Adventure Time: Side Quests, the Cartoon Network reboot, arrives on Disney+ and Hulu in June 2026, and the renewed interest in the show has sent fans looking for more Adventure Time games to play. The catalogue is thinner than people remember. Pirates of the Enchiridion from 2018 is still the biggest, and the earlier Adventure Time games have mostly aged out of Steam. If you finished Pirates of the Enchiridion and want something with the same cartoon-adventure energy on PC, here are seven alternatives that hold the vibe.
We picked games that share at least two of these traits with the Adventure Time games: hand-drawn or cartoon-styled art, light RPG or adventure mechanics, comedic writing, and a tone that respects kids and adults at the same time. Pure roguelikes and dark fantasy RPGs sit in a different lane.
Quick comparison
| Game | Best for | Cost | Where to buy | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Park: The Stick of Truth | Closest cartoon RPG | $29.99 | Steam / Ubisoft | Show-accurate art |
| A Hat in Time | Cartoon platformer | $29.99 | Steam | Cute platforming |
| Cult of the Lamb | Cartoon roguelite | $24.99 | Steam | Base-building hybrid |
| Bug Fables | Paper Mario-style RPG | $24.99 | Steam | Turn-based combat |
| Pizza Tower | High-energy platformer | $19.99 | Steam | Cartoon physics |
| Sea of Stars | Modern JRPG callback | $34.99 | Steam | Sabin-era storytelling |
| Cuphead | Cartoon run-and-gun | $19.99 | Steam | Hand-drawn animation |
What Adventure Time fans want
The threads on r/adventuretime and the Cartoon Network subreddits cluster around four wishes when fans look for games.
Hand-crafted cartoon art
The show’s flat, expressive style is the visual signature fans want carried into games.
Comedic writing that respects kids and adults
The Adventure Time tone walks a line. Fans want games that walk it too.
Light RPG mechanics
Pirates of the Enchiridion ran a simple turn-based combat system. Fans coming off it tend to want lighter RPGs, not 60-hour systems-heavy games.
Couch and online co-op options
A surprising slice of Adventure Time games over the years supported co-op. Fans look for the same in alternatives.
The alternatives
South Park: The Stick of Truth — Closest cartoon RPG
South Park: The Stick of Truth is the cleanest comparison on this list. Hand-drawn cartoon art, turn-based combat that respects the show’s tone, and a campaign that reads like an extended episode. The sequel, The Fractured But Whole, is also a strong pick. Both run well on modern hardware and the catalogue stays available on Steam and Ubisoft.
Adventure Time fans who liked the irreverent humour and the turn-based loop of Pirates of the Enchiridion get along with Stick of Truth fast. The runtime sits at 15 to 20 hours.
Where it falls short: Humour leans harder R-rated than Adventure Time. Not for the youngest kids.
Pricing:
- $29.99 base (sales to $5)
- vs Adventure Time: Comparable list, longer.
Switching from Adventure Time: Cartoon RPG with rougher humour. Same loop shape.
Download: Steam · Ubisoft Store
Bottom line: Pick Stick of Truth for the closest cartoon RPG fit. Skip for younger players.
A Hat in Time — Best cartoon platformer
A Hat in Time is the small-team 3D platformer that captured the Mario 64 spirit with original cartoon characters. The Hat Kid protagonist, the colourful chapter worlds, and the moveset upgrades fit the Adventure Time crowd cleanly. Local couch co-op is included.
The community has shipped a deep mod scene, including a Death Wish DLC that adds harder challenges for completionists. The base game runs about 10 to 15 hours.
Where it falls short: Combat is light. The story is thinner than Adventure Time’s.
Pricing:
- $29.99 base (sales to $7)
- DLC packs: $5 to $10 each
- vs Adventure Time: Comparable list, similar runtime.
Switching from Adventure Time: 3D platformer replaces RPG. Cartoon tone carries.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: Pick A Hat in Time for cartoon platforming. Skip if you want RPG mechanics.
Cult of the Lamb — Best cartoon roguelite
Cult of the Lamb is the cartoon roguelite that pairs run-based dungeon crawling with a base-building cult management layer. The art is hand-drawn in a flat style that sits next to Adventure Time visually, and the writing balances dark humour with genuine charm. The runtime stretches to 25 hours and beyond, with new content arriving across major free updates.
The mix of two loops keeps it from feeling like either a pure roguelite or a pure management game. Adventure Time fans tend to fall in fast.
Where it falls short: Roguelite difficulty spikes can frustrate younger players. Darker themes than Adventure Time most of the time.
Pricing:
- $24.99 base (sales to $10)
- DLC packs: free updates
- vs Adventure Time: Comparable list, much longer.
Switching from Adventure Time: Roguelite replaces RPG. Tone is darker but still cartoon.
Bottom line: Pick Cult of the Lamb if you want the closest cartoon-style game with depth. Skip for the youngest kids.
Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling — Best Paper Mario-style RPG
Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling is the indie homage to Paper Mario that played to glowing reviews and built a passionate fan base. Turn-based combat with action commands, exploration that rewards curiosity, and writing that lands warm jokes across a 25-hour campaign. The art is hand-drawn at a fidelity that punches above the indie weight class.
The bug protagonist team and the world geography hold up against Pokemon-style or Adventure Time-style adventure setups. Younger players can handle the difficulty with help.
Where it falls short: Combat is turn-based with action commands, which has a learning curve. Some side quests are easy to miss.
Pricing:
- $24.99 base (sales to $10)
- vs Adventure Time: Comparable list, longer runtime.
Switching from Adventure Time: Paper Mario-style turn-based combat. Cartoon tone carries.
Bottom line: Pick Bug Fables for the deepest cartoon RPG on this list. Skip if turn-based combat is not for you.
Pizza Tower — Best high-energy platformer
Pizza Tower is the cartoon platformer with the highest velocity on this list. Hand-drawn frames, MS-Paint-meets-arcade visual style, and a score chase loop that keeps replays interesting. The humour is silly in a way that lines up with Adventure Time’s early-season tone.
The runtime is short, around 8 hours for the base campaign and double that with completion. The mod scene has shipped extra levels and difficulty modes.
Where it falls short: High-energy gameplay can overwhelm casual players. No story to speak of.
Pricing:
- $19.99 base (sales to $10)
- vs Adventure Time: Cheaper, shorter, denser per minute.
Switching from Adventure Time: Pure platformer. Cartoon vibes carry.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: Pick Pizza Tower for high-energy cartoon platforming. Skip if you want story.
Sea of Stars — Best modern JRPG callback
Sea of Stars is the Sabotage Studios homage to classic JRPGs. Pixel art, turn-based combat with timing-based active commands, and an over-world map that rewards exploration. The writing matches Adventure Time’s earnest core, the music is one of the best original game scores of recent years, and the runtime sits at 25 to 35 hours.
The combat is approachable but deeper than the Pirates of the Enchiridion combat. The two-character co-op handles party combat together, which is a feature that lines up with Adventure Time’s Finn-and-Jake structure.
Where it falls short: Pixel art is a preference test. Combat hit-checks reward attention.
Pricing:
- $34.99 base (sales to $15)
- vs Adventure Time: Pricier, much longer.
Switching from Adventure Time: Pixel-art JRPG. Active turn-based combat.
Bottom line: Pick Sea of Stars for a longer adventure with the same earnest tone. Skip if pixel art is not for you.
Cuphead — Best hand-drawn run-and-gun
Cuphead is the cleanest match for fans drawn to Adventure Time’s hand-drawn animation. Every frame in Cuphead is hand-drawn, the boss-rush structure rewards mastery, and the Delicious Last Course DLC extends the campaign. Local couch co-op is supported, which makes Cuphead one of the best two-player picks on this list.
The difficulty is the asterisk. Cuphead expects practice. The simple difficulty option lowers boss patterns but the loop still rewards persistence.
Where it falls short: Difficulty curve is steep for younger or casual players.
Pricing:
- $19.99 base (sales to $10)
- Delicious Last Course: $7.99
- vs Adventure Time: Cheaper, shorter, harder.
Switching from Adventure Time: Boss-rush replaces RPG. Animation is the visual hook.
Bottom line: Pick Cuphead for the hand-drawn animation and co-op. Skip if the difficulty is daunting.
How to choose
You want the closest cartoon RPG match: South Park: The Stick of Truth.
You want hand-drawn animation above all: Cuphead.
You want a longer adventure with earnest writing: Sea of Stars.
You want a Paper Mario-style RPG: Bug Fables.
You want a roguelite with cartoon depth: Cult of the Lamb.
You want 3D cartoon platforming with co-op: A Hat in Time.
You want high-energy platforming: Pizza Tower.
Stay on the Adventure Time catalogue if: You haven’t played Pirates of the Enchiridion, and the cartoon-show tie-in matters more than mechanics. The official Adventure Time games still capture the show’s voice better than any non-licensed alternative.
FAQ
What is the best Adventure Time game alternative on PC?
South Park: The Stick of Truth for the cartoon RPG match, and A Hat in Time for the kid-friendly platformer pick. Both are easy first recommendations.
Is there a free Adventure Time game alternative?
No major equivalent is free. Pizza Tower and Cuphead go to sale prices regularly in the $10 range, which is the cheapest tier.
Which Adventure Time alternative is best for kids?
A Hat in Time, Bug Fables, and Sea of Stars are the most kid-friendly. South Park and Cult of the Lamb skew older.
Are these on Steam Deck?
All seven run on Steam Deck. Bug Fables, A Hat in Time, and Pizza Tower are the best-tuned in our testing.
When is the Adventure Time: Side Quests TV series releasing?
The Adventure Time: Side Quests reboot is scheduled for Disney+ and Hulu on June 29, 2026, with international rollouts on Cartoon Network and HBO Max following in October.
