Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Bully: Scholarship Edition builds upon the chaotic charm of the original release with a host of fresh activities that keep the player engrossed from the first bell to the final curfew. The eight new missions expand Jimmy Hopkins’s misadventures, introducing unique tasks that range from stealthy pranks in the science wing to high-stakes chases across the quad. Each mission feels carefully crafted to leverage both the open-world sandbox and the newly added classes, ensuring that returning players discover surprising twists in familiar territory.

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The four new school subjects—biology, music, maths, and geography—aren’t just filler classes but mini-games in their own right. Dissecting a frog under the biology teacher’s watchful eye tests your nerves, while mastering fingering techniques in music offers a welcome, lighthearted diversion. Maths and geography lessons inject puzzle-solving elements, balancing out the series’ trademark brawls and skateboard runs with cerebral challenges. Together, these additions enhance progression and give you more reasons to attend class beyond simply avoiding detention.

Offline multiplayer makes its debut in Scholarship Edition, offering mini-games such as “Tag,” “Hooligan Hunts,” and “Martial Arts Tournaments” for up to four players. Whether you’re outwitting friends in a game of capture-the-flag or duking it out on the wrestling mat, the multiplayer modes provide a fun diversion from the single-player campaign. While it lacks online matchmaking, the split-screen gameplay is smooth and adds replay value, especially for groups seeking local competition.

Graphics

On Xbox 360 and PC, Scholarship Edition sports noticeably sharper textures, longer draw distances, and more detailed character models than the PlayStation 2 original. Classrooms feel more lived-in, graffiti in alleyways pops with color, and lighting effects—particularly during dusk and night cycles—imbue the environment with a realistic ambiance. Performance is stable on both platforms, and loading times on modern hardware are minimal, ensuring you’re back in Bullworth fast after every tumble or detention break.

The Wii version, developed by a different studio, takes a slightly different approach to visuals. While it doesn’t quite match the HD fidelity of the Xbox 360 or PC ports, it brings a charming, cell-shaded aesthetic to the world. Character animations remain fluid, and motion controls for broomstick races or slingshot battles add an extra layer of interactivity. There are occasional frame rate dips during busy scenes on campus, but overall the Wii delivers a solid, stylized presentation that stands on its own merits.

Across all versions, the revamped cutscenes and dynamic camera angles breathe new life into familiar set pieces. Facial expressions are punchier, dialogue now feels more cinematic, and the camera pulling back during key story moments creates an almost movie-like experience. Even the UI has been overhauled with cleaner menus and a streamlined grading system that makes progress tracking more intuitive.

Story

The narrative remains centered on Jimmy Hopkins, a scrappy teenager navigating the perils of Bullworth Academy—an institution overrun by cliques, bullies, and corrupt staff members. Scholarship Edition preserves the original’s tongue-in-cheek tone, offering a satirical look at boarding school life through Jimmy’s wisecracks and spirited one-liners. New characters added in the extra missions deepen the school’s social hierarchy, introducing rival students and sympathetic allies who each have their own agendas.

While the core storyline of dethroning the various factions (Greasers, Preppies, Jocks, etc.) is unchanged, the new missions weave seamlessly into Jimmy’s overarching goal. One mission sees you assisting the nerds with a biology fair rival; another tasks you with helping the jocks train for a clandestine sports event. These side stories not only add depth to previously underrepresented cliques but also flesh out Jimmy’s relationships with NPCs, resulting in richer cutscenes and more satisfying beatdowns.

The charm of the story is in its balance of humor and genuine heart. Jimmy’s growth—from a lone outcast to the de facto “Head Boy” of the school—feels earned through both comedic mishaps and momentary flashes of empathy. Even longtime fans will find surprises here as hidden collectibles unlock extra dialogue, revealing new facets of characters like Gary, Pete, and Dr. Crabblesnitch. Scholarship Edition effectively heightens the narrative stakes without sacrificing the satire that made the original a cult classic.

Overall Experience

Bully: Scholarship Edition stands as one of the most entertaining sandbox experiences of its generation, blending humor, sandbox freedom, and structured progression with remarkable finesse. The enhanced missions and classes extend the playtime by several hours, making this edition the definitive way to experience Jimmy Hopkins’s antics. Whether you’re new to Bullworth Academy or revisiting old stomping grounds, the expanded content ensures there’s always something new to discover.

The platform you choose will slightly alter the flavor of your experience. Xbox 360 and PC offer the best in graphical fidelity and loading speeds, while the Wii provides an inventive spin with motion controls and a playful art style. All versions share the same robust core gameplay, tight controls, and memorable soundtrack, so you can’t go wrong regardless of your platform of choice.

In a market crowded with open-world titles, Scholarship Edition carves out its niche by focusing on a more intimate, school-based playground. It’s as entertaining today as it was at launch, with a balance of structure and chaos that appeals to players seeking both nostalgia and fresh challenges. For fans of action-adventure or sandbox games who haven’t yet donned Jimmy’s signature red jacket, Bully: Scholarship Edition is an absolute must-play.

Retro Replay Score

7.9/10