool Jam. Both titles were released on August 10, 2000 in Japan. The games were never licensed or localized to any other country.

The gameplay has often been compared with another rhythm game at the time, Space Channel 5, by fans and critics alike. Main visuals and character designs were done by comic book artist and illustrator, Ippei Gyoubu.

References to the game and some of its characters were later featured in one of the stages in Neo Geo Battle Coliseum.

Story
The story given by SNK is as follows:

Welcome to Cool Cool Toon! One day, while you were watching TV, a rabbit(?) jumped out from the monitor and dragged you into the TV!

"Uwah! Where is this? What's going on!?"

And there before your eyes was the town full of monsters, "Cool Cool Town". Then the rabbit said,

"My name's Yusa. I brought you here to so that you can use your Flitz -I mean- dances to clean up this town."

But you explain, you aren't the dancing type.

"Eh!? ... Well I guess you can go back home through that TV. Huh? This TV's no good. Something seems to be wrong with it."

Uh oh! Seems like you can't go back to your own world. And then Yusa said,

"Listen to me! In this world, Flitz is the best way of doing things around here. So if you win the "Flitzing Tournament" and get the grand prize, you just might find a TV that'll send you back. Y'know, to your home. You do want to go home, right? Then it's settled! I've got a lot to teach you then, and we've got a lot of Flitzing to do!"

And just like that, together with Yusa, you have to aim to be the Flitzing champion to Cool Cool Town. L'see now, wonder what things will be waiting for you up ahead...

Overview
The game's cutscenes are 2D comic pages while gameplay is 3D, hence the genre. Like most rhythm games, music choices mainly focus on the hip-hop, J-pop, and rock genre. Visuals are unlike standard SNK flair, as all of the characters are vibrant in color with a cartoony abstract or surreal feel. Although the game's setting is full of monsters and other evil creatures, the characters -as well as the entire mood of the game- are pretty light-hearted, each with their own wacky character traits to make them stand out from the rest.

The gameplay consists of "Flitzing" (or dancing) to defeat the player's opponents. A typical flitz lasts the length of a three-minute song, and requires players to move the analog pad and press buttons in sequence to the song's beat. A transparent circle is overlaid on top of the action. White ovals will close in on button icons around the diameter of the circle in a clock-wise motion -- when they turn white, you hit the corresponding key. In certain instances, you're required to make a circular motion with the pad. There are two different scenarios for the player to complete: Amp (boy) or Spica (girl). Each one has its differences for players to explore.

Players can also return to Yusa's house in between each Flitz to save the game, watch previous Flitz matches, or change your character's outfits. An on-line option was also available, as players can use the points earned after a Flitz to buy additional exclusive outfits from the game's webpage.

Cool Cool Jam
The NGPC version follows the adventures of Wav (boy) and Midi (girl) in Musey Town, a neighboring city of Cool Cool Town. The main focus of this game is to start a band to find the way back home, using mini-games where the player needs to compose pieces with instruments. Points earned in this game can be transferred to the Dreamcast version, allowing players to unlock more costumes and characters.

The game can be played by one or two players. In two player mode the game plays like a duet; the players take it in turn to play tune and receive a message after completion. The game also features a single player storymode which has adventure game elements. Various instruments can be played in the game. Each instrument has a different playing style. The instruments include:


 * Clapping to a beat - a bar moves across the scene the player taps a button when they see a red dot. If successful the dot glows.
 * Violin - The player taps either the A or B when a red light (button A) or a green light (button B) appears. The power can be altered by moving the joystick up and down.
 * Bluesharp - The player moves the joystick to coincide with the position of the lights. The player then pushes A or B depending whether a red or green light appears.
 * Guitar - The player pushes A or B to play the strings and the joystick controls the pick.
 * Saxophone - The player moves the joystick and the buttons to control the pitch as the symbols appear on screen.
 * Trumpet - The player moves the joystick in four directions to change the pitch to coincide with the coloured symbols. The player then pushes A or B when the marker appears. A bar indicates air pressure.
 * Guitar 2 - Plays the same as the previous Guitar game only upside down.

Protagonists

 * Amp - male protagonist who wears headphones
 * Spica - female protagonist with blue pigtails
 * Yusa - a mysterious pink rabbit that brought Amp and Spica into Cool Cool Town; also an inside joke to the game's producer Macha Yusa.

Cool Cool Town Challengers

 * Kamio
 * Dr. Stein
 * Ranke
 * Iyamy
 * Ival
 * Bakudan Kun
 * Mirror
 * Yam
 * Tower Robot
 * King
 * Charge Egg

Musey Town Characters

 * T. Bone
 * Lime
 * Chiffon
 * Loud
 * Lago