Editing Zoop (section)

== Development and release ==
Along with ''[[Dracula Unleashed]]'', ''Zoop'' is one of the few original properties that were released by Viacom New Media, who only published games that are based on existing [[intellectual properties]] (including [[Viacom Media Networks]]' programming) until their closure in 1997. The title was extensively marketed by Viacom, who wanted the game to replicate the level of success of ''[[Tetris]]'', which can be evidenced by its release on many platforms, as well as the game's slogan, "America's Largest Killer of Time!".

The team at Hookstone stated in an interview with Spanish magazine ''PC Manía'' that ''Zoop'' spent several years in development and that the concept proved to be difficult to explain to their producers and as such, the team presented a nearly-finished build.<ref name="PCManía33">{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/pcmania38#page/n13/mode/1up|title=Primera Línea - Entre Bytes: Zoop - Algo diferente|magazine=PC Manía|volume=4|issue=38|publisher=HobbyPress|date=December 1995|page=14|lang=es}}</ref> The PC was chosen as the lead platform, despite the development team never having done anything for the PC before.<ref name="PCManía33"/> According to Aaron Fothergill, one of the programmers for the Atari Jaguar version of ''Zoop'', Electric Spectacle Productions wanted the Jaguar version to have more advanced visuals than the PlayStation version, but Viacom requested the developer to disable the extra graphics to make the PlayStation version more appealing than the Jaguar version.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wallett|first=Adrian |url=https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/aaron-fothergill/|title=Aaron Fothergill (Amiga/Atari) – Interview|publisher=arcadeattack.co.uk|date=12 October 2018|access-date=11 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181112101322/https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/aaron-fothergill/|archive-date=12 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=AmwAFZMC>{{cite web|last=Contreras|first=Chris|url=http://www.3do.cdinteractive.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=3829|title=A moment with Aaron Fothergill -Zoop, Magic Carpet |website=3do.cdinteractive.co.uk|date=July 13, 2019|access-date=2021-11-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028142753/http://www.3do.cdinteractive.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=3829|archive-date=2020-10-28|url-status=live}}</ref> As of 2018, the rights to ''Zoop'' are held by [[Viacom (2005–2019)|Viacom International]].

Before it was officially released to the general public, the game was featured and played during the preliminary rounds on the Blockbuster World Video Game Championship II competition.<ref name=GPro81/><ref name=GPro87/><ref name=DKCcc/> Shortly after its release, the Super NES version was offered as part of a limited "rent one, get one free" promotion by [[Blockbuster LLC|Blockbuster]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Jeanne |url=https://www.mobygames.com/game/zoop/adblurbs|title=Zoop - Ad Blurbs|publisher=[[MobyGames]]|date=10 June 2004|access-date=10 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208023946/https://www.mobygames.com/game/zoop/adblurbs|archive-date=8 February 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>