Skultimate Secrets allows players to truly explore a Mattel world

Licensed games can be a mixed bag, but one that has seen a lot of investment in presenting the broader IP in a way that is both consistent and complementary to the existing story is the recently released platform game Monster High: Skultimate Secrets. This new title brings players closer to the world of Mattel in an authentic way.

Speaking to Game Rant, narrative designer Destinee Cleveland and associate producer Miguel Ortiz de Urbina Díaz discussed working with Mattel Monster High and the efforts they have made to ensure the game is authentic Monster High Experience.

Bringing authenticity to Monster High

Outright Games has worked extensively with Mattel to create something that is compatible with the current generation three of Monster High. The characters from the game are recognizably themselves as portrayed in other media, and the game adds to the lore of the titular high school itself.

Working with Mattel was a dream come true for Cleveland, who grew up with Barbie. Díaz had previously worked with Mattel Matchbox driving adventurewhich was also released in 2024 as part of a series of games recently licensed by the company. He described the experience as a challenging but rewarding partnership:

I would say they were demanding, but it really paid off in the end as it made for a truly authentic Monster High experience. We are very satisfied with the cooperation. Our contacts were always very understanding of the time constraints of production and everything else and were very helpful with all types of processes. It was really cool and we're really looking forward to working with them again on future projects.

Cleveland's experience as someone who played with Barbies as a child had a personal touch. She described the opportunity to essentially play with Mattel dolls as part of her career in game development as a dream come true – she got to be a game designer Barbie in real life. She also emphasized that working with the company helped bring a certain clarity and authority to the script and characters she wrote. Both stated that Mattel was actively involved in the game's development.

In addition to ensuring character consistency, Mattel also helped Cleveland explore the setting's larger history. This meant that the game not only gave players an unprecedented level of exploration of the school itself, but also gave them new opportunities Monster High: Skultimate Secrets Players gain insight into the mysteries on which the school is built.

I'm trying not to spoil anything for people who haven't played it, but the school itself is a mystery, isn't it? We don't know if the school is alive or not, and what we do know from the stories is that it is protected by this power. There's basically this barrier in this game. You will learn exactly what the barrier is, why the school was placed where it was placed, and how this barrier protects and responds after a period of time. When your character comes in, he is a key factor in saving the school. And I won't give anything more. You definitely have to play the game to find out why you are a key factor.

The Secrets of Monster High

Exploring the school's secrets is an important part of this Sculptural mysteries also a toy line. The toys are all about unlocking different compartments to decipher elements of the Monster High world, discover Easter eggs and more. The naming is no coincidence, as the game's platform matches that of the game very well Sculptural mysteries Line, looking for hidden places and challenges to discover something new. Attention to detail is something Mattel has focused on with Generation Three, which began in 2022, and is extremely rewarding for more than just the Generation Three target audience of preschool-aged girls. However, older fans who grew up with previous generations Monster High were a significant secondary audience for Mattel.

And that's helped the game's positive reception on Steam and proven to be nothing short of glowing in player interactions with Outright. The biggest complaint the team heard was that the 10-hour platformer was too short. For the target audience, this running time was fairly normal, Díaz explained, but both developers agreed that it was a good problem to have – like the old entertainment truism of leaving the audience wanting more.