Bully: Anniversary Edition

In the pantheon of Rockstar Games’ illustrious history, sandwiched between the sprawling crime epics of Grand Theft Auto and the dust-choked tragedies of Red Dead Redemption, sits a smaller, stranger, and arguably more charming title: Bully. Originally released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2, it traded carjackings for swirlies and bank heists for panty raids. Ten years later, to celebrate a decade of schoolyard dominance, Rockstar released Bully: Anniversary Edition for Android and iOS.

This mobile iteration is not merely a port; it is the definitive “pocket” experience of Jimmy Hopkins’ adolescence. Developed in conjunction with War Drum Studios (now Grove Street Games), the Anniversary Edition bundles the expanded content of the 2008 Scholarship Edition with enhanced graphics, touch-optimized controls, and asynchronous multiplayer features.

For veteran fans, it is a nostalgia trip back to the halls of Bullworth Academy. For newcomers, it is a chance to experience one of the most unique open-world games ever made—a satire of adolescence that remains biting, hilarious, and surprisingly heartwarming. This article delves deep into every aspect of Bully: Anniversary Edition, from its clique warfare to its mobile-exclusive features.

Welcome to Bullworth Academy

A Living, Breathing Campus

The setting of Bully is as much a character as the protagonist himself. Bullworth Academy is a fictional boarding school in the New England region of the United States, designed with a gothic, crumbling aesthetic that screams “institutional neglect.” The Anniversary Edition brings this world to life on high-resolution mobile displays with improved lighting and textures.

Unlike the vast, empty spaces often found in open-world games, Bullworth is dense. Every corridor, classroom, and corner of the campus serves a purpose. The game operates on a clock system, forcing players to adhere to a schedule. You wake up at 8:00 AM, attend morning classes, break for lunch, attend afternoon classes, and then have free time until curfew. This structure creates a rhythm that mimics real student life, making the acts of truancy and rebellion feel genuinely thrilling.

The Town of Bullworth

As the game progresses, the gates of the academy open, revealing the surrounding town. The map is divided into distinct districts that mirror the class divides of the characters:

• Bullworth Town: The commercial hub with shops, a cinema, and a police station.
• Old Bullworth Vale: A pristine, upper-class suburb where the wealthy “Preppies” live. It features manicured lawns, a beach, and a carnival.
• New Coventry: A run-down, urban tenement district home to the “Greasers.”
• Blue Skies Industrial Park: The grimy, factory-laden area where the “Townies” (dropouts) reside.

The transition between these areas is seamless, and the Anniversary Edition handles the draw distances and loading zones admirably on modern hardware, making the world feel cohesive.

Jimmy Hopkins: The Anti-Hero We Needed

Not Just a Thug

The protagonist, Jimmy Hopkins, is a 15-year-old menace who has been expelled from seven previous schools. At first glance, he appears to be a brute—shaved head, scowling face, and a stocky build. However, Jimmy is one of Rockstar’s most nuanced characters. He isn’t a bully by nature; he is a reactor. He bullies the bullies.

Jimmy is dumped at Bullworth by his mother and her new husband as they head off on a year-long honeymoon. Left to fend for himself, he navigates a social hierarchy that is actively hostile. What makes Jimmy compelling is his sense of justice. He defends the nerds (even if he finds them annoying), stands up to the predatory faculty, and eventually tries to bring peace to the warring cliques.

The Supporting Cast

The narrative is driven by a colorful cast of stereotypes turned up to eleven:

• Gary Smith: A sociopathic manipulator who initially befriends Jimmy. His descent into paranoia and villainy drives the main plot.
• Pete Kowalski: The timid, shy student who becomes Jimmy’s conscience and tactical advisor.
• Dr. Crabblesnitch: The pompous, oblivious principal who believes he is running a prestigious institution while it crumbles around him.

The voice acting remains stellar in the Anniversary Edition, with the dialogue capturing the awkward, aggressive, and often hilarious vernacular of teenagers.

The Clique System: Social Warfare

The core conflict in Bully revolves around the school’s cliques. Earning respect with one group often means losing it with another.

1. The Bullies

Dressed in white shirts and untucked jeans, these are the first enemies you face. They have no territory but roam the school hallways looking for victims. Defeating their leader, Russell Northrop—a hulk of a student—is the first major boss fight and a turning point in the game.

2. The Nerds

Located in the library and the observatory, the Nerds are physically weak but armed with high-tech weapons like bottle rocket launchers and stink bombs. Earning their respect is crucial for academic success, but be warned: hanging out with them makes you a target for the Jocks.

3. The Preppies

Rich, entitled, and vicious, the Preppies hang out at Harrington House and the boxing gym in Old Bullworth Vale. They are skilled boxers and often attack in groups. Their storyline involves Jimmy infiltrating their high-society world, leading to a memorable boxing match boss fight.

4. The Greasers

Styled after 1950s rockers, the Greasers control the auto shop and New Coventry. Led by Johnny Vincent, they are obsessed with loyalty and their girlfriends. They are tough street fighters who respect strength.

5. The Jocks

The kings of the school, ruling the football field and gym. They are the toughest opponents in melee combat due to their size and strength. Taking them down involves some of the game’s most elaborate pranks.

6. The Townies

The “dropouts” who live in the industrial park. They hate the school and everyone in it. They serve as the final antagonists before the endgame, representing the kids the system completely failed.

Gameplay Mechanics: Surviving the School Year

The Anniversary Edition retains the variety of gameplay loops that made the original special, adapting them for touchscreens.

Classes and Minigames

Attending class isn’t just roleplay; it provides tangible gameplay benefits. The Anniversary Edition includes the extra classes from the Scholarship Edition:

• Chemistry: A rhythm minigame that unlocks firecrackers, stink bombs, and itching powder.
• English: A word scramble game. passing it allows Jimmy to apologize to authority figures and deliver more biting taunts.
• Gym: Wrestling and Dodgeball games that unlock new fighting moves and improved weapon accuracy.
• Art: A painting minigame (inspired by Qix) that boosts health bonuses from kissing.
• Shop: Button-matching sequences to build bikes, unlocking better BMX models.
• Photography: Missions to take photos of specific landmarks or students, unlocking the color digital camera.
• Biology: A dissection minigame (using touch controls to slice) that unlocks clothing items.
• Music: A rhythm game similar to Guitar Hero, unlocking music-themed outfits.
• Geography: A map-flagging game that reveals collectibles on your map.
• Math: Rapid-fire arithmetic questions that unlock nerd outfits.

Combat: Fists and Slingshots

Combat in Bully is less lethal than GTA but equally satisfying. Jimmy fights using a mix of boxing, wrestling, and martial arts moves learned from a homeless veteran behind the school.

• Weapons: There are no guns. Instead, you use a Super Slingshot, Bottle Rocket Launcher, Spud Gun, Bag of Marbles, and Stink Bombs.
• Grappling: The grappling system allows you to grab enemies, shove them into lockers, or give them humiliating “noogies.”
• Touch Combat: On mobile, the right side of the screen handles attacks. The game uses a contextual system where buttons for grappling or throwing appear only when an enemy is near. It works surprisingly well, though complex combos can sometimes be tricky to execute on a glass screen.

Pranks and Trouble

You can stuff students into lockers, stick “kick me” signs on their backs, or pour marbles to make prefects trip. However, getting caught raises your “Trouble Meter.”

Red: Prefects will aggressively tackle you. If caught, you are “busted” and sent to the principal’s office or class, losing your weapons.

Yellow: Prefects will chase you. You can hide in bins or lockers to escape.

Anniversary Edition: What’s New on Mobile?

This version of the game brought several specific enhancements that distinguish it from the console versions.

1. Visual Overhaul

The graphics engine was updated significantly. Character models have higher polygon counts, and the lighting system is dynamic. Shadows are real-time, and textures on clothing and environments are much sharper.

• Controversy: Some purists argue that the new lighting makes the game look too “clean” or “warm,” losing the cold, foggy, autumnal atmosphere of the PS2 original. However, on a small mobile screen, the increased clarity is generally a plus.

2. Touch Controls & Haptics

Rockstar implemented a virtual joystick for movement and context-sensitive buttons for actions.

• Auto-Aim: The shooting mechanics for the slingshot have a generous auto-aim assist, essential for touch controls.
• Physical Controller Support: For those who hate touch controls, the game fully supports Bluetooth controllers (Xbox, PS4/PS5, and generic Android controllers), which essentially turns your phone into a portable console.

3. Friend Challenges (Multiplayer)

The Scholarship Edition on Xbox 360/Wii featured a local split-screen multiplayer mode. Since split-screen isn’t viable on phones, Anniversary Edition introduces “Friend Challenges.” This is an asynchronous, turn-based multiplayer mode. You can challenge friends (or random players) to “head-to-head” classroom minigames like:

• ConSumo: The sumo wrestler arcade game.
• Nut Shots: The squirrel shooting arcade game.
• Biology Dissection: A race to dissect animals the fastest.
• Word Scramble: Competing for the highest score in English class.

While it lacks the open-world chaos of GTA Online, it fits the mobile platform well, allowing for quick bursts of competitive play.

4. Cloud Saves

The integration with Rockstar Games Social Club allows for cloud saves. You can start playing on your Android tablet and pick up exactly where you left off on your Android phone.

Technical Performance and Compatibility

It is important to address the elephant in the room regarding the Android version.

The Android 11+ Crash Issue

For several years following the release of Android 11, Bully: Anniversary Edition suffered from severe stability issues. Users on newer devices (Android 11, 12, 13, and 14) reported the game crashing immediately upon startup or freezing during gameplay.

• Status: While Rockstar has issued patches, results are mixed. Some users on the latest flagship phones (like the Galaxy S24 or Pixel 8) report smooth gameplay, while others still experience crashes.
• Workarounds: The community has found various workarounds, often involving running the game in a virtual machine app (like VMOS) or limiting the phone’s refresh rate to 60Hz, as the game’s physics engine can glitch at higher frame rates (90Hz or 120Hz).

Before purchasing, it is highly recommended to check recent reviews on the Google Play Store filtered by your specific device model to see if compatibility issues persist.

Critical Reception and Legacy

When Bully first launched, it was surrounded by controversy. Activists and lawyers (notably Jack Thompson) tried to ban it, assuming it would be a “Columbine simulator.” They were wrong.

Critics praised the game for its satire and heart. It wasn’t about shooting up a school; it was about standing up to the harshness of growing up. The Anniversary Edition holds a strong rating on the Play Store (typically hovering around 4.0 – 4.5 stars depending on the region), with the main deductions coming from the aforementioned technical crashes rather than the game’s quality.

Why It Still Matters

In an era of live-service games and endless loot boxes, Bully stands as a complete, single-player narrative experience. Its smaller scale is its strength. You learn the map by heart. You recognize the NPCs. You feel like you live at Bullworth.

The soundtrack, composed by Shawn Lee, is another highlight. Its funky, bass-heavy riffs capture the mischievous tone perfectly. It loops dynamically, changing intensity whether you are walking to class or running from prefects.

Conclusion: Is It Worth The Enrollment?

Yes. Bully: Anniversary Edition remains one of the best value propositions on the Google Play Store. For a fraction of the price of a console game, you get a 20+ hour open-world campaign, high-quality voice acting, and a story that has aged remarkably well.

It captures a universal experience—the awkwardness of puberty, the unfairness of authority, and the desire to carve out your own identity—and wraps it in a fun, interactive playground. Whether you are aiming for 100% completion (collecting all 75 rubber bands and smashing all 27 pumpkins) or just want to relive the story, this mobile port is a masterclass in how to bring a classic title to a new platform.

Pros:

• Full “Scholarship Edition” content with extra missions and classes.
• Excellent touch interface and controller support.
• High-resolution graphics look great on modern screens.
• Incredible story and character writing.
• No predatory microtransactions (one-time purchase).

Cons:

• Stability issues on some modern Android versions (Android 11+).
• Camera angles can occasionally be finicky in tight corridors.

If you have a compatible device, enroll in Bullworth Academy today. Just remember to keep your nose clean, get to class on time, and don’t let the prefects catch you with that slingshot.