Ultra Instinct Shaggy Is Unleashed In Wild MultiVersus Trailer
Shaggy Rogers from "Scooby-Doo!" has becomes something of an unlikely hero on the internet in the last few years. What began as a series of edited clips from "Scooby Doo! Legend of the Phantasaur" eventually grew into a full-fledged fan obsession, complete with fan art and video game mods designed to bring "Ultra Instinct Shaggy" to life. There's just something about seeing the gangly teen sleuth manifesting the powers of a "Dragon Ball" character that fills fans with delight. And now, as seen in the latest trailer for those Player First Games' "MultiVersus," those very fans are unbelievably close to being able to finally play as the powered-up Shaggy themselves.
It didn't take long for game developers to catch wind of Shaggy's popularity. But despite the existence of a popular petition seeking to bring Shaggy to the "Mortal Kombat" series, it would be years before Shaggy would make his proper fighting game debut. A cameo from Ultra Instinct Shaggy at the top of the animated movie "Mortal Kombat: Battle of the Realms" only strengthened the fanbase, and it wasn't long after that Warner Bros. announced the development of "MultiVersus," the game that would finally bring Shaggy into combat with characters like Batman and Bugs Bunny.
The new trailer for "MultiVersus" shows off Shaggy's new abilities, but also reminds fans that he's lost none of his trademark sense of humor. It's also a bonkers reminder that this game marks the culmination of years of fan hopes, all paying off in the weirdest way possible.
MultiVersus is a Saturday Morning Brawl
The trailer itself feels almost like a fever dream, even if you were already aware of this project's existence before now. Things kick off with Batman receiving a warning in the Bat Cave, just as he vanishes in a flash of light. He reappears in a grassy oasis, right next to a frightened Shaggy, who promptly jumps into his arms. In quick succession, more characters from the game begin to teleport into the arena around them, then immediately turn on one another: Bugs Bunny is nearly stabbed by Arya Stark, which strangely prompts Batman to toss a Batarang their way. Bugs counters with a pie, which is quickly added as a topping for Shaggy's sandwich. In one of the wildest moments of the trailer, Arya slices Shaggy's sandwich in half, which prompts him to power up in a display that confirms his Super Saiyan abilities glimpsed in previous trailers.
Things get even wilder from there, as characters like Garnet from "Stephen Universe," Harley Quinn, the Tasmanian Devil, and Jake from "Adventure Time" enter the fray. Each of these characters seem to have come to this world with their renowned powers intact. Jake grows to ludicrous heights to swallow his enemies, Taz creates a massive whirlwind, Bugs yanks a rocket out of nowhere — it's something that must be seen to be believed. The battle culminates in a reveal that Superman has been watching the whole time (presumably too afraid of Shaggy to join). As he prepares to swoop in, he's met by his biggest fan: the Iron Giant.
Yes, this all sounds like the ramblings of a kid who's had a bit too much sugary cereal while watching Saturday morning cartoons, but "MultiVersus" is very real. And it's backed by some real talent.
Shaggy's facing a ton of beloved characters and actors
The developers behind "MultiVersus" previously confirmed that Matthew Lillard would be reprising his fan-favorite role of Shaggy for the new game — and that he would be joined by a cast of familiar voices. This was a huge deal to many fans, as fellow IP-centric brawler "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl" was previously criticized for its lack of voice acting. It's one thing to see all of these characters interacting, but it's another thing entirely to hear them responding to one another.
As fans can hear in the new trailer, Kevin Conroy returns to voice Batman in "MultiVersus," reprising a role he's played for three decades in projects like "Batman: The Animated Series," "Justice League," and Rocksteady's "Batman: Arkham" games. Meanwhile, George Newbern reprises his role of Superman from "Justice League" and the "Injustice" games John DiMaggio brings his signature voice to Jake the Dog, while Tara Strong returns to voice Harley Quinn with the same gusto fans expect after games like "Arkham City" and movies like "Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." In a truly surprising turn, Maisie Williams does indeed voice Arya Stark, marking her first return to the character since "Game of Thrones" ended in 2019.
The cast is stacked. And judging by the huge group shot at the end of the latest "MultiVersus" trailer, it's likely that more beloved voice actors will be revealed in the near future. As strong as he is, Shaggy is probably going to have his hands full when the closed alpha test for the game begins on May 19. Then again, maybe Shaggy played it coy and only revealed a fraction of his power in this trailer.