Summary
Adult Swim Games is a department of the company Adult Swim, most well known for its cartoon shows, likeRick and MortyandRobot Chicken, that cater to an adult audience. Beginning in 2005, Adult Swim Games began by publishing games based on their own shows and franchises but eventually branched out into publishing indie games in 2011.
With a nearly twenty-year timeline, Adult Swim Games has published a wide range of games for a variety of platforms, although a large number have been apps. Unfortunately, today, many classic Adult Swim Games titles are unavailable, with parent company Warner Bros. stating they willcontinue removing many gamesfrom stores. Despite a relatively long history, it appears that Adult Swim is pivoting away from the gaming industry until further notice. That doesn’t detract from the many popular and beloved games that the company has published over the years.
Death’s Gambitis a side-scrolling RPG game with action andMetroidvania elements. Players move through the world, battling various monsters and using environmental cues to piece together a story. While the game combines a lot of pre-existing genres, it does so in a fun and engaging way.
The game received a lot of praise for its 2D art style, and for achieving Soulslike difficulty without excluding general audiences.Death’s Gambitdidn’t quite achieve critical acclaim, particularly as it launched with a few glitches and unpolished aspects. It was nevertheless a fun combination of genres and a challenging, but enjoyable game.
Pocket Mortysis exactly what it sounds like: aRick and Mortyversion of aPokemon-style game. Players can explore the world collecting rare and powerful Mortys, making them battle until they pass out, and doing it all again the next day. It’s a turn-based combat RPG with unique attacks, items, and Mortys.
Despitebeing a parody,Pocket Mortysis a very goodPokemoncopy. It’s well-constructed, with lots of content and show-related elements. The graphics are satisfying, and the storyline is enough to keep players engaged. While it might not be as expansive or polished as aPokemongame, for an iOS/Android title, it’s surprisingly entertaining. It’s also free-to-play, meaning there’s little to no harm in giving it a try.
Headlanderis another Metroidvania game published by Adult Swim in 2016. Heavily inspired by nostalgic, science-fiction-style notions of the future, players assume the role of the last surviving human in a mainly robotic future. Charmingly quirky,Headlandercreates a brilliantly retro picture of the future with a unique set of mechanics.
Only the head of the last human has survived cryosleep, so players technically maneuver the game as a head in a technologically advanced helmet, adopting the bodies of headless robots whenever necessary. This 2.5 Metroidvania game was very well-received by critics, with many praising how well-executed the atmosphere of the game was. The gameplay is also very fun and distinct, with a lot of creative sections that keep it fresh.
Westerado: Double Barreledis a top-down shooter indie game adapted from the popular web browser gameWesterado. Set in the Wild West, the narrative is heavily inspired by classic Western movies, following a revenge plot. Players move around the West in search of information about the outlaw who killed their family, and through various jobs, conversations, and clues, gamers must figure out who the killer is.
Discovering the outlaw’s identity is entirely left up to the player, who can actively accuse and kill NPCs at any point during the game - although random, unlawful killings will impact how the player is treated by others in the world.Westerado: Double Barreledreceived an incredibly positive response from players, with many praising its stylized art and replayability. Even though the game is short, it’s a brilliantly deep and engaging take onthe Wild West genreand is a mighty entertaining game.
3Kingsway
Metascore: 80
Kingswayis an RPG in the style of a classic Windows operating system. Players progress through a series of pop-ups and windows, receiving quests via email and tracking health/mana through error messages. A brilliantly nostalgic and creative take on the RPG genre,Kingswaybrings a freshness to oldertext-based adventures.
Published by Adult Swim in 2017, the game was highly praised for recreating the feeling of a throwback game while updating the form in a modern and captivating way. Critics did note thatKingswaywas quite challenging, with the threat of perma-death looming over each combat encounter. Ultimately, it’s thought to be a very clever and entertaining game presented in a distinct, imaginative package.
Battle Chef Brigadeis a unique indie title published by Adult Swim in 2017. As both a puzzle game and beat ‘em up, players must use their puzzle-solving skills to assemble a dish before polishing their fists to deliver it to the judges. With a great cast of characters, there’s never a dull moment in this bright and enjoyable game.
Upon release,Battle Chef Brigadewas very well received. Critics and players alike found the game to be very entertaining and extremely well-made for an indie title. Although many mourned how short the game was, overall thiscreative take on cooking gamescombined the best of gameplay, character, and genuine fun to make one of Adult Swim’s biggest hits.
1Robot Unicorn Attack 2
Metascore: 84
Robot Unicorn Attackis perhaps one of Adult Swim’s more legendary games, originating as a browser game in 2010 to tremendous success. The sequel,Robot Unicorn Attack 2, was released in 2013 for iOS and Android and quickly rose to meet the success of its predecessor.
Robot Unicorn Attack 2is a side-scrollingendless running game, where players gallop through mystical lands as a - you guessed it - robot unicorn. The sequel is built upon the original in several ways, introducing boosts, enemies, and new mechanics. It also included new themes and substantially updated art that overall elevated the concept. Many players consider it to be the culmination of endless running games, creating a genuinely fun game that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
