Let me tell you about that moment we've all experienced in gaming - when you hit that progression wall and suddenly realize you need to find smarter ways to advance. I recently found myself completely stuck in Luigi's Mansion 3, staring at upgrade costs that seemed absolutely astronomical, when I discovered what appeared to be the perfect solution: the Scarescraper multiplayer mode that promised to unlock bonuses and boost my earnings. The concept seemed brilliant - tackle these cooperative challenges and bring the rewards back to my single-player campaign. What I discovered through extensive playtesting, however, was both fascinating and slightly disappointing from a progression standpoint.
When you first dive into Scarescraper, the structure seems perfectly designed for quick gains. You can take on these challenges in multiples of five, up to 25 stages at a time, which creates this wonderful rhythm of setting achievable goals. Completing those initial challenges unlocks Endless mode, giving you that satisfying sense of progression right from the start. The first few sessions felt incredibly rewarding - here I was, working through these cleverly designed floors with other players, collecting ghosts and treasures, anticipating a substantial coin payout that would finally let me afford those expensive upgrades back in the main game. The social aspect alone makes it worth trying - there's genuine joy in working together, even with strangers, to clear floors and capture ghosts.
Here's where reality started to diverge from my expectations though. While you could technically complete these missions with only one player, the experience becomes dramatically different. I tried this solo approach once, just to see if it was feasible, and discovered it would be much harder and you almost certainly would miss out on power-ups. The difficulty curve spikes unreasonably fast without teammates to revive you or help manage multiple ghosts simultaneously. That single attempt taught me that Scarescraper was fundamentally designed as a cooperative experience rather than a solo grinding method. The difference in enjoyment between solo and group play is like night and day - with friends, it's an absolute blast, while solo feels like fighting an uphill battle with inadequate tools.
Now let's talk about the actual economic rewards, because this is where things get really interesting from a game design perspective. You can take the coins earned in Scarescraper back into the single-player mode for upgrades, which initially made me think I'd found my golden ticket. However, during a limited play session, I consistently earned only about 50 gold for a five-floor challenge, regardless of how much loot I actually collected. This consistent payout regardless of performance suggests the developers intentionally designed the economy this way. When you consider that the higher-end single-player upgrades end up costing tens of thousands of coins - we're talking 15,000 to 30,000 for the top-tier upgrades - the math simply doesn't support using Scarescraper as your primary farming method. You'd need to complete hundreds of five-floor challenges just to afford one major upgrade, which frankly isn't time-efficient compared to single-player farming methods.
What's become clear to me after numerous play sessions is that the Scarescraper exists mostly just to have fun with your friends, not to make real game progression. This realization actually changed my entire perspective on the mode. Instead of approaching it as a means to an end, I began to appreciate it for what it is - a delightful diversion that's low-impact and breezy. The pressure to perform perfectly vanishes when you understand that the real reward isn't the coins but the shared experience. I've had some hilarious moments with random players online, those unscripted instances where someone gets trapped by a ghost or we barely complete a floor with seconds to spare. These create memories that last far longer than any temporary upgrade would.
The temporary nature of the mode's appeal does present one significant limitation though. I've found it unlikely to last more than a few play sessions for most players. After you've experienced the different floor types and ghost combinations a few times, the novelty begins to wear thin. There's not enough progression or variety to keep players engaged long-term, which is a shame because the foundation is so strong. I'd love to see more varied objectives, better rewards for performance, or perhaps some Scarescraper-exclusive upgrades that would give players more incentive to return regularly.
From a game design perspective, I understand why the developers made these choices. If Scarescraper offered significantly better rewards than single-player content, it would essentially force players into multiplayer whether they wanted to or not. The current implementation keeps it optional and stress-free, which aligns perfectly with its role as a supplementary experience rather than a core progression path. That said, I can't help but feel they were too conservative with the rewards. Even doubling the coin payout would make it feel more worthwhile without breaking the game's economy.
What Scarescraper ultimately provides is breathing room - a chance to step away from the main campaign's structured challenges and just enjoy the core ghost-busting mechanics in a more social, unpredictable environment. The coins you earn, while modest, feel like a nice bonus rather than the main attraction. I've come to appreciate it as gaming's equivalent of a coffee break - refreshing, enjoyable, and something you look forward to, but not where you do your most important work. So if you're looking to unlock bonuses and boost your earnings, temper your expectations. But if you want to create some unforgettable gaming moments with friends while earning a little something on the side, Scarescraper delivers exactly what it promises.