Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game (Original Videogame Soundtrack)

Album Review

Everything connected to the film adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley's comic Scott Pilgrim vs. the World was made with loving attention to detail, so it’s no surprise that the soundtrack to the movie’s tie-in video game is just as well crafted. Of course, most movies don’t lend themselves to video games as well as Scott Pilgrim vs. the World — which uses video game jargon and imagery to demonstrate how Scott grows as a person as he takes on the seven evil exes of his crush Ramona Flowers — and fewer still films provide such a distinct aesthetic for a game’s music. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game is a side-scrolling fighter rendered in beautifully old-school 8-bit graphics, and the music follows suit. The game’s developers hired 8-bit band Anamanaguchi to provide the music, and they serve up hyperkinetic tracks that sound like they’ve been hiding on an NES cartridge for a quarter century. While the adorable “Another Winter” and “Suburban Tram” throw in some guitars and live drums for an indie rock twist, most of these songs are pure chiptune goodness, particularly “Sushi Box,” “Maki Ya,” and “Bollywood,” which capture the frenzied pace, rapid-fire arpeggios, and wild pitch-bending of classic 8-bit music. Indeed, “Twin Dragons,” “Technoman,” and “Subboss Theme” nod even more firmly to the game and soundtrack’s inspirations, reaffirming just how much knowledge and affection Anamanaguchi and the game’s creators have for the culture that spawned Scott Pilgrim. Almost as entertaining as the game itself, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game’s music will delight gamers, 8-bit aficionados, and fans of Scott Pilgrim’s extended universe.