Scott Pilgrim EX review: retro brawler heavy on references, light on heart

Scott Pilgrim EX is Tribute Games’ new beat-’em-up, built as an homage to the arcade titles that inspired Bryan Lee O’Malley’s original comics. Rather than continuing the series’ coming-of-age reflection, the game foregrounds retro references and playful design over thematic depth.

The story is simple: Toronto has been overrun by vegans and robots, and the cast fights through side-scrolling stages to smash enemies and collect power-ups. Combat is generally strong — shared movesets, combos, and character-specific specials make switching between Ramona, Roxie, Matthew Patel and others satisfying — though clumsy movement can hamper more platform-heavy rooms.

Tribute’s pixel work gives the city real character, filling small streets with thoughtful details while packing levels with cheeky nods to classic games. Anamanaguchi’s chiptune score fits the retro tone and keeps the game sonically in step with the Scott Pilgrim universe.

Canada, Toronto

scott pilgrim, tribute games, beat-em-up, pixel art, anamanaguchi, chiptune, toronto, ramona, combos, matthew patel