Rugrats might not be the franchise you most think of when it comes to retro gaming, but Nickelodeon’s classic flagship show from the ’90s has had a broad incursion into video games. The intrepid toddlers appeared in 3D polygons in the original Search for Reptar and as 2D sprites in handheld titles.
Now you can relive those adventures with a new collection that brings the babies back for modern consoles. Rugrats: Retro Rewind is a physical compendium of classic Rugrats games available for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 (also see our guides to the best retro game consoles and the best retro handhelds).
The titles range from 3D games initially released for the original PlayStation – 1998’s 3D jigsaw puzzle mystery Rugrats: Search for Reptar and the action adventure Rugrats: Studio Tour – to the 2D Game Boy titles The Rugrats Movie and Rugrats: Time Travelers.
There’s also Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, which was first available on the Game Boy Color, PlayStation and N64 and took the team to a theme park in Paris, and there’s the later 2001 Game Boy Advance release Rugrats: Castle Capers, in which the team has to retrieve their stolen toys from Angelica, who is holding them hostage in a fortress-like playground set.
Limited Run Games has added some customisable screen filters to recapture the warm retro feel of a CRT screen, allowing the games to be experienced as players remember them. There are also some quality of life updates for those whose reflexes aren’t quite what they were in the 90s, including ‘save anywhere’ and rewind features. There’s even a music player so you can listen to the bouncy soundtrack even when you’re not playing the games.
Pre-orders are open at Limited Run Games until 31 May with pricing from $34.99.
