Regular Show: Mordecai and Rigby in 8-Bit Land

Lore & Background

Based on the two-part fourth season premiere 'Exit 9B', the game depicts Mordecai and Rigby noticing the arrival of a video game console, which distracts them from lawn mowing work commanded by their boss Benson. Once they boot it up, they are sucked into the television screen, the titular 8-bit land, as the game's playable characters. The two traverse four worlds, each consisting of four levels and with different themes, to stop the son of Garrett Bobby Ferguson, also known as Giant Bearded Face, from creating an entrance to the underworld via the park.

Players control Mordecai and Rigby and must switch between both characters and three gameplay modes within stages: platform, top-down shooter, and side-scrolling shooter. In platform sections, Mordecai can double jump and Rigby can crawl into small areas; side-scrolling shooter sections have Mordecai morphed into a spaceship, while top-down shooters involve controlling Rigby. Many enemies and concepts are inspired by episodes from the show, including power-ups and boss fights. Additional unlockables can be attained by collecting VHS tapes, including concept art, a music player, in-game cheats, and a New Game+ mode.

The game was first announced by series creator J. G. Quintel on April 8, 2013, via Twitter. On May 14, 2013, Cartoon Network and D3 Publisher announced three video games based on Cartoon Network properties, including this title. WayForward received input from the series' creator to ensure the personality and humor were reflected. The game was demoed at New York Comic Con in July 2013.

Reader's Guide

Regular Show: Mordecai and Rigby in 8-Bit Land garnered 'generally unfavorable' reviews according to Metacritic. Critics commonly cited high difficulty, poor hit detection, and imprecise controls. Pocket Gamer's Mike Rose labeled it WayForward's worst product, and GamesRadar+'s Lucas Sullivan called it just as enjoyable as the free Regular Show flash games on Cartoon Network's website. Reviewers noted that the concept of switching between gameplay modes had potential but was marred by level design that made the choice too obvious, and that the combination of styles was more chaotic than intended. Many felt the game did not adequately represent the personality and humor of the original series, resulting in a bland platform game that could have had any other characters as playable. The lack of replay value was also condemned, with critics reporting completion within an hour and finding the extras and collectibles limited. The game's delisting from the Nintendo eShop between 2017 and 2019, likely due to an expiring license, has made it increasingly difficult to access legally.

Did You Know?

• The game was developed by WayForward Technologies, which also developed the Adventure Time game announced alongside it.
• Series creator J. G. Quintel first announced the game on his Twitter page on April 8, 2013.
• The game was delisted from the Nintendo eShop at some point between 2017 and 2019, most likely due to an expiring license.
• A mullet power-up gives the player special attacks, reflecting input from the series' creator.