It can be surreal to play a game that fully embraces Toronto, Canada, while in Cologne, Germany, but that was the pleasure I had on my second day of gamescom when I sat down to jump into Scott Pilgrim EX. Developed by Tribute Games Inc., the same studio that brought the world Mercenary Kings in 2014, the game looks to capture the spirit of Ubisoft’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game while expanding the concept in new and exciting ways. After about 30 minutes with three other players, Scott Pilgrim EX proved to be a pixel-fuelled fever dream that is hard to forget.
First announced in June of this year, Scott Pilgrim EX brings to life the characters many fans know and love, while giving them a new story to explore and new locations to experience, all in a unique and colourful pixel-art style that is bubbly, fun and at times bananas. Even though it comes years after Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, it somehow manages to feel just as fresh, bringing the brawler style to the streets of Toronto in a way only Scott Pilgrim can.
The first new feature in the Scott Pilgrim EX demo showcased at gamescom 2025 is the addition of two playable characters beyond Scott and Ramona. While the full game will offer seven fully playable characters, the team announced that players can now step into the shoes of Lucas Lee, the actor and master skateboarder, and Roxy, the ninja. Each brings a unique play style that reflects their character design and personality. Taking control of Roxy for my play session, I was eager to see what Tribute Games had in store for fans.
Much like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, Scott Pilgrim EX is at its core an action brawler that takes Scott and company across a fractured version of Toronto in a madcap adventure. This time, however, it is not just retelling the story of the original comic. Instead, it offers a brand new storyline from series creator Bryan Lee O’Malley. The game carries players through carefully crafted neighbourhoods while also giving a more open approach to how each section can be tackled. There is a lot happening in Scott Pilgrim EX, but the core loop remains solid, with a wide range of attacks, missions to take on and enemies to defeat.
For the demo, we were guided through locations that will feel familiar to anyone who has read the comics or lived in Toronto. The Beaches and the streets of nearby neighbourhoods introduced new enemy types and gave the game a strong sense of place within the Scott Pilgrim universe. The demo also showed off the world map, which lets players easily travel between different locations and includes a hub space to regroup and prepare for the next mission. While we only sampled a small slice of what is to come—focusing mainly on the Beaches and the suburbs—the map hints at a much larger Toronto rendered in vibrant pixel-art detail.
“Scott Pilgrim EX is shaping up to be a fitting continuation of the series…”
Of course, if you have played Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, you will be familiar with the system of collecting money to buy abilities and buffs, but that has been expanded here. Using the group’s shared funds in co-op, players can purchase buffs that improve stats and make challenges more manageable. These additions build on what we saw in the earlier game while staying true to the comic, helping this new entry feel firmly part of the universe while also branching in new directions.
As with the original Scott Pilgrim game, Scott Pilgrim EX is filled with video game references and nods to nerd culture. The world is littered with turtle shells and playful teases drawn from other pixel-art traditions and classic franchises. Done in a way that feels natural to the game’s world, these touches create a rich tapestry that encourages players to explore the locations even as they punch through enemies blocking their path.
Scott Pilgrim EX is shaping up to be a fitting continuation of the series while bringing in enough fresh ideas to make me want to dive back in and see all it has to offer. It is fun, colourful and impressively smooth. The team at Tribute Games clearly knows what it is doing, and the demo suggests they are only beginning to show the game’s full potential. I cannot wait to play more of Scott Pilgrim EX when it launches in 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC.
