Scooby Doo! Who's Watching Who?

Scooby-Doo is an interesting property for game developers to utilize. All the suspense, all the mystery – who wouldn't be intrigued?

Yet, whenever I play a Scooby-Doo game, I'm left wondering why I got excited. The problem hasn't been the games as much as it has been the series they’re based on. Scooby-Doo is the most easily frightened dog on the planet. Whether you love him or not, he's not necessarily the best choice for a main character.

Finally that has changed. The creative minds at Humansoft have tossed out all the old, tiresome ideas. For their title, Scooby-Do! Who's Watching Who?, Humansoft aimed to give players what they were looking for: actual gameplay that utilizes all aspects of the Nintendo DS, not just its touch screen.

What we've ended up with is a mystery game of clue collection, Crash Bandicoot-style exploration, a clever touch screen mini-game, a solid driving mini-game, and a way for Scooby-Doo to defend himself against the horrors he will inevitably encounter.

GSI – Ghost Scene Investigation

This town's not big enough for two ghost-hunting investigators. The team at GSI, a once-popular TV series, has been losing viewers left and right as Mystery, Inc. gains more attention. Jealous of their success, the producer of GSI challenges Mystery, Inc. to determine who's the better hunter.

First you need to investigate – find key items and talk to the locals for more information. The level design is unusually impressive, taking on a style, both physically and visually, rarely seen since Crash Bandicoot's debut 10 years ago. As Scooby, players can move anywhere on screen. The game is entirely three-dimensional. The levels, however, are somewhat restrictive. You follow a semi-linear path that will eventually take you up, down, and around the location you're exploring. This is where the game gets its Crash Bandicoot feel.

Scooby controls well, offering two attacks and the ability to jump and sneak. I hate to bring up Crash again, but this is another element that makes me think of Jason Rubin's classic. Scooby's spin attack is very similar to Crash's main attack, which allowed him to eliminate enemy threats rather quickly.

But that's not the only comparison that can be made. You'll come across spring-loaded platforms. Hop on and Scooby will be thrust high into the air. Think back gamers: where have you seen this before? Might a Thievious Racoonous bring it to mind?

After discovering a clue, players can examine the item using a few simple (but clever) tools. They're controlled via the touch screen. Select the magnifying glass to enlarge text. Dust for fingerprints. Have Scooby put his paw on it (you never know...), or use his great sense of smell to sniff out a secret. All of these actions are performed by scratching the on-screen item, either with your finger or a stylus.

A clue success meter lets you know when you've found the right tool to use. Scooby won't get anything from the smell of lipstick. However, dusting for prints can reveal who the tube belonged to.

Chances are you'll need more than the items you've acquired to solve the case. Clues are hidden throughout each mission, some more illusively than others. As mentioned before, you'll have to communicate with the locals. Skip the text discussions, if you wish, by tapping the screen. The dialogue isn't too bad, but its content isn't a must. You’ll be forced to go through at least some dialogue before you can proceed. But if you're like me and can't stand the thought of reading when you could be playing (after all – this isn't an RPG), the game gives you an out.

A Touching Moment

Not all clues can be uncovered using conventional, on-foot methods. Scooby will have to join Fred in the Mystery Machine to find every clue needed to solve each mystery.

Against all odds, this mini-game is very well done. It features two control styles – touch screen and D-pad steering. The touch screen controls are very sensitive, so I mainly stuck with the D-pad steering. That preference comes with years of D-pad experience. I could see the touch method eliminating the D-pad entirely someday, but it’ll be a while. The last time I remember using the touch screen to control a vehicle, I was playing Asphalt GT.

The driving game levels look good, and have a nice (but linear) layout. I was really surprised. There have been big-budget movie games like Enter The Matrix that couldn't get this right. And then a Scooby-Doo title comes along and nails it. What are the odds?

At the end of each mission, players will have to outrun a ghost by playing another mini-game. Arrows appear on the touch screen, noting when Shaggy needs to jump, speed up, or avoid a ghost trap. He's terrified of the ghost, but he's got an even more horrified Scooby to keep him company (Shaggy must carry Scooby, and himself, to safety).

If it weren't for what happens next, that would've been just another mini-game. To keep Shaggy on his feet, the player must take out barriers, unlock doors, and eliminate other hazards before he arrives. If a door appears, its lock must be released. This is accomplished by sliding your stylus across the screen. Likewise, if you see a boarded passageway up ahead – tap the screen to remove the boards. Fail to do this quickly enough and Scooby's worst fear will come true.

Gameplay: 7.1
Collect clues, dust for prints, go for a drive, find more clues, talk to the locals, defend against some ghosts – run from others – and more. Scooby fans, this is his best title yet.

Graphics: 8.0
Good character models, noteworthy animations and architectural designs – Who’s Watching Who? is an impressive game that takes advantage of the Nintendo DS’s 3D graphics processor.

Sound: 7.0
Decent. There are some catchy tunes, and some amusing sound effects to hear. But the sound is not terribly exciting nor is it so bad that you’ll have to turn it off.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Kids will enjoy the search for clues, the acquisition of them, and the detective work involved in solving the mystery. Simple touch screen actions, but still, the ideas are very clever.

Concept: 7.9
Who’s Watching Who? is not an original game. That said, the game does feature a few fresh ideas, including several excellent touch screen functions.

Overall: 7.1
Scooby-Doo! Who’s Watching Who? is simple and short and not perfect. But it’s also fun, clever, and engaging, and will be worth every penny to a die-hard Scooby fan.