As part of the Electronic Entertainment Expo which is currently going on in Los Angeles, Universal Studios and I Am 8-Bit decided to throw a party for fans. In addition to a keg buffet, a dance floor and a bunch of cool SWAG, TVs and Playstation 3s were set up to allow guests the first opportunity to play the new Scott Pilgrim vs. The World videogame that will be coming out in conjunction with the film this August. Because I got there early (or perhaps just because I am a pushy bastard), I got some first-hand experience with the game that I am more than happy to share with all of you.
As you probably deduced from the trailer released on Tuesday, the game looks like your typical 8-bit side-scroller from the early days of gaming. While there were only two controllers for each system, the game can be played with up to four players at a time. Playable characters include Scott, Ramona, Stills, and Kim, all of whom can earn individual moves during game-play. Defeating enemies leaves coins on the ground, which you can then pick up and use to shop for sushi, different types of sushi providing different power-ups. I also had the opportunity to see a bonus round that saw the characters running along a rainbow busting up flying piggy banks. The end of the demo was capped off with the first boss battle against Matthew Patel, who can summon demon girls to kick your ass.
Overall, the game is a lot of fun and will take you back to the days when you were pumping quarters into the arcade at the bowling ally while your friends cheered you on. The book and movie are both heavily inspired by games like these, so it only makes sense that it would make a smooth transition. Just judging from the demo, this game is worth at least 15 minutes of your time.
