In order for Scott Pilgrim to date Ramona Flowers he must first defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends.
At least part of the success of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim series is due to the fact that the plot of the story, the core of its whole universe, is so simple. It does a lot but at the same time only does a little.
Getting the most out of something that is fairly simple in concept is a challenge video games of the 80s and 90s had to overcome on a consistent basis. If all you can do is run and jump on a two-dimensional plane then you might as well make the best running and jumping game anyone has ever seen. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: the Game takes all that was great about the 8-bit era of games and crams it ever so carefully into one beautiful experience. Much like the books, this game is a love letter to all things old, gimmicky, awkward, yet oddly fun. It’s like someone condensed your youth into one gigantic MIDI track.
Better yet, imagine this scenario: you’re 11 years old, you’re at the coolest arcade of your childhood, you’ve got an infinite supply of quarters and a walkman that can play progressive rock all night long. That’s what it feels like to play the Scott Pilgrim video game.
Let me back up a few steps to better explain this game with several adjectives. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: the Game (SPVTW:TG) is a retro-influenced, four player, co-op, side-scrolling, beat-em-up RPG. On the surface, SPVTW:TG borrows from a myriad of classic titles like Super Mario Bros., Battletoads, Final Fantasy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Street Fighter and even Guitar Hero. In more than just the aesthetics, this game really does feel like it came out in 1992 and has been kept secret ever since.
The way your characters move, the variety of scattered weapons, the double jump, the ability to pick up other players and throw them — everything about this game feels old for all the right reasons. The whole experience harkens back to a simpler time when all you had to do was move from the left side of the screen to the right side of the screen and punch all obstacles into oblivion.
And then there are the boss battles.
The game itself has seven unique levels that each culminate in, you guessed it, a boss battle against one of Ramona’s evil exes. Each boss is both unique and difficult; fun to fight alone but way more fun to fight alongside friends. Not convinced yet? How about this: when any of the bosses are low on health, they start flashing yellow. Remember that?! I remember when, like, every game did that!
On one hand the story of the video game doesn’t make much sense, but on the other hand when did 8-bit video game stories ever make sense? Do you remember playing Final Fight? Why am I rescuing that lady? Is she my girlfriend or my sister? Is that big shirtless guy the chief of police? But I digress.
If you’re even a casual fan of video games — but especially if you were born before 1990 — you will find something to enjoy in SPVTW:TG. One caveat: if you’re at all interested in the actual story of Scott Pilgrim found in the books or the movie then it might be best to put this off until you’re well educated in all things relating to Sex Bob-omb (it’s the name of their band, stupids!).
Oh, and one last thing, the Scott Pilgrim story is set in Toronto, which means every time you beat up a baddy in the game you get Canadian coins as your reward. Reward for defeating a boss? Toonies.
You’re dead inside if you don’t find that the least bit charming.
