Scott Pilgrim produces a nostalgia that Mario doesn't even bring.
+ Everything feels like a Super Nintendo title.
+ So many good video game references.
- No online mode.
If you're unfamiliar with the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels, this game will catch you up with the basic premise of the story. Scott is a Canadian bass player for a band called the "Sex Bob-ombs". He meets a girl, and in order to keep the girl, he is required to beat up her 7 evil boyfriends.
This game is setup to be played like River City Ransom//Double Dragon. It's a side-scrolling beat-'em-up with role-playing elements. The more you level, the more fighting moves you'll obtain. Much like River City Ransom, the game relies on you picking up coinage from enemies to buy food and stat power-ups from shops as you progress. The good news is that your characters carry over.
The beauty of the game, aside from it's gameplay that works, is the amount of fun you'll have discovering the random video game references to other popular games. The character select screen is a direct parody of Super Mario Bros. 2. The overworld is an obvious copy of Super Mario World. There's several references and different games they managed to pull from, that it feels like all of my childhood was packaged in a $9.99 title.
As for the graphics and sound, you're getting a Super Nintendo game. This is not a bad thing by any means. It runs smooth, even with a ton of enemies on the screen. Animations are smooth and look great. The music is by chiptune experts, Anamanaguchi. The music alone is worthy of a purchase.
You can play the game with up to four players, but this is only local. I appreciate why the game was local only, so the lack of any online play isn't a huge concern, but it should be pointed out. I believe the developers wanted this game to feel really old-school. So old-school, in fact, that you don't have an option for online play. Problem is as an adult, it's hard to get friends to come over and play games with you at your place.
The lasting appeal in the game depends on your gaming history, I would assume. I have played this over 10 hours easily, and I'm not bored yet, but I can see someone that hates repetitive games not liking this title. Like the books and the movie, it's not for everyone. But for those who get it, this is a keeper. Progression gives you unlockable content, and recently, they released a small DLC pack with Knives as a playable character, some new trophies, and some mini-games like Dodge Ball.
Verdict: Buy