History Videogame / Scribblenauts

The first game was made for the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS, like many of 5th Cell's previous titles. Prior to its September 2009 release, the game received mild hype from various outlets from its extremely ambitious premise, but only really took off at that year's [[UsefulNotes/ElectronicEntertainmentExpo E3]] when game journalists finally got to play it for themselves. In an unprecedented occurrence for a portable title, three major game reporting outlets declared the hand-held ''Scribblenauts'' to be the game of the show. Reviews of the full game were still generally positive, aside from criticism of the control scheme.

The third game of the series, ''Scribblenauts Unlimited'' (2012) brings the series to the UsefulNotes/WiiU, UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS, and UsefulNotes/{{Steam}}. The Wii U and PC versions include an object editor, allowing players to create new objects using pieces of other ones. This game alters the formula from the previous ones by having each level be a miniature open world with several small quests and one or two big ones to solve. It also added a simple plot, explaining why Maxwell has his notebook (he got it from his adventurer parents) and why he goes around collecting Starites (he abused the notebook's power and had a curse cast on his sister Lily that turned her to stone, and it can only be reversed by collecting Starites which appear by doing good deeds). A mobile version was released in 2015 and a UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch version in 2019.

In 2018, a spinoff titled ''Scribblenauts Showdown'' was released on UsefulNotes/XboxOne, UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, developed by Shiver and not by 5th Cell. It is a multiplayer-centric party game, with over 25 minigames based on the players outdoing each other's efforts to find the best word or object to fit a given task.

* CompanyCrossReferences: Level 7-3 references ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', which wasn't produced by Warner Bros. but whose rights are owned by them. They also own ''Scribblenauts''.

** The Japanese version of the first game (which was published by Creator/{{Konami}} on 5th Cell's behalf) allows you to summon Alucard from ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'', as seen [[http://www.vgmuseum.com/mrp/cameo7.htm#scribble here]]. You can also create characters from ''Franchise/MetalGear'', ''[[VideoGame/GanbareGoemon Goemon]]'', and ''VideoGame/LovePlus'', some of which can be seen in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIUiQD3RUvY this video]].

%%* OffToSeeTheWizard: Level 7-3, except ''you'' are the Wizard.

* TeensAreShort: The adjective "teenage" makes objects smaller.

* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: Among other things, you can create Burning Fire, a Lycanthropic Werewolf or a Zombified Zombie. Some objects that are paired up with redundant adjectives are visibly different from the normal: Winged Wings are wings wearing wings, for example, and a King King wears a crown on top of his crown.

%%* GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* CameraScrew: The camera system isn't awful, but occasionally the way it snaps back to the character can be a bit annoying. Thankfully, the sequel fixes this.

** The words ''Dunkleosteus'', Bull Shark, Cow Shark, and Sixgill Shark summon a ''[[{{Megalodon}} Carcharocles megalodon]]''.

* OneMillionBC: A prehistoric area can be reached in the first two games via TimeMachine, and both contain a lot of dinosaurs.

* BrickJoke: In the animation that runs behind the credits sequence, one of the figures shoots an arrow into the air. It comes down much, much later, just in time to save the same figure from a monster.

* HornyDevils: "Succubus" summons a unique version of the devil entity; "incubus" and "devil" are synonymous in the first two games, but incubi get their own model in ''Unlimited''.

* EvenTheGirlsWantHer: Several missions have (female) creatures asking for a mate. Conjuring a [[HornyDevils succubus]] is an entirely valid solution.

* TyopOnTheCover: On the WB Games logo screen before the main menu shows up, it reads "Copyright © 1007-2012 RAD Game Tools, Inc".