Garfield: Escape from Monday Preview: The World’s Laziest Cat Stars in an Action-Platformer Where He Runs and Jumps All the Time

July 8, 2026 - 20:33

Capturing the true spirit of Garfield in a video game has always been a tricky balancing act. The character is famous for hating Mondays, loving lasagna, and avoiding any form of physical exertion. So how do you make a game about the world's laziest cat? You put him in an action-platformer where he runs and jumps constantly. That is exactly what Garfield: Escape from Monday is shaping up to be.

The game takes a page from the recent wave of retro-style 3D platformers, much like the new Bubsy 4D. The structure and formula are familiar, but that seems to be the whole point. Developers are leaning hard into the nostalgia of the late 90s and early 2000s, when collect-a-thons ruled the console space. Escape from Monday is not trying to reinvent the wheel. Instead, it aims to recapture the simple, joyful fun of those older games.

Early previews show Garfield zipping through colorful levels, bouncing on enemies, and grabbing items. It is a stark contrast to his usual couch-bound lifestyle, but the game leans into the absurdity. The story apparently involves a machine that forces Garfield to stay awake and active, turning his worst nightmare into a playable adventure. For fans of the character and the genre, this looks like a solid throwback that understands the assignment.