Bully: Scholarship Edition

🔥 What is Bully: Scholarship Edition

Bully: Scholarship Edition is an expanded re-release of Rockstar Games’ infamous open-world adventure Bully, originally released in 2006. Developed by Rockstar Vancouver and published by Rockstar Games, this edition launched in 2008 for Xbox 360, Wii, and later PC, adding new content while polishing the original’s unique mix of high school simulation and open-world mischief. At its heart, the game tells the story of Jimmy Hopkins, a troubled teenager sent to the strict Bullworth Academy, where he must navigate a harsh social hierarchy filled with bullies, cliques, and authority figures who are not always as responsible as they claim to be.

The narrative sets itself apart by placing players not in the shoes of a hardened criminal, as in Grand Theft Auto, but in the role of a rebellious schoolboy fighting for survival, respect, and maybe even friendship. Between completing story-driven missions, Jimmy balances pranks, schoolwork, romance, and brawls with bullies, creating a surprisingly deep life simulation hidden beneath the chaos of a satirical open-world game.

The Scholarship Edition includes new missions, extra classes, unlockable items, and minor graphical updates, giving both returning fans and newcomers more reasons to step into Bullworth Academy’s anarchic world. The result is a cult classic that blends sandbox freedom with a coming-of-age story filled with humor, parody, and just enough heart to stay memorable.

👉 Features of Bully: Scholarship Edition

Expanded Content

The Scholarship Edition adds eight new missions, four additional classes (Biology, Music, Math, and Geography), new unlockable clothing, and more achievements or trophies depending on the platform. These additions expand the original game without changing its core formula, making this version the definitive way to experience Bully.

Unique Setting and Story

Unlike most open-world games, Bully situates its chaos in a schoolyard setting rather than a sprawling city. This unusual backdrop allows Rockstar to parody teenage life, social cliques, and adult hypocrisy with the same satirical energy the studio brought to Grand Theft Auto.

Diverse Social Interactions

Players can make friends, build rivalries, and even start romantic relationships with classmates. These interactions are not just cosmetic but affect gameplay, unlocking bonuses and altering how different cliques treat Jimmy throughout the story.

School System and Classes

Attending classes is both a mechanic and a mini-game challenge. Classes like Chemistry, Gym, and English test player reflexes, timing, and puzzle-solving, rewarding success with bonuses like improved fighting moves or persuasive dialogue options.

Sandbox Mischief

From pulling fire alarms to setting off stink bombs, Bully thrives on playful mischief. The game offers countless opportunities to prank teachers, humiliate bullies, or simply roam around exploring the schoolyard and town, ensuring every play session feels spontaneous.

Gameplay

Mission-Based Progression

Bully: Scholarship Edition progresses through structured missions that often parody school life with Rockstar’s trademark humor. Missions range from taking revenge on bullies, helping classmates, sabotaging rival cliques, or participating in bizarre school events, all of which highlight Jimmy’s rise in Bullworth’s chaotic hierarchy.

Exploration and Open World

Outside missions, players can freely explore Bullworth Academy and the surrounding town, discovering shops, carnival rides, and secret hideouts. This semi-open world encourages curiosity, rewarding exploration with collectibles, side activities, and hidden challenges.

Classes and Skill Progression

Classes serve as both narrative immersion and gameplay progression. For example, success in Chemistry grants access to homemade weapons like stink bombs, while Gym improves fighting skills. Failing to attend class can lead to trouble with prefects, adding a light time-management element.

Combat and Pranks

Fights are central to Bully’s gameplay, and combat combines simple melee attacks with unlockable wrestling moves and environmental weapons like slingshots. Pranks are equally important, letting players humiliate rivals with stink bombs, marbles, or itching powder, often creating hilarious situations that feel straight out of a cartoon.

Minigames and Side Activities

Beyond the main story, the game offers endless distractions: go-kart racing, carnival games, paper route jobs, and even boxing tournaments. These activities flesh out Bullworth as a living, breathing world while offering fun breaks from the narrative.

Graphics

Stylized Visual Design

Bully: Scholarship Edition retains the cartoon-like, exaggerated art style of the original, ensuring its satirical edge comes across without feeling too dark. Character designs exaggerate features to highlight personality types, making bullies, nerds, and authority figures instantly recognizable.

Environmental Detail

Bullworth Academy and its surrounding town are designed to feel both familiar and surreal, with autumn leaves, snowy winters, and seasonal changes adding a sense of time passing. The school hallways, dorm rooms, and carnival areas carry small details that make the world feel alive and distinct.

Animations and Cutscenes

Animations emphasize humor, with characters flailing during fights, overreacting to pranks, or delivering melodramatic lines. Cutscenes use Rockstar’s cinematic flair but with a lighter, tongue-in-cheek tone compared to their crime dramas.

Performance and Upgrades

While the Scholarship Edition improved textures and added widescreen support, performance could be inconsistent, especially on PC where bugs and crashes became a common complaint. Still, the version remains the most content-rich, even if technically imperfect.

Pros and Cons

✔️ Pros

• Unique school setting that blends open-world mischief with a coming-of-age narrative
• Expanded content with new missions, classes, and unlockables in the Scholarship Edition
• Engaging variety of side activities and mini-games that keep gameplay fresh
• Memorable characters and satirical humor that parody teenage life and authority figures

❌ Cons

• Technical issues, especially on PC, including crashes and performance hiccups
• Combat and animations can feel clunky compared to more modern Rockstar titles
• Limited world size compared to larger open-world games, reducing long-term exploration depth