Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland Review: A Nostalgia-Filled Gaming Experience

Rugrats animated series first aired on Nickelodeon in 1991, around the same time the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was winding down. Back then, the NES was home to many great licensed games like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3 by Konami and Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers by Capcom. Surprisingly, Rugrats never got its own game during this time. But now, more than 30 years later, fans can finally enjoy Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland, a retro-style adventure game that lets you choose between playing in an 8-bit style or using HD visuals that closely match the look of the original show.

In this new game, each level feels like an episode from Rugrats TV series. The levels start with title cards and the familiar theme music. In true Rugrats fashion, the babies’ imaginations turn everyday locations into exciting adventures. For example- refrigerator becomes a chilly, ice-themed world while the backyard sandbox turns into a desert oasis. Game stays true to the show’s creative spirit, making it feel authentic for longtime fans. Even the enemies like the sippy cup Mr. Tippy and floating Cynthia doll heads, are pulled straight from the Nickelodeon series.

In Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland, players can pick from the show’s main cast—Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil—to take on the game’s nightmarish enemies. Each baby has their own strengths and weaknesses. Tommy is most balanced while Chuckie has higher jump, making him more agile. Interestingly, game borrows heavily from Super Mario Bros. 2 for its character abilities. Chuckie’s jump is almost identical to Luigi’s jump in Mario and Lil has a float mechanic similar to Princess Peach’s. Fans of Super Mario Bros. 2 will notice these similarities, which can be both amusing and a clear tribute to the NES classic. If you’re going to draw inspiration from an era, choosing one of the best games from that time makes sense!

A neat feature of Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland is that you can switch between characters during each level, using each baby’s strengths. If one baby is defeated, you can continue from a nearby checkpoint with the remaining three. A Game Over only occurs if all four babies are defeated. Even then, you simply restart level rather than entire game. This is much more forgiving compared to most NES games, making it accessible to a wider audience. Another helpful feature is that players can swap out a character if their health is low and switch back after finding health items like Cookies or Bottles to refill their life.

In Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland, players can switch between two visual styles throughout each stage—HD and 8-bit. While the HD graphics are nice, the 8-bit option has a nostalgic charm, with crisp sprites that resemble the late NES era. The babies and even the adult characters look fantastic in this retro style. Along with two visual choices, game also offers two versions of the soundtrack. The 8-bit audio, in particular, stands out with its catchy tunes but both soundtracks are enjoyable.

However, the game is fairly short and can be completed in just a couple of hours. While it’s a fun experience for fans of retro platformers and classic Nicktoons, it doesn’t quite build on the games that inspired it. The developers’ passion for the original Rugrats show is clear, but with so many other nostalgic and retro games available today, Adventures in Gameland struggles to stand out despite its charm.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland is both a tribute to the original Rugrats series and a nod to the NES era. It’s surprising it took so long for this mix to happen, but the blend works well most of the time. The game doesn’t break new ground and takes a lot of inspiration from classics like Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers and Super Mario Bros. 2. However, as a fan of the Nicktoon and those old NES games, I had fun with this nostalgic adventure. While it’s not as groundbreaking as Shovel Knight, it’s still a fun throwback for the short time it lasts.

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The game releases on September 10th for PC, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch, with Xbox Series X|S getting it on September 11th. This review was based on a Nintendo Switch OLED, and a review code was provided by the publisher.