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Garfield: Caught in the Act

Sega Genesis

Sega Genesis

As lazy cartoon cat Garfield, you're somehow trapped in your TV, that's what happens with too much TV watching. Go and find all remote-control pieces to get out of that box, and check the fridge for a change. The player advances through levels and bonus rounds in his attempt to escape. Unlike ...

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Developer
Point of View

Released on
1995

Size
1 Player

Version
Sega Genesis

Requirements
Sega Genesis

Downloads
Platform

Publisher
Sega of America

ESRB Rating
E - Everyone

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Description

As lazy cartoon cat Garfield, you’re somehow trapped in your TV, that’s what happens with too much TV watching. Go and find all remote-control pieces to get out of that box, and check the fridge for a change. The player advances through levels and bonus rounds in his attempt to escape.

Unlike most other platform games of its time, Garfield boasted completely unique art on each of its six levels, both for tile art and character costumes. The levels are inspired by classic movies, but given a Garfield twist, like “Catsablanca” and “The Curse of Cleofatra”.

Garfield: Caught in the Act

Overview & History

Released in 1995 by Sega of America and developed by Novotrade International, Garfield: Caught in the Act is a platforming adventure based on Jim Davis's iconic, lasagna-loving feline. Released late in the Sega Genesis's lifespan, the game was unique for its animated framing device: Garfield and Odie are watching television when Garfield rudely changes the channel, angering the TV gnomes living inside the set. Escaping the screen, the gnomes pull Garfield right into the television cosmos, forcing him to leap through various television-genre-themed worlds to fight his way back to his living room couch. The Genesis version stands out with its distinct graphic style, featuring claymation-inspired sprite work and fluid animations that genuinely capture Garfield's lazy yet cynical personality.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Garfield travels through five distinct TV-inspired eras—ranging from a prehistoric age and ancient Egypt to a pirate-infested Caribbean and a futuristic sci-fi metropolis—before culminating in a final showdown within Castle Groan. Unlike traditional platformers where heroes wield swords or guns, Garfield relies on a bizarre and context-appropriate arsenal: throwing rocks, pies, and even using a vacuum cleaner in later stages to dispatch bugs, mummies, and pirate ghosts. Garfield's moveset includes a standard jump, a crouching peek, and a melee swipe. Power-ups are hidden inside television sets throughout the stages, rewarding players with extra health, temporary invincibility, or special projectile ammo. A notable feature of the Genesis version is its password system, which lets players resume their progress across the grueling television multiverse.