Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland — Everything We Know

If you’re wondering where else you’ve heard it, Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland is an adaptation of the ‘90s cartoon classic, Rugrats. This was a cute, funny show that used to air on Nickelodeon. It featured talking babies doing all sorts of mischief, and their parents were often none the wiser. Anyway, you don’t have to have watched the show to appreciate the upcoming game. That’s because it’s two parts of a nostalgic trip down memory lane. 

On one end, it looks like a replica of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) console games, so much so that the developing team has confirmed that the game will be accessible via the NES console. Then, of course, it uses the hand-drawn artistic quality of cartoons from back in the day, with the option to switch between HD and retro 8-bit style. There are so many old memories packed in one bundle, but what more do we know of the gameplay, story, release date, etc.? Let’s find out in our Rugrats: Adventures of Gameland — Everything We Know article. 

What is Rugrats: Adventures of Gameland?

Rugrats: Adventures of Gameland is an upcoming puzzle platformer currently in development by The MIX Games in collaboration with Wallride. The game will be an adaptation of the ‘90s cartoon classic Rugrats and will feature the mischievous baby characters Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil, whom you know and love.

While there have been previous Rugrats video games, it seems the upcoming game is a standalone entry that will perhaps kick off a new series. You may already know of the Rugrats video game series, which was pioneered with Rugrats: Search for Reptar in 1998. However, the new game isn’t part of that line of games.

Story

As per expectation, Rugrats: Adventures of Gameland will feature popular Nickelodeon baby characters Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil. It will also tell a fresh story where, unlike the show where parents were often oblivious to their kids’ mischiefs, this time, it will take the partnership between kids and parents in co-op mode to win.

The official MIX Games Rugrats page reads:

Everyone's favorite babies are back in action! When Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil see a commercial for the new Reptar video game, they pretend that they're in a video game of their own! Through the power of imagination, the babies transform Tommy's house into a video game world full of action, excitement, and adventure!

We can deduce that gamers will explore the concept of playing a game within a game. Specifically, turning Tommy’s house into an expansive space to get into all sorts of mischief. This also suggests a difference in the level design compared to the show. While other areas may remain similar, Tommy’s house will likely feature in-depth 2D levels where you can explore and solve various puzzles.

Gameplay

The MIX games claim that the gameplay will draw inspiration from retro gaming. And it’s already evident in the trailer, whose graphics stay true to an “arcade-y” theme. Further, they have unveiled the key features the game will incorporate. Firstly, Tommy’s house will have six levels, each unique from the others. Players will move from one level to the next, solving different puzzles within them. They will also collect coins called “Reptar,” like the name of the game commercial they see in the beginning. These will allow them to unlock more levels hidden behind the “Reptar door.”

You’ll be happy to know that you can bring a friend along for the ride thanks to the two-player co-op feature. It’ll allow you to team up with others for a potentially easier, fun-packed time. In regards to visuals, the game will have two styles: HD and 8bit. Despite the former’s modernized version, it’ll still stay true to the nostalgic feel of the cult-classic Rugrats animations, thanks to the use of hand-drawn animations that match the cartoon’s style. And the 8-bit version, of course, is there for gamers who strictly want the retro experience.

Development

MIX Games is currently developing Rugrats: Adventures of Gameland as the first game in their portfolio. However, their collaborating partner, Wallride, has worked on a good number of previous video games. The developers in the studio have worked on titles like Job Simulator, Rick & Morty VR, ToeJam & Earl, Strata, and many more. So, you can rest assured that the team has experience adapting cartoons into video games and within a similar retro-inspired gameplay system. For now, the developers have penned down a 2024 release date. Hopefully, it remains so, and we can get our hands on it in the coming months.

Trailer

If you’re curious to see for yourself how the game’s retro inspirations look and feel, you can check out the game’s official reveal trailer here.  

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

The MIX games confirm that Rugrats: Adventures of Gameland will launch sometime in 2024. It’s unclear when the exact release date will be. However, we can’t help but hope that when it does, it’s as fun and exciting as we hope. Additionally, the studio reveals that the game will drop on consoles and PCs. Perhaps “consoles” will feature only next-gen versions of PlayStation and Xbox or the current-gen ones, too. There’s a chance, too, that it’ll also launch on Switch. However, until we get an actual confirmation, we can’t be sure yet. 

We do know for certain that the game will drop on the NES console as a throwback to the NES era, so hurray for old-school gaming fans. Lastly, we don’t know of any editions that will be made available. However, we do know that Limited Run Games will be responsible for releasing physical copies of the game, likely on all the platforms the game will launch on. Feel free to follow the official social handle here for more updates, and we’ll also be sure to let you know of any new information as soon as it comes up.  

So, what’s your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Rugrats: Adventures of Gameland when it drops? Let us know over on our socials here.