Spindizzy Worlds

GERALD has limited controls only being able to move around with the use of braking and accelerating; there is no jumping, attacking or other actions. The player must guide the device through several levels. There are many hazards, enemies, and puzzles based on finding and pressing switches in the correct order, navigating thin pathways without falling off, and finding all gems dotted about a section. GERALD cannot jump on its own, but can reach higher platforms and traverse large gaps by accelerating and jumping over slopes or ramps, or using moving platforms, warps or platforms that make it bounce.

GERALD's health, called fuel, is full at the beginning of each level and it depletes slowly over time especially with quick movements. Falling from a height onto a surface, falling off the bottom of a stage, or contact with enemies and hazards also takes away health, but it is replenished in small amounts after finishing a section of a stage and by collecting gems that are found around most levels. Some levels contain enemies, but they only hinder the player's progress and do not have to be defeated to progress and can be avoided. The stages can be viewed from four different camera views at 90° angle rotation from each other and the player has manual control over the camera view; views of objects and paths may be obscured behind other platforms in some views, and easier seen in others.

Eons ago, stellar matter was blown up into several pieces following the eruption of the belly of the Sun. One of those flaming parts moved at extremely fast speed towards a planetary system, the Beta Twirlinus. A collision occurred, leading to what was left of the stellar piece as well as two clusters. One cluster had 23 planets, the other seven.

The planets were found by astronomers in the 23rd century and are known as the Spindizzy Worlds. They had unnaturally fast orbiting speeds, as well as odd inhabits, geographic formats, and very high energy stores; since the planets were found, change climates and an increase in natural disasters in planets of the Solar System were explained by a odd connection between the Solar System and the Spindizzy Worlds.

ASCII developed Spindizzy Worlds for Atari ST and Amiga home computers. Prior to release, the game was marketed as Spindizzy II. A year and half after the home computer releases, a port for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) console released in April 1992. While Paul Shirley, the developer of the original Spindizzy, was against converting the game to the SNES, Activision proceeded without his approval.

In retrospect, Shirley commended ASCII on the technical effort in getting the game running on the Nintendo console but ultimately considered the port an "absolute disaster". He noted that Activision UK closed down soon after receiving the game's final master copy and source code, which he attributes to the limited release of 80,000 units primarily in the United Kingdom.

The game was ranked the 13th best game of all time by Amiga Power. Nintendo Magazine System gave the game an overall score of 90/100 stating “An excellent update of a genuine classic, and a long-lasting game that stands head and shoulders above any other SNES puzzlers.” Super Gamer reviewed the SNES version and gave an overall score of 89% stating: "A massive and very tough test of joypad reactions and brains which you'll love or hate." In 1995, Total! ranked the game 90th on their Top 100 SNES Games stating: "Based on the old classic Marble Madness this takes the whole concept much further."