Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Scooby-Doo!: Unmasked delivers a lighthearted action-adventure experience that stays true to the spirit of Mystery, Inc. You guide Scooby through a series of themed worlds—ranging from a bustling Chinatown district to an eerie museum—using a simple yet satisfying combat system. Scooby’s basic moves include spin, slide, roll, and smash attacks, each feeling responsive and easy to chain together for combo hits. This approachable control scheme makes the game welcoming for younger players while still offering depth for those who like to experiment with timing and movement.

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One of the most standout features is the “Mubber” system. As you progress, you collect mubbers to craft special costumes that grant Scooby unique powers. Don the Kung Fu costume to unleash rapid, high-damage strikes or slip into other outfits that enhance agility or defensive capabilities. This costume mechanic adds a layer of strategy: deciding which power-up best suits each monster encounter or puzzle. It’s satisfying to swap gear on the fly at save points or via the pause menu, fine-tuning your loadout for upcoming challenges.

Puzzles and clue-hunting are integral to the gameplay loop. In each level, you gather clues hidden in interactive objects or dropped by defeated creatures. Once you’ve amassed enough evidence, Velma quizzes you on the suspect’s identity, requiring careful selection of collected clues. Successful answers lead to a boss battle, testing your mastery of Scooby’s moveset and costume abilities. This back-and-forth between exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat keeps the pacing brisk and varied throughout the roughly eight-hour adventure.

Graphics

The visual presentation in Scooby-Doo!: Unmasked strikes a suitable balance between nostalgia and modern polish. The character models for Scooby, Shaggy, Fred, Velma, and Daphne faithfully recreate their traditional Hanna-Barbera appearances while benefiting from smooth, cartoony animations. Watching Scooby barrel-roll into a group of shadowy zombies never fails to evoke a playful, slapstick charm.

Environments are richly themed but avoid excessive detail to maintain clarity for younger audiences. Chinatown’s lantern-lit alleys glow warmly, while the museum’s towering dinosaur skeletons cast dramatic shadows. Monster designs are particularly well-realized: the Chinese Zombie has a haunting glow in its eyes, and the Black Knight’s armor creaks and shimmers under torchlight. Subtle particle effects—like drifting fog or sparks from a broken machine—add atmosphere without overloading the hardware.

Performance remains stable across all visited worlds, with steady frame rates even during boss fights and cutscenes. The HUD is cleanly integrated, showing health via Scooby Medals and snack counts without obscuring the action. Bonus art galleries in the extras menu showcase concept sketches and 3D renders, offering a peek behind the curtain at the game’s artistic development.

Story

The narrative kicks off when Fred brings Mystery, Inc. to check on his cousin Jed at the Monstrous Fright & Magic effects studio. Upon arrival, the team finds the facility in ruins and learns that the Mubber formula—an experimental compound that turns costumes into living monsters—has been stolen. Winslow Stanton, the eccentric inventor behind Mubber, accuses Jed of sabotage, but Jed has mysteriously vanished along with the animatronic horrors.

From there, Scooby and the gang embark on a globe-trotting quest to track Jed’s trail, uncover the real culprit, and unmask the truth behind the monstrous rampage. Along the way, each character shines in brief cutscenes: Daphne’s resourcefulness, Velma’s sharp deductive skills, and Shaggy’s comedic food-based power-ups add flavor to the investigation. Though the plot follows a classic Scooby-Doo formula, twists around loyalty and mistaken identity provide enough surprises to keep longtime fans engaged.

Boss encounters serve as narrative milestones, each guarded by a costumed fiend powered by stolen Mubber. Defeating these larger-than-life adversaries leads to juicy revelations from Velma, who pieces together evidence and teases the final unmasking. The climax strikes a satisfying balance of suspense and humor, wrapping up character arcs while leaving room for playful Scooby antics in the credits sequence.

Overall Experience

Scooby-Doo!: Unmasked is a charming, family-friendly adventure that captures the essence of classic Mystery, Inc. gameplay is accessible yet varied, with costume-based abilities and clue-gathering puzzles adding depth to the straightforward action. The game’s length is appropriate for its audience, avoiding filler while allowing fans plenty of time to explore and replay levels for hidden items.

Graphically, it achieves a pleasing cartoon look without sacrificing performance, and its environments and monsters are imaginative and atmospheric. The story leans on familiar Scooby tropes but spices things up with the Mubber concept, giving each stage a thematic hook and building toward a satisfying reveal. Voice work and sound effects stay true to the franchise’s playful tone, punctuating jumpscares with comedic relief.

For parents seeking a cooperative or single-player title that siblings of different ages can enjoy together, Unmasked hits the mark. It’s easy to pick up, encourages exploration, and rewards curiosity with costumes and collectibles. Whether you’re a diehard Scooby-Doo fan or just after a lighthearted 3D platformer, this game offers a fun, spooky romp that will leave you eager to solve the next mystery.

Retro Replay Score

6.7/10