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Jim Davis could’ve never known that his Garfield comic strip starring a lasagna-loving, Monday-hating cat would eventually become one of the greatest meme cornerstones of our time. Last year, artist Will Burke (opens in new tab) reimagined the smarmy orange feline as a horrific monstrosity who terrorizes his owner Jon Arbuckle; in turn, animator LumpyTouch (opens in new tab) was inspired to render those ghastly versions of Garfield as pixel art animations from a survival horror Game Boy game that never was. The new Garfield Gameboy’d Complete (opens in new tab) video links this nightmare-inducing saga together with new scenes – and if you’re at all a fan of retro-themed horror, it’s utterly essential viewing.
For over 13 minutes, you’ll recoil in horror at Garfield’s otherworldly forms, brought to pulsating life in perfect monochromatic style that looks like direct-feed footage from a Super Game Boy holding this cursed cartridge. The sound is equally well done, with a mix of old-school sound effects, bone-chilling growls, and great use of the suspenseful soundtracks from the original Clock Tower games. There’s even a wholly original ending theme that’s equal parts hilarious and haunting, provided you can make it that far in the video without fleeing in terror.
It’s the little details that really sell this series of animations as part of a game we never got, particularly the loading screens that give Jon and the player some much-needed survival tips. Can Jon rescue his pals like Odie, Arlene, and Nermal before they’re devoured by Garfield’s gaping maw? Will he recover all the hidden bones for the best ending? You might’ve seen snippets of Garfield Gameboy’d floating around the internet in months past, but watching them all in sequence like this (along with the added scenes and transitions) really solidifies it as a horror masterpiece. If you love pixelated horror in the same vein as Clock Tower, Splatterhouse, and Yume Nikki, or just delight in seeing Garfield as a nightmarish hellspawn, LumpyTouch’s video will be the highlight of your day. If you like their work, I highly recommend checking out this series of cursed images turned into as Earthbound enemies (opens in new tab).
If you’re looking for more scares, check out our list of the best horror games (opens in new tab). Or see what’s happening this week in games and entertainment with our latest Release Radar:
