The Scruffs [Game Download]

The Scruffs [Game Download]

Category: (Video Games)

1 new, starting at $6.99

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Editorial Reviews

The Scruffs need your help to save their beloved family home from being sold! Grandpa Scruff has a solution - a scavenger hunt to recover his valuable artifacts. But in a surprising twist, Grandpa Scruff reveals that he's been hiding something else - a shocking family secret! Help the Scruffs uncover the secret that will change their lives forever by finding lost items and putting together the clues they need! The Scruffs - laugh at their witty family banter and fall in love with their charm!

Customer Reviews

Charming Hidden Object and Mini-Puzzle Game

Reviewed by Katherine Berry, 2009-12-27

I'm relatively new to the "hidden object" game genre, but boy did I get hooked on them. This was definitely one of the more charming and unique such games I've played, although it's not one my 9 y/o son could play without assistance. Perhaps that's because the "British-isms" weren't familiar to him -- i.e., "cotton buds" (what we call Q-Tips or ear swabs in the States), an epilator (electric razor), etc. Fortunately, there's a very helpful -- and adorable -- hint system available. Unlike other games, the hints are not time-restricted so you don't have to wait around for the hint timer to refresh itself before getting more help. With liberal use of the hint system, even my 9 y/o was able to work his way through most of the rooms.

My only complaint about the game is that the resolution isn't very clear which made finding some of the darker colored items rather difficult if they were against a similarly dark background. I'm playing on a 17-inch laptop, which probably contributed to the problem; however, I doubt I'm the only person who does so, and that's something the graphic designers should have taken into consideration.

All in all, this was a very fun game! It's not long-lasting -- I finished it over a weekend -- but it was certainly enjoyable.

Want more

Reviewed by Barb, 2009-12-06

I loved the game but I thought there were more levels. It is fun though and I think after not playing it awhile you will forget some of the clues. ;-) Decent price and my grandson still plays it.

Hours of Puzzling Fun

Reviewed by drebbles, 2009-07-20

When Dad Scruff loses his job, the Scruff family is afraid they'll also lose their beloved family home. But Grandpa Scruff has been hiding a family secret for years and may have the ability to save the home. Your job is to help the Scruffs find valuable artifacts Grandpa has hidden around the house. While doing so you'll help the Scruffs uncover a secret that will change their lives forever.

"The Scruffs" has fifteen chapters, plus a final round. In each chapter you look for a number of hidden objects in different locations - the locations (and number of locations) change with each chapter and even if you revisit a location later in the game, the objects you need to look for change. Also hidden in each location is a bone for Scruffy the Dog - these bones can be given to Scruffy who will then help you find a hidden object. In each chapter there is at least one family photo hidden - find the photo and you have an opportunity to play the "scribbles" game where you find what objects have been added to the picture and you have the chance to earn gold stars. At the end of each chapter you have to solve a jigsaw puzzle type of game to reveal the hidden artifact you need to find. Once you find the artifact (which is hidden in a different location each time) you move on to the next chapter.

"The Scruff's" is an enjoyable hidden object game. While the graphics aren't quite as good as The Mystery Case File games, they are a lot of fun (look for the moving object in each scene). You have a choice of two playing modes: timed (30 minutes) and relaxed (90 minutes). I played the relaxed mode so I could enjoy the game and not feel rushed. Some of the objects are cleverly hidden but many are relatively easy to find and you have more than enough dog bones if you need a hint. The game is very generous when it comes to finding the dog bones - they glow when you come near them. The game is even more generous when it comes to using the hints - the closer you get to the object the louder Scruffy barks and when you get very close to it the object jumps around. You do have to make sure you don't click incorrectly too many times or you lose 30 seconds - this is especially important in the shorter timed game. Scruffy is the only member of the family present throughout the entire game and half the fun of the game is watching how he reacts during certain moments in the game.

While I enjoyed playing "The Scruffs" there are a couple of things I didn't like about it. While the scribbles portion of the game is a good way to test your memory, it ultimately has nothing to do with the final outcome of the game and seems more like a timewaster than anything else. The jigsaw puzzle game at the end of each chapter is used in far too many hidden object games and I wish there was something fresher in this game. The same goes for the final puzzle, which is a Simon type game - again used in far too many hidden object games. However, the game creators deserve kudos for actually ending the game instead of making players wait for a sequel.

"The Scruff's" is a great hidden object game that provides hours of puzzling fun.

Low resolution is one problem

Reviewed by P. Sherman, 2009-07-19

I have been playing this game for short times in the evening before going to bed; it's entertaining, for sure. But I am astounded at the low screen resolution! Every once in a while I require a hint to find an item and discover that I never would have found it on my own since it was just an undefined blob in the middle of a blurry blob of other things. I think the mix of sharply defined objects with blurry objects was to give the impression of some depth of field, but it just makes half of the things difficult to find. I have been amused that I also have had to actually do a Google search to find out what some of the objects *are*. I am a well-educated technical editor with a large vocabulary, but once in a while in this game they have me looking for something I have never heard of! Could be just a cultural thing. Good game but too bad they didn't sharpen the images a bit.

Short lived fun

Reviewed by Suzanne, 2009-07-10

Downloaded "The Scruffs" paid version onto a Vista PC and encountered really no problems running it. The real issue I have with this game is how short it was. I finished the game on one cross country flight. Unlike other I-Spy type games like "Big City Adventure" I have no desire to replay any of the levels. Too soon this game will be erased to make room for something a bit more challenging and longer lasting, but otherwise it was fun while it lasted.