Pap the Disney Gamer's Highlights: Talkin' About the Monsters Inc. Scream Arena Introduction

It's no secret that I love Pixar's Monsters Inc. While the likes of Ratatouille and Up have dethroned it as my all time favorite, the film still remains one of my most cherished. The perfect humor, quirky characters, and big heart makes for a highly entertaining film that should never be missed. But we are not here today to talk about the movie (though as much as I want to). Today we will be instead talking about a Monsters Inc. video game, or more specifically, it's introduction.

If you remember the movie, one of the introductions we get to the Monsters Inc world is a commercial that details what the company is all about: how the screams of children can power an entire city, and the scares are supplied by highly trained monsters. The commercial itself was hilarious in that it mocked how company ads that focus on their employees can at times be awkward due to the employee's own lack of on-screen presence. Monsters Inc. Scream Arena the game also employs this iconic intro, but with a twist.

At the end of the movie, the monsters discover that the laughter of a child is ten times more powerful than that of their screams, so Sulley and Mike set out to complete change the corporate structure of Monsters Inc. by focusing on amusement rather than fright. Much like the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor at Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland, Scream Arena takes us back to Monstropolis right after said discovery was made.

The game's intro is a refined version of the old Monsters Inc. commercial. It starts off just like the original ad...

And they still power their cars, warm their homes and light their cities...

And they are still matching monsters to their ideal child...

To make them laugh their little hearts out!

And yes, their laughter is spread throughout Monstropolis. If it is powered up, Monsters Inc was there...

Poor George Sanderson, though, is still stripped of his bright orange fur and adorned with the cone of shame...

New Monsters Inc. though, still has many challenges when delighting children. Simply put, they are not easily amused...

Of course, James P. Sullivan, aka Sulley, assures us that they are prepared...

The commercial doesn't last long, though, as Randall launches a ball onto Sulley, interrupting Mike's shooting of it. It is here where we are introduced to the game's concept: in order to keep their heads in fun, the monsters have decided to play several rounds of dodgeball at the factory!

The game itself is mainly par. It can be fun but far from the most polished game out there. The intro, however, gets major kudos from me. It takes the already fun commercial and changes it to reflect the brand new story the characters are experiencing. It further expands on the Monsters Inc. universe without altering the original film too much.

But don't take my word for it, you can watch it for yourself!