Hands-onScooby-Doo! Night of 100 Frights

THQ stopped by recently and gave us a look at early build of Scooby-Doo! Night of 100 Frights, its upcoming game based on the idyllic "non-Scrappy" years of the classic cartoon. Developed by Heavy Iron Studios, the game features an original story that puts players in control of Scooby. The main focus of the action involves looking for the rest of the classic gang--Fred, Velma, Daphne, and Shaggy--who have been kidnapped. The game will offer 12 levels spread out among four large areas.

The game stays true to its source material, thanks to a voice cast that is made up of all the voice actors who currently do work on the cartoon. In addition, the game features the voices of Tim Curry, Don Knotts, and Tim Conway. The voice acting is complemented by sound effects taken straight from the cartoon, including a laugh track that reacts to Scooby's onscreen actions.

Graphically, the game is very clean and runs well. Scooby's character model animates well and features small touches such as a collar that has a moving nametag on it. The game environments maintain the look and feel of the cartoon, as do the various enemies. You'll find 20 monsters taken straight from the cartoon series, along with a host of other lesser enemies. The gameplay is solid and follows the typical conventions of a 3D platformer-style game. Scooby has a double jump and is able to catch onto hanging objects such as chandeliers. In addition, it's possible to find items that will give Scooby new abilities, such as an umbrella to glide up wind drafts and a helmet for ramming enemies. You will also find other items he can use to disable enemies, such as chewing gum that holds enemies in place.

Scooby-Doo is currently set for release on the PlayStation 2 this spring. A GameCube version will follow in the fall.