Written: November 20th-29th, 2019
(As played on Game Boy Player)
Year: 2000 | Developed by: Digital Eclipse
Published by: THQ
Fifty years, oh my God! 😲
Screenshot of The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part from my Region 1 Widescreen DVD, courtesy of Warner Bros., taken from my TV; I don't care what people say, I still think you're a good movie 😙
Everyone should be familiar with how this Hanna-Barbera series came to be, but for those that don't know: basically parent groups were opposed to some of their previous shows Space Ghost, The Herculoids, and Birdman and the Galaxy Trio as they perceived them to be too violent for their offspring--we'll forget that the portrayal of violence in movies and TV shows made during the '60s was, for lack of a better word, tame compared to how violence would be presented in the years that would follow, but regardless pressure led to these shows' cancellation which no doubt must've upset those that enjoyed those shows--and wanted something safer and more appropriate for children.After some time in development (character designed by the late Iwao Takamoto, who prior to working as Hanna-Barbera's character designer in 1961 was an animator and character designer for Disney's animated films such as Cinderella, Lady and the Tramp, and Sleeping Beauty) the newest Hanna-Barbera series Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!--a show about four teenagers and a Great Dane solving mysteries--would debut on September 13th, 1969 which was received with acclaim, but little did the people at Hanna-Barbera realize at the time that it would become a hugely phenomenal sensation and pop cultural zeitgeist that would lead to lots of different incarnations of Scooby and the Gang throughout the years to this day (including paid homages, references, parodies, crossovers, spin-offs, tons upon tons of made for TV movies, two theatrical live-action outings, and a 3D film that's coming in May).
There were also plenty of video games that would be based on the Hanna-Barbera hit series, with the first one being made by Mattel for the Intellivision in 1983, but the most commonly known version came in the form of the 1995 SNES game Scooby-Doo Mystery by Argonaut Software (there was also a point-and-click game with that same title for the Sega Genesis but done by Illusions Gaming Company) thanks to its broadcasting in Cartoon Network at the time. But today we're not talking about either 16-bit excursion, we're talking about
Image from Wikipedia
the adaptation that was done for the Game Boy Color, Scooby-Doo!: Classic Creep Capers, developed by Digital Eclipse in 2000 and released by THQ on February 20th, 2001 in North America while Europe would receive it that March 30th; programmed by Jeremy Mika, produced by Michael Bilodeau, Jamie Bafus (THQ), Heidi Behrendt, and Brett Skogen (both courtesy of Warner Bros. Interactive), executive produced by Digital Eclipse founder Andrew Ayre and Scott Krager (THQ), assistant produced by Edward J. Ramiro (THQ), product managed by John Ardell and Kevin Hooper, with creative services provided by Kirk Somdal and Charles Carney serving as creative director. Yes, we're talking about Digital Eclipse again, only this time it's different.
Left: Fred and Velma talking to Dr. Jekyll | Right: Shaggy and Scooby-Doo standing outside by the Mystery Machine
Scooby-Doo!: Classic Creep Capers centers on the Mystery Gang--comprised of high school teenagers Fred Rogers (voiced in the franchise by the sole surviving active original cast member Frank Welker), 
Left: Ghost thief sighting | Right: As soon as Daphne flushed the toilet, that's when she knew: she fudged up
This chapter-driven game is loosely based on the episode "Nowhere to Hyde", which followed a similar plot that involved Dr. Jekyll (as in, the descendant of the Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde character Dr. Henry Jekyll) fearing he may be the jewel thief and his housekeeper Helga. Scooby-Doo!: Classic Creep Capers is an open-ended investigation game where your given character can roam around in all eight directions, if you're next to a character, vital item, or door you can press the A button to select any one of three options that pop up--hold left and press A to talk with a character (or in one case with Shaggy and Scooby, devour lots and lots cheese), hold up and press A to investigate an item and scenario, or hold right and press A to take an item and open or close a door--given to you but if you want to cancel those options press the B button to get back to action,
Left: Well, so much for Dr. Jekyll's innocence | Right: Tesla coil observance
press the B button to access the inventory and select any item you got up to that point with the A button to use in a given scenario, and with the Select button you can choose to play as Daphne, Fred, Velma, or the dynamic duo Shaggy and Scooby… at least, what ones you're allowed to control depending on the chapter you're in. Whenever you reach a turning point it will cut to the next chapter with a title card showing you a six-symbol password so you can pick up from that point after taking a break, unless you feel like playing it through in one sitting which in this case is possible...
Left: "It appears to be suspiciously painted into the background" | Right: Elegant dining hall
after some trial and error on your first go-around, that is, and there is plenty of trial and error to be had with nigh unlimited opportunities since you don't have to worry about losing your health meaning there's no such thing as a premature game over in this game. The visuals by Eric Calande, Kevin James, and Daniel Shallock which were art directed by Boyd Burggrabe, Dean Lee, Granted D. Savage, Allen Helbig, and Peter Tumminello (the latter two courtesy of Warner Bros. Interactive) are wholesomely colorful and do a good job at replicating the look and feel and sense of atmosphere in the show. 😃
Left: "Wait, who am I talking to?" | Right: Good to know that Dr. Jekyll could afford a bright neon sign for his science lab
Each area within Dr. Jekyll's domain has got a good sense of detail about them with a nice elaborate setup: some examples being the dining hall with the chandelier and beautiful crescent moon outside its window, certain letters of the "Jekyll Labs" neon sign fizzling on occasion, the front hall with a reflection of the front oval window on the ground, and the huge library with all its books (including a skull in one spot), et al.
Left: Entrance hall | Right: Meeting Helga
There is also a heavy emphasis on shading to give a sense of atmospheric depth which Digital Eclipse accomplished either by adding an extra hue of the same color or they also added some patterns to augment that feeling or in certain instances (like the living room, Helga's room, and a room with the Periodic Table of Elements) they applied some dithering (like outside Jekyll Labs). Despite the fact that the rooms in question are largely static (with rooms larger than the screen involving a bit of scrolling), it works sufficiently given the Game Boy Color's technical capabilities.Oh, I have to show this: 😆
Left: "More importantly: who am I in relation to these characters, and why isn't there any parental supervision knowing there's a covert trap door in my bedroom that leads directly to the basement?" 🤔 | Right: Mmmm, cheesy goodness, the franchise's secret formula 🧀
The character sprites and animations are solid and resemble the stock animation walk cycles the Mystery Gang had in the show, only with a slight sense of fluidity (in Shaggy's case, Scooby always is in front of him regardless of whether he's walking to the left or to the right while in Daphne's case she only moves her visible arm when walking which gives the impression that she's moving both arms simultaneously which looks weird all things considered); unfortunately in certain cases there is a bit of visual flicker, but when they speak their mouths (or their hands) are moving. When it comes to pivotal moments of dialogue the game will cut to the characters' profiles, with Fred's, Daphne's, and Velma's profiles resembling the occasional profile shots in the series with their mouths flapping while Shaggy and Scooby's profile is new (since theirs is shaded while the others are single-colored), with a handful of isolated instances that involve Scooby's laugh animation just like how he laughed in the show.
I spliced the two screenshots I took together as seamlessly as I could to create this singular image
Once in awhile there'll be single-image cutscenes that are used to progress the story and narrative, with the characters having a good sense of detail and certain instances involving a good amount of shading (like when the Mystery Gang exits out of their Mystery Machine) and it looks pretty good and colorful and matches the look and feel of its source material. 😃 And when it comes to interacting with the characters or items, the speech icon is represented by teeth, the look icon is represented by eyes, while the touch icon is represented by a grabbing hand.
Left: "I'm useless without my glasses!" 👓 | Right: So Helga isn't just a housemaid but an implied cannibal too? ...creeeeepyyyyy! 😨
The music and sound of Scooby-Doo!: Classic Creep Capers were all done by Digital Eclipse veteran Robert Baffy whose other Game Boy Color-based audio credits comprise of the handheld port of Don Bluth's interactive LaserDisc classic Dragon's Lair, Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland, Knockout Kings, and the last game I reviewed by Digital Eclipse Disney's Tarzan; for those who are curious, there is no perpetual static like in the last title, thank God 😌). And for what the Game Boy Color manages to accomplish, albeit not in big number, the soundtrack is good.
Left: Secret attic | Right: "They won't suspect a thing"
The title theme does a very good job at replicating the popularly well-known "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!" theme by David Mook and Ben Raleigh (sans the lyrics by Larry Marks and later George A. Robertson, Jr.), and the final chapter's theme which doubles as a credits theme reprises the theme in a slower tempo with an appropriate sense of finality as it marks the close of this mystery. The rest of the songs are new and they perfectly complement the overarching chapter and give a prolonged sense of atmosphere as a result: the prologue theme sets the theme for the mystery at hand,
Left: One mad, grinny scientist | Right: 🎵 He's so vain, he probably thinks this mystery's about him 🎵
the themes for the first and second chapters are pretty intimidating and genuinely creepy all things considered (that's also taking into account that it's coming from the Game Boy Color), the third chapter's theme is catchy and lighthearted, the fourth chapter's theme sounds mission oriented, while the fifth chapter theme involving the planning sequence would easily fit right in with the actual show's soundtrack as it evokes a similar feeling. I also like this game's sense of sound design, like the brittle shattering of a glass, the sound of a door opening and closing, and even the automatic sounds of the sliding doors inside Dr. Jekyll's lab. There's even an option to disable the music and/or sound effects, a feature that would've greatly benefited Disney's Tarzan given its nonstop static.
Left: "I don't know how to work what clearly looks like an ATM, Scoob" | Right: Dropped a light
There was another game that bared the name Scooby-Doo!: Classic Creep Capers on the Nintendo 64 which was worked on by TerraGlyph Interactive Studios and still published by THQ in November 2000 in America (on March 2001 in Europe) which was different than the Digital Eclipse-developed Game Boy Color version as it had four different mysteries to solve (three of which were based on episodes from Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!); I have played the console version once at an acquaintance's house after fleeing Hurricane Rita in 2005, but only that one time. A PlayStation One version had been in development as well until it got cancelled.The Game Boy Color version was originally set to be released on the fall of 2000 following THQ's announcement from that June but it got delayed due to what I presume to have been developmental problems.
The only instance of normal dressed Shaggy speaking without Scooby's company, and it's been cut out
On the manual there are mostly screenshots that look like they belong to an early prototype of the game than what actually shows in the final product--which is very shocking for a major release--and appear washed out in terms of picture quality; among them a pre-finalized title and options screen, an unused piece of dialogue,
Left: Which one is the real Shaggy? | Right: Door maze
I got Scooby-Doo!: Classic Creep Capers on the Game Boy Color during the Summer of 2001 while visiting my American grandparents, I watched Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! a lot as a child (who hasn't?) and enjoyed it (I even liked the episodes that featured guest stars like Batman and Robin and even Sandy Duncan and some of the animated movies growing up), I liked the characters and their interactions with each other or the monsters (at one point I remember liking Scrappy-Doo, but that was because I didn't know any better and didn't realize back then how reviled Scooby's nephew was) as well as the different mysteries,
Left: "Maybe in 1995 I would have, but in the 21st century? Nuh uh!" | Right: Taking the time to study the Period Table of Elements
Scooby-Doo!: Classic Creep Capers is a game I really liked when I was younger, though I'll admit that whenever I tried playing it I always got stuck in the third chapter, "Chemo-Sabotage", and it wasn't until I retried it several years ago when I found out why: I neglected to check back with Velma after procuring the Tesla coil and that's why I could not progress further... 😑 Hindsight does not view younger me well, but never mind. I liked that you could take control of any character you're allowed to with the given chapter and how each of them had their own special trait (as opposed to just taking control of Shaggy and Scooby together); like with Velma, for example, who could interpret a symbol and Fred who could pull out a key from a key grinder.
Left: Ominous study | Right: Making a key out of Scooby's nail
I liked this game's nonlinear sense of exploration and investigation and how it captured the look, feel, spirit, and charm of the show that it took inspiration from as well as how it incorporated certain bizarre elements like a covert trapdoor and later a door maze (the last of which is always randomized in terms of which doors you come out from and which final door in the sequence leads to the room devoid of power).
Left: Heading up the stairs | Right: Walking in the basement
My main problem with the game, however, is that it's over just as you get into the swing of things, and the final two chapters are incredibly brief all things considered. But while I would have preferred a Scooby-Doo venue with a meatier length (and more than one mystery) I do find myself coming back to it once in awhile as I do find it to be entertaining; admittedly it's one of those games that I find myself appreciating more after each replay as the first time around the brevity to me felt a bit underwhelming, but once I knew exactly what to do I did find more enjoyment out of it.
Croc's first game, like Croc himself, has got a truly big heart that I can't help but 💗 it! I'll gladly play it through in one whole sitting
and I'm not saying that simply because Argonaut Software would end up making my personal favorite '90s 3D platformer of all time on the PlayStation One--or any system ever-- in 1997's Croc: Legend of the Gobbos;
Croc is a pure boy! 😃 Man, I wish Croc would have a revival 😔
Weirdly enough, this game credits the "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!" theme song... yet never once utilizes it anywhere in the game 🤨
There is a genuine sense of challenge and charm and a good amount of platforming action in Scooby-Doo Mystery, I liked the dialogue and amount of nonlinear investigation and exploration, there are occasional bonus segments sprinkled here and there, there are four separate mysteries, it's visually atmospheric, and composers Martin Gwynn Jones and Martin P. Simpson did a spectacular job converting Ted Nichols' background music from the show. Sadly, just like Scooby-Doo!: Classic Creep Capers, it ends just when it starts to get really good; it seems length (or lack thereof) is the undoing of these licenses, but while it lasts it is enjoyable (and like today's game, improves with each replay) but can prove difficult if you don't know what you're doing or end up overestimating yourself.
Left: "What he did to my hair was much worse than being transported and taken against my will for experimental purposes" | Right: Inside a disco hall... apparently
No, neither Scooby-Doo Mystery nor Scooby-Doo!: Classic Creep Capers represent the greatest of licensed video games out there, but they do capture the series' look and feel and charm and sense of interactive mystery to a T and are reasonably entertaining to play in their own right plus in the latter's case the lack of getting a game over gives that one in particular an accessible pick up and play quality for all gamers regardless of skill level. If you were curious to play a Scooby-Doo title on the Game Boy Color, then I happily recommend it. 😃 If you can overlook its brevity (forty to fifty minutes or more), occasional image flicker, and the fact that there's only one mystery, I think you'll have a reasonably good time. What I'm trying to say of course is:
"And I would've gotten away with it too, if weren't for you meddling kids!"
My Personal Score: 6.0/10
d(^-^)bTO EACH THEIR OWNd(^-^)b
● So last weekend I went to the theatres for the first time in months to watch Disney's Frozen II; I rewatched its predecessor in preparation (fifth time I watched Frozen since it came out in 2013; still one of my favorite animated musicals since it came out) and I enjoyed it personally. 😃 Does it top the first one? Well, no, but I loved how it brought the autumn colors to life and I liked its new songs too, "Into the Unknown" and "Lost in the Woods" especially, and it was visually striking and I still liked the characters. Either way, what a way for Disney Animation to end the decade.
● Oh, and before I forget: I absolutely adore this song and sequence ever since I first saw it on TV, and the animation is the best I've seen in a Scooby-Doo property 😄
Thank you for reading my review, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think (neither spam nor NSFW allowed); hope you have a great day, take care! 🙂
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RIP Casey Kasem (1932-2014), RIP Don Messick (1926-1997),
RIP Heather North (1945-2017), RIP Mary Kay Bergman (1961-1999)
RIP Pat Stevens (1945-2010)
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