Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game

Overview

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game is a downloadable 2D side-scrolling beat-em-up developed by Ubisoft Montreal and Ubisoft Chengdu and published by Ubisoft. The game is based on the Scott Pilgrim series of graphic novels and coincides with the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World movie. It follows Canadian slacker Scott Pilgrim as he battles the seven evil exes of Ramona Flowers to win her heart. The game was released on the PlayStation 3 via PlayStation Network for $10 on August 10, 2010 as a timed exclusive, then released on the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade on August 25, 2010 for 800 msp (also $10).

The style of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is deliberately retro, featuring chiptune music from punk band Anamanaguchi and retro pixel art by Paul Robertson (best known for his animations Pirate Baby's Cabana Battle Street Fight 2006 and Kings of Power 4Billion%). The game features references to classic video games (most notably retro beat-em-ups), while the gameplay strongly resembles a mix of River City Ransom and The Simpsons Arcade Game.

Gameplay

Up to four players can take control of either Scott Pilgrim, his girlfriend Ramona Flowers, or fellow bandmates Stephen Stills and Kim Pine as they fight through each stage, punching and kicking their way through waves of enemies while being able to pick up various weapons and call Knives Chau as a "striker". (an ally that either unleashes a helpful attack or heals, depending on the player's character)

Controls

The game plays like a traditional arcade side-scrolling beat-em-up. Each player has a Fast Attack button (X on the 360, Square on the PS3), a Strong Attack button (Y on the 360, Triangle on the PS3), a Jump button (A on the 360, Cross on the PS3), a Block button (B on the 360, Circle on the PS3), a Super Attack button (RB on the 360, R1 on the PS3), and a Call Striker button (LB on the 360, L1 on the PS3). Players can dash forwards and backwards or sidestep left and right by tapping the thumbstick/D-Pad twice in a certain direction. Players can also pick up objects (and knocked down enemies) by either Fast Attack or Strong Attack buttons, can strike with the object using the Fast Attack button, can throw objects using the Strong Attack button, and can catch flying objects using the Block button.

Heart Points and Guts Points

Each player has Heart Points and Gut Points. Gut Points can be used to either revive yourself when you're depleted of Heart Points and knocked down or perform either Super Attacks or Striker calls. Holding the Fast Attack button for a few seconds triggers the character's taunt. Multiple players taunting at the same time will perform the Super Coop Attack, which uses up Gut Points to damage every enemy on the screen.

In multiplayer games, holding up on the thumbstick/D-Pad and pressing the Block button near another player shares some of your Heart Points with that player. Pressing the Block button near a knocked down player revives that player with no cost to your Heart Points, Gut Points, or Money. (Though it would leave you open for attacks) When you're knocked out in a multiplayer game and all your lives or lost, you can hold the Block button to transform into a ghost, where you can move around and press the Block button near another player to steal one of their lives.

Currency and Levelling Up

Defeated enemies drop coins, which can be used to purchase food and stat boosting items in stores (similar to River City Ransom). Coins can also be found when performing special types of combos (usually involving thrown objects) and hidden inside coin boxes in secret Subspace Highway areas. Shops provide players with a selection of items, with some items that can be carried and automatically used when the player's Heart Points deplete. As the player progresses and defeats more enemies, their character will level up (up to 16 levels) and learn more combos and counterattacks (similar to the NES version of Double Dragon). One attack, Tech Attack #2, can only be bought from a hidden shop.

Hyper Mode

Knocking out five enemies without getting hit or consuming certain food items puts your character into a temporary Hyper Mode, which increases movement speed and attack speed, as well as letting you unleash a special devastating combo.

Attributes

Characters have four attributes that can be upgraded by food and stat-boosting items:

Defence - Increases damage resistance, stun resistance, and the maximum amount of Heart Points.
Speed - Increases the speed of walking, running, and attacking.
Willpower - Increases the attack power of Super Attacks and the maximum amount of Gut Points.
Strength - Increases the power of attacks and throws, as well as increase the chance of critical hits.

Levels

There are seven levels in the game. Each level (and certain mid-points) can be accessed via the map. The only map location that is not a level in the game is Joseph's Bedroom, which is used for the unlockable Sound Test menu.

Level Info	Boss
Level 1: Snowy Toronto! Don't Be Late For The Big Show! Map Locations: Frozen Suburbs, Shopping District	Matthew Patel
Level 2: Movie Madness! Follow That Star! Map Locations: Casa Loma's Film Set, Casa Loma's Parking Lot	Lucas Lee
Level 3: Evil-Ex Crossover! Take Down The Clash At Demonhead! Map Locations: Leo's Place, The Main Stage	Todd Ingram
Level 4: Summertime Blues! Follow That Ninja Chick! Map Locations: Transit, The Frying Tengu, Chengdu Gardens	Roxanne Richter
Level 5: Night Of Terror! The Twins Are Unstoppable? Map Locations: Halloween Party, Fire Escape, Dragons' Den	Kyle K. and Kevin K.
Level 6: And if They Don't, They're an Android, and should be Destroyed! Map Locations: The Park, Eerie Forest	NEGASCOTT
Level 7: Battle At The Chaos Theatre! Gideon's Last Stand! Map Locations: Chaos Theatre Elevator, Subspace Highway?, Final Stage: Techno Base	Gideon Graves

Cheats, Unlockables, and DLC

As a throwback to classic games, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World features hidden cheat codes and unlockables. These codes can allow two players to pick the same character (in an homage to the SNES version of Street Fighter II), activate "blood mode" (in an homage to the Genesis version of Mortal Kombat), unlock extra game modes (Survival Horror, a survival mode with zombies, and Boss Rush, each mode with their own online leaderboards), view the Sound Test menu, and begin the level with the most powerful weapon in the game. Negascott can be unlocked as a playable character by beating the game once with each of the four main characters. After clearing over half the map, Mr. Chau can randomly appear in the map and is fightable. Beating him unlocks him and Mrs. Chau as random strikers alongside Knives.

Knives Chau in Dodgeball mode

A sixth character was hinted at in the Options menu, and was later revealed to be Knives Chau, who was made available as DLC along with two new game modes (Dodgeball and Battle Royale) for 160 msp ($2) in November (coinciding with the DVD release of the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World movie).

Soundtrack

Soundtrack artwork

The digital soundtrack to the game, composed and performed by Anamaguchi, was made available on the US iTunes store on August 24, 2010. It was released September 30th, 2010 in other parts of the world.