The Crackpet Show: Happy Tree Friends Edition — Everything We Know

Remember Happy Tree Friends—those twisted, albeit somewhat happy-go-lucky critters who took it upon themselves to mindlessly torture one another over a series of not-so family-friendly cartoons? Well, as it turns out, those characters will be introduced to the twin-stick shooter game known as The Crackpet Show, which first found its place in the world back in late 2022. Why a twin-stick shooter? And why Happy Tree Friends? Well, therein lies a couple of questions that we can’t for the life of us figure out the answers to.

Whatever it is, we’re definitely excited to get our hands on it when it releases on consoles and PC later this year. If you are too, then be sure to read on for all the latest details and pre-launch updates. The Crackpet Show: Happy Tree Friends Edition — what is it, really, and what can we expect from the sadistic forest critters?

What Is The Crackpet Show: Happy Tree Friends Edition?

To put you in the picture, The Crackpet Show: Happy Tree Friends Edition is a twin-stick roguelite shoot ‘em up game. According to its press release, it’ll center its universe around—you guessed it—The Crackpet Show, the “most violent TV show in the history of violent TV shows.” As such, players will be invited to tune in and develop their own fighter, and with a little luck and a whole lot of bloodshed, carve their names in stone as the network’s next all-star.

In Ravenage’s own words: “Happy Tree Friends are back! Remember those rebellious days when parents forbade us from watching this cute cartoon, and we had to sneak around? Well, guess what? Now you can embrace the legendary cruelty and humor of the iconic cartoon as you play your favorite characters in The Crackpet Show: Happy Tree Friends Edition! Get ready to unleash chaos, earn fame, and have a blast!”

Story

In case you missed its debut back in 2022, The Crackpet Show centers its world around the legendary titular TV series—a blood-soaked game show that pits critters and beasts against one another over a series of brutal trials and bullet-riddled battles. It seems fitting, then, that the folks of Happy Tree Friends would secure a spot on the latest roster, what with their history of being questionably violent. Cute, yes — but violent. So, so violent.

“Are you ready to get famous?” the press release reads in part. “If so, grab your gun and join the most violent TV show in the history of violent TV shows! Participants will have to shoot, smash and rip through hundreds of enemies on their way to victory!”

“And, when you are completely done with show business, invite your friends and party-up with cooperative mode with up to four players! Play smart and synergize with the team or bash their teeth in when they will try to steal your power-ups: every dirty trick in the book is valid, and every strategy works as long as you are having fun. So, are you ready to sign the contract?”

Gameplay

From what we’ve caught so far, the Happy Tree Friends Edition will keep ahold of all the original game’s core gameplay elements. That means it’ll retain the same top-down roguelite action, as well as randomized episodes that feature endless bloodshed, boss battles, and nifty upgrades that allow players to build their legacy and ascend the ranks as an up-and-coming combatant. The only real difference this time around, of course, is that there’ll be a network of characters from the Happy Tree Friends roster to choose from. So, if that’s the sort of gig you wouldn’t mind signing up for, then you need only wait until September 27th to punch your ticket.

“Don’t be discouraged by THE GIANT BOSSES that are more than capable of turning your innards outwards—just grab the best perks and weapons along the way,” the description expands. “Make your gun spew molten lava all over the floor, turn yourself into a berserker, and let your bullets bounce between enemies! All these things stack, so you have every opportunity to turn your furry warrior into a raging death machine.”

“You’ll still die, though,” the description continues. “That’s just how life is, even for those who wield a rail gun. But who cares about death when your audience loves YOU? Unlike real life, here you can make good use of the likes you receive.”

Development

It came as no surprise to see developer Vixa Games reaching out to grasp a few add-ons for The Crackpet Show, what with the base game amassing high praise following its late 2022 launch. And honestly, what better way to expand on its success than to wrangle in Happy Tree Friends, a cartoon that’s basically known for its unruly characters and top-shelf gore?

It is worth pointing out that, while the upcoming edition will be available as a standalone product for consoles, it will come as DLC for Switch and PC. But more on that shortly.

Trailer

Ready for a burst of nostalgia? As luck would have it, developer Ravenage released a short trailer outlining the gameplay and characters earlier this week. You can check it out for yourself in the video embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

The Crackpet Show: Happy Tree Friends Edition will be coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC via Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store on September 27, 2023. You can purchase it as paid DLC from the original version of the game, which can be purchased here. Note that this will only apply to the Switch and PC versions.

Interested in joining in on the chaos? If so, be sure to check in with the devs over on their joint social handle for all the latest updates here. If anything changes ahead of its September release, we’ll be sure to fill you in on all the key details right here on gaming.net.

So, what’s your take? Will you be picking up a copy of The Crackpet Show: Happy Tree Friends Edition when it comes to consoles and PC later this year? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.