Press release

The Garbage Pail Kids' All-New 8-bit Game is Now Available

iam8bit Presents and Retrotainment's retro platformer is downloadable on consoles and PC; fully playable physical NES cartridges are available for pre-order

LOS ANGELES – October 25, 2022 – At long last, the Garbage Pail Kids are getting the game they've long deserved. iam8bit Presents is thrilled (and a little grossed out) to announce that Retrotainment's old-school platformer Garbage Pail Kids: Mad Mike and the Quest for Stale Gum is now available for download on consoles and PC. 
 
Launch Trailer: https://youtu.be/E4lcgpH6V88 
 
Players can choose from four playable Kids in this time-traveling adventure, all based on characters from Topps' notorious trading-card series. Each Kid has their own unique abilities, and they can be instantly swapped in and out. Flying creeps giving you trouble? Luke Puke's arcing barf blasts can take them out with nauseating precision. Does that leap seem a little sketchy? Patty Putty's pliable form is perfect for bouncing up and over great distances. Leaky Lindsay's snot rockets are a great projectile attack, while Mad Mike's axe and blades turn the bad guys into mincemeat. Collect GPK cards in-game, trade them with NPCs, and use the playable power cards to overwhelm enemies.
 
The digital edition ($9.99) is available today on PlayStation 4 (PlayStation 5 via backward compatibility), Xbox One (Xbox Series X|S via backward compatibility), Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. It includes the complete game as well as a ton of additional features and extras curated and developed by Digital Eclipse, the team behind critically acclaimed retro collections including The Disney Afternoon Collection, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection, and the upcoming Atari 50: the Anniversary Celebration.
 
Here's what's included in Garbage Pail Kids: Mad Mike and the Quest for Stale Gum's digital edition:
 
Digital edition extras include:

  • Video Extras
    • Fury Load - Check out an exclusive supercut of Adam F. Goldberg's Garbage Pail Kids – Mad Mike: Fury Load stop-motion animated shorts – which directly inspired Retrotainment's game
    • The Quest for Mad Mike and the Quest for Stale Gum documentary trailer - This video digs into the mystery behind Garbage Pail Kids: Mad Mike and the Quest for Stale Gum. Why wasn't it released in the 8-bit era…?
  • Concept Art - Browse through these behind-the-scenes production images to see how Topps' original card creations made the transformation from cardboard to silicon
  • Archival Card Scans - Did your parents toss out your trading-card collection? Want a quick refresher? Take a look at some of the most memorable Garbage Pail Kids in their original form through high-res scans
  • Music Player - Love a particular track? Play it 'til your speakers melt! 
  • Gameplay Extras - Save states and rewinds help players who may be a little rusty; visual filters simulate a variety of old-school displays; and all-new screen borders fill the edges for those who aren't playing on a 4:3 CRT.

 
Garbage Pail Kids: Mad Mike and the Quest for Stale Gum isn't just aping the 8-bit aesthetic; Retrotainment developed it with exact NES specifications in mind. Physical NES cartridges ($79.99) are available for pre-order on iam8bit.com, with randomly distributed Mad Mike Blue and the ultra-rare Stale Gum Pink colorways. These limited-edition cartridges are fully playable on original NES hardware and are packaged in premium boxes with full-color instruction manuals. Customers who pre-order will receive a digital download code at no additional cost upon completing their pre-orders, and cartridges are expected to ship Q1 2023.
 
For more information, please visit iam8bit.com.
 
About iam8bit Presents
iam8bit Presents is a new publishing label from the Los Angeles-based creative emporium iam8bit that aims to create meaningful experiences by bringing whimsical, soulful games to players everywhere. iam8bit Presents offers a soup-to-nuts approach from financing to publishing, and works to foster meaningful, supportive relationships with developers who share their attention to detail, obsession with aesthetics, and commitment to quality. Garbage Pail Kids: Mad Mike and the Quest for Stale Gum is iam8bit Presents' second release, following the runaway hit Escape Academy.
 
About Retrotainment Games 
Retrotainment was born out of a love for the 8-bit era of gaming and retro culture. Being exposed to the golden age of gaming really left its mark on us in the early 1980s while growing up in suburbia. That love has carried through to today motivating us to start Retrotainment Games. Our dream was simple, we wanted to create an NES game that could be put onto a cartridge and played on the original hardware. With each new game release we do our best to improve mechanics, backgrounds, gameplay and music without compromising our vision and all while staying true to the NES's complex hardware restrictions. https://retrotainmentgames.com/
 
About Digital Eclipse
Based in Emeryville, California, Digital Eclipse (www.digitaleclipse.com) is globally recognized as the market leader in the redevelopment and restoration of retro games. More than a nostalgia play, Digital Eclipse takes a fan-first and forensic approach to building quality-of-life improvements, new features, and bonus materials into every project— reigniting franchise interest with today’s audiences and generating millions of units in product sales.

About Topps
Topps was initially founded as a family enterprise in 1938. Known for its confectionery business, including Bazooka bubble gum, and as the originators of modern-day baseball cards and other novelty cards and collectibles, the Company launched Garbage Pail Kids in 1985. The sticker cards created a bonafide craze spanning the world and translated into many languages. Today, in addition to ongoing card releases, licensed toys, books, comics, apparel, and games keep the Garbage Pail Kids franchise flourishing for passionate adult collectors and a new generation of fans. In January 2022, Fanatics Collectibles announced the acquisition of Topps, ensuring GPK’s long-standing legacy and popularity.
 
Garbage Pail Kids is ™ & © The Topps Company, Inc. All rights reserved
 
Media Contact
Jeff Cork
iam8bit@fiftycc.net
 
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