Scooby-Doo! Night Of 100 Frights Xbox Review @ Gaming Target

Written by Bryan Montford on September 19, 2003

Full Review: The game that had us terrified from the moment we opened the packageЕ

I've never been terribly impressed with Hanna-Barbera cartoons. Even as a kid I remember thinking that the production values seemed substandard compared to some other companies. And it wasn't just one of their shows; it was ALL of their shows. Regardless of my opinion, Hanna-Barbera has created some of the most enduring cartoon franchises in the industry, and one of the biggest is Scooby-Doo. The goofy Great Dane has graced our TV screens since September of 1969, and with the acquisition by Warner Brothers, it looks like Those Meddling Kids are going to be with us for quite a while still yet. Not bad for a dog that wasn't even originally the main character.

The first thing you'll notice about Scooby-Doo! Night of 100 Frights is that this isn't the most beautiful game you've seen on the Xbox. Some of the models are down right blocky. There's stuff that's far better rendered on the venerable Sony PlayStation. Maybe not surprisingly this was originally a PS2 title released more than a year ago. THQ has done nothing noticeable to liven it up or improve game quality.

The second thing you're most likely to notice is that they did a pretty respectable job of nailing the feel of the show down. All of the current Scooby-Doo voice actors make an appearance as do Don Knots, Tim Conway, and even Tim Curry. This really helps cement the feel of genuine authenticity.

You might not think about it but voice acting can really make or break anything animated. The voices of Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby are distinctive and easily identifiable. The characters have always had a visual style that marked them as unique, but Scooby just wouldn't be Scoob without the trademark УRuht,-roh, Raggy!Ф he's famous for. (A little Scooby trivia for you; Since 1997 Scott Innes has done the voice for Scooby and Shaggy, taking over for long time acquaintance Don Messick, the original voice of the duo. Innes is a radio personality at WYNK in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He currently does over 200 voices. And if you're curious, yes, he's wanted to do the voice of Scooby since he was 3 years old.)

Another major Scooby-Doo trademark is its many monsters and villains. No less that 20 of the most loved classic villains appear for your pleasure. Each fairly faithful to their original animated counterparts right down to the goofy sounds and gestures. Every one of the villains I can remember from the 1970's are here, and as you collect each ones' Monster Token you can visit them in the Monster Gallery. The Gallery also houses a movie machine that allows you to visit any of the in-game video sequences you've managed to unlock though game play. Once all are unlocked you have enough to make a full mini-show that should deliver a pleasing classically styled episode.

Unfortunately, the series was never known for its challenging plot and this is definitely an Уaction basedФ adventure game. The manual says it best; УOnce again, Scooby-Doo and the rest of the Mystery Inc. gang have been called upon to solve a bizarre mystery in a spooky place. Daphne's long-time fried, Holly, desperately needs their help. Very strange things have been happening in and around he family home, Mystic Manor. Holly's uncle, the famous inventor Professor Alexander Grahm, lives in the mansion, which overlooks a small fishing village. The people from the village have all packed up their belongings and left town, because the whole area has been completely taken over byЕ YikesЕ monsters! Worst of all, Professor Grahm has mysteriously disappeared without a trace!Ф

And so you start your adventure, only to loose Shaggy and discover that Fred, Daphne, and Velma have been kidnapped by the evil Mastermind. You'll scarf down thousands of Scooby Snacks and Courage Items (food) along the way. You'll also find 12 Power Ups giving Scooby the ability to jump higher, dig, hide from monsters, and overcome the many obstacles in your way. You'll have to rescue all the members of the gang before you'll be able to open the very last levels where you finally confront Mastermind face-to-face.

Game control is simple and should only take a couple of minutes for most people to acquaint themselves with. Scooby is not overly responsive and is further hamstrung by a terrible camera system that allows you no control, often making it impossible to see important items or accurately gage jumps and other maneuvers.

Game play feels somewhat generic but not so badly that it undermines the feel of the show fortunately. It can get a bit repetitive, but with 10 to 15 hours of main game play the first time though, you don't get too annoyed by much. There is a bit of replay value added to the title from the many power ups you find. Many will allow you to reach places you previously couldn't, offering the ability to access more areas and additional hours of play.

From a company better known for its action and FPS titles we have an entry that might not be what many gamers expect. Scooby-Doo Night of 100 Frights is worlds apart from titles like WWE Raw 2 and Full Spectrum Warrior. With an ESRB content rating of E, this title is NOT for everyone. (Hard core gamers might want to skip this one.) But on its own terms this isn't a bad game. It has a lot to see and do with 12 levels and 20 classic Scooby-Doo villains. It's a great family title, and that's not a bad thing for the Xbox. There aren't a lot of titles like this for it yet, and some of us just happen to have kids that like to game too.