Liminal Spaces in Rugrats Games

[@CantusTropus]

In fairness, Tommy opening the fridge is immediately followed by Stu saying he fixed the fusebox, so it's likely that he's the one who really solved it and Tommy opening the fridge at the same time was a complete coincidence.

[@nthgth]

That's what happened in the episode - fantastic timing of opening the fridge right when Stu fixed the electrical problem. I loved that episode as a kid

[@danielmclaughlin2190]

`12`````````````

[@Peasham]

That mummy bit encapsulates why I'm scared of out-of-bounds areas in games to this day. Not that it necessarily is out of bounds, but I always imagine devs putting in some evil shit to scare people out of bounds, and it is not very fun.

[@catsukisubaru3715]

Honestly? I'd love if that happened more. Spooky shit is awesome

[@valletas]

Im a dev and i love when this happens So yeah dont play my games i guess

[@ajflink]

I got scared by that as a kid.

[@mateusfelipecardoso40kview3]

Like the giant fish in jack 1!

[@PuNkY-fr]

Very good video with an original point ! We need more studies about PS1 aesthetic

[@AuntBibby]

a lot of indie PC horror games these days are going for a ps1 aesthetic. it’s like the perfect amount of detail for balancing between letting your mind fill in the details & providing a suggestion. plus, it’s inherently “wrong”-ish

[@ikagura]

The N64 and the Saturn as well

[@NoOne-qn2hv]

There's so many 3D platformers from that era that gives off this similar atmosphere. Off the top of my head, I can think of Jersey Devil, Rascal, the Gex series, and Croc.

[@ruthmcnally310]

Thinking about it, the PS1 Harry Potter games convey that kind of feeling pretty well. They just have such a bizarre interpretation of Hogwarts, that it really brings about some odd feelings, especially with how so many doors lock behind you, among other things.

[@AuntBibby]

@@ruthmcnally310 low-polygon Hagrid is a hilarious monstrosity

[@Sasukeheart2]

This was such a good vid on a subject I'd never even picture thinking about. PS1 era is a unique aesthetic all on it's own, but coupled with the Rugrats art style? A new hellscape of level design.

[@justletmelistthese]

"It's liminal as fuck!" -Joyless, 2020

[@LEXXPortPatrol]

Watching this video was like being a kid again - experiencing video game titles so differently and misinterpreting things from their original intent to make things much scarier than they actually were... except the design is so good at that, it makes you feel it even now :’) Guess it’s funny that as a kid I didn’t find the game that scary, but then seeing stuff like the second level of Buzz Lightyear or anything past the opening jail cell in Tomb Raider felt so odd because I had played the demo so much and could never get past what the demo showed, that seeing a whole rest of the game felt oddly unnerving and not what I was used to

[@InsanityPrevails]

The ambient sounds are always what set the mood for me, reminds me of The Backrooms

[@TerryByte]

I demand a full lets play commentary of the Pyramid labyrinth. And the screams that came with seeing that goddamn mummy.

[@Joyless]

It'll have a scare cam that cuts away to me weeping uncontrollably in the corner

[@klonekomet]

I think that SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman for the GameCube and PS2 is another really good example of a licensed game with a semi-liminal space aesthetic. I have not played the game, but from the footage I've seen, it does give off vibes of liminality. Let me explain: - Liminality encompasses places or things that are familiar to us, yet look off in some way, shape, or form. To put it simply, it's everything you've ever known minus one. SpongeBob is a very popular cartoon, so it's no doubt familiar to most of us. - ROTFD includes a majority of locations from the cartoon (The Krusty Krab, Downtown, Jellyfish Fields, etc); however, most of these locations are presented in different ways from the actual show (the severity of these changes depends - the most severe is Downtown Bikini Bottom, which has been turned into a dark, dreary alleyway), and are laden with dark skyboxes, low quality textures, and droning music. - For comparison, Battle For Bikini Bottom (which came out only one year later) has locations that look similar to the ones depicted in the cartoon, textures and models of higher quality, and the game overall fits more in line with what one would expect from a SpongeBob video game. BFBB symbolizes familiarity, while ROTFD symbolizes liminality. If you want more, just look at footage of the game. I swear it might as well be Liminal Spaces: The Game.

[@vissova]

In a weird way, I’m sort of disappointed I didn’t grow up with the Rugrats ps1 game at a young age purely because It has extremely eerie environments that would’ve been perfect for inspiring the kinds of bizarre dreams that are impossible to articulate in words, especially in a young developing mind. I know I’m a weirdo but I’m just really fascinated with dreams and surreal dream-like places.

[@donniewalters00]

i’ve found my people

[@m0j026]

For a moment I thought this was one of those self parodies where the creator expresses frustration at their most popular video

[@JamesLawner]

The purpose of Rugrats in Paris is that you need to play those minigames in order to get golden tickets to buy a headset to operate a Reptar mech to fight a giant snail. I remember playing this game a lot when I was a kid, and even when I managed to reach that final boss level, I couldn't beat it.

[@ieatmoths1003]

This is the sort of videogame analysis I've been hoping to see come out of what people can put together through KZbin! Taking a peek into the lesser spoken on aspects of them require a keener willingness to adaptively spot and then look into. Exploring sides to games weren't usually openly discussed. I played 'The Search for Reptar' and then later on 'Royal Ransom' when I was a very little kid, and while they didn't spook me out or anything (not much did when it came to games), looking back on them as I got older-- the oddities really stand out. I guess the general surrealism of Rugrats was easier to accept when I myself was, well, a "rugrat". Now seeing these things examined through a much more developed and understanding of reality (or rather art) mind, it's evident that a lot of what you spoke on is clear as rain! I actually shared this video with a close friend of mine who I know liked the Rugrats, but he still hasn't told me what he thought of it just yet at the time of writing this comment out. If I had the right chops to make a video like this myself I totally would! (You did happen upon my Minecraft video centered on spiritual aspects, thank you so much for the comment you left!) I'm not too terribly good at writing scripts, but I'm so happy to see people making the sorts of videos I would want to. And who knows, this might open folks up to digging into more titles with such procedures and insight, and that prospect excites me way more than most things have in a long while. Games possess these attributes (be them by design or accidental) that I think more and more people could get into proper and maybe start really respecting the craft. And it really does make being into videogames feel worth it for me, personally. I wrote a whole lot, I don't mean to so much, heh! But all in all, this video is one of the newer ones I've really liked to come out of this site. I can't wait to see what else you may dive into in the times ahead! I'll be telling more people about your videos, as well. Take good care, Joyless!

[@reviathan3524]

The same feeling I also got when I played Dexter's Laboratory on the ps1

[@Joyless]

Ooh that's a really good example ^^

[@BradyEricksen]

"I usually just go with Phil because he has good base dex" 10/10

[@sheepishly6942]

Taking notes for my indie horror-exploration game

[@ZeonDude]

Not gonna lie, I thought you dubbed in that droning sounds the first time you showed the back alley in the Paris game. That's actually unsettling! Great vid by the way! Came here from r/creepygaming, these games definitely fit the bill! lol

[@vahlok1426]

Yeah, I had Search for Reptar as a kid and it terrified me for reasons that my parents and my brother couldn't understand.

[@BIGMILKO]

This is exactly what I was hoping for when I searched "liminal video game". I used to play the first game as a kid and thought it even kinda creepy back then. Loved the video.

[@Crampsam]

Jay, I swear we grew up with the exact same games. I had all of these when I was a kid and played them more than I’d like to admit. I legit bought Rugrats in Paris on eBay just the other day and played it for the first time in probably more than 15 years and it was a trip. Even as a 5 year old I thought the industrial parts where all the music cut out were just unbridled levels of creepy

[@tsu08761e]

i still occasionally go back to his video, its so great

[@antirules187]

Search for Reptar was such an integral part of my early childhood, thank you so much for explaining why it still haunts me.

[@reimaginethesounds6694]

9:17 the new Silent Hill looks amazing!

[@CantusTropus]

I'm glad to hear that I wasn't the only kid who was scared by this game. For me I think it was that sewer level with Spike.

[@pixelcat5159]

This and the Mortal Kombat video are some of the most poignant and genuinely insightful videos that give proper analysis of what the medium of video games and *only* video games can provide (i.e the ability to place people into a world they can interact with, and how design choices can influence the perceptions and feelings of those who interact with said world) I can't express enough how much I hope that you keep making these kinds of videos, they do a tremendous service in expressing what makes video games as compelling as they are, and how compelling they can be

[@sleepybeeff]

A cool analysis I would love to see from you is strange doorways or design elements in video games that give a creepy impression of a world that could have existed beyond that.

[@Joyless]

Oh wow, I've got so many ideas from that already. Thanks!

[@bluecoin3771]

I’ve heard the liminal space theory regarding Super Mario 64 as well. The part that got to me about it was the depths of Jolly Roger Bay where the Eel resides. Since then, I was paranoid of the deep end of my pool.

[@jediphillip4]

Rugrats in Paris was my favorite game as a kid the others were just nightmare fuel

[@meh252]

The ghost and the goose levels always trigger fear into my being. I thought I was tge onmy one that felt this way about these games! Awesome video!

[@modernmobster]

I had search for reptar when I was a kid (still may with my ps1) and I played it a lot. There was always an eery and unnatural aspect to the game I could never put my finger on but it drew me in and I loved it.

[@PatDaBaker851]

I LOVE how I was able to notice the slight gameplay pauses he takes whenever he encounters something slightly strange or off. Because I've played this game so much as a child, Search for Reptar's true strangeness and absurdity has kind of flew over my head until now. Lol. I fucking love this game.

[@lucasvidsXD]

i owe my entire obsession over liminal spaces to ps1 games tbh. i love it. also i've always found the lack of music so eire and creepy abuout these games

[@Xegethra]

I could not get over "I'm not tommy" as a kid, then it happens again. Most of the show was fine, it never bothered me but that one did. I played various Rugrats games on the PS1, and I find a few games feel the same, even if their genre and style is completely different, you can usually tell when it's a PS1.

[@daltonharmon1018]

Me waiting for more content because I genuinely like your videos

[@noyukikun]

tbh the rugrats games were always disturbing coming from someone who had spyro first

[@hemangchauhan2864]

Hard to guess if the devs did actually made the atmosphere like this intentionally or not...

[@Shadow962775]

I don't think I ever played any of these games and yet simultaneously I feel like I remember everything about them, like I played them at a friend or cousin's house back then. They're so liminal that they're rewriting my memory in real time.

[@stratosphere94]

Holy wow. This video was such a 'memory unlocked' moment. I remember how eerie it felt to do that level upside down jfc. I've had vague memories of that game for years now 😳 also this was such a great video, very unique topic ☺️

[@PurpleStreak]

I like to think the rugrats in Paris game is set in a dystopian future where babies were the only one's to survive. It would explain why there's no one else at the park, staff or otherwise, and why the slime ride is now just a slime tunnel cus there's no one there to operate it. Combine that with the fact the babies are playing mini golf on a mountain course with no feasible entrance or exit leaves me to believe the babies are descending into madness brought on by their starvation/dehydration/stress as their parents died in the "event". Pretty messed up game honestly. That or its based off the rugrats in Paris movie

[@rei3445]

ngl this game is eerie asf

[@knightscroftsquire-muldoon]

Thank you for this video. The hellish fever dream feeling is real with Rugrats. That was just one reason I loved the show as a kid. The PS1 game is a part of that as well.

[@daemon3582]

This is probably my favorite video on the site

[@icarus313]

This is something I would never get into on my own time but I'm so glad there are people out there that can sum up these little niche experiences with old video games so vividly that I can actually relate and draw my own parallels from games that I've played. Joyless, you make really interesting videos and sometimes they make me laugh too. Please keep going, your work is good, meditative and slow-paced. Exactly what I need to de-stress at the end of the day and to let my mind wander and explore quietly before going to sleep. Much as one would do, as you've clearly done, in many empty multiplayer maps to zone out and feel an atmosphere/environment that may or may not have ever been intended for you. Sounds so simple but I think you're hinting at an interesting set of aloof experiences that many of us have had while growing up with video games. Great job, mate! 💯

[@AmbrosiusAmaimon]

I remember we rented the one with the ghost level when I was a kid and that... TERRIFIED ME. I couldn't get through the level because I was too scared, LMAO- Seeing this definitely triggered something in the dark recesses of my mind. Very nostalgic, in a twisted way. Thank you for bringing back this fever dream, lol. 👍

[@Minchken]

The bright happy in a sacrastic and freaky way thing you mentioned? Me and my friends always called it "Daemonic". The feeling is "Daemonic". Like how Demonic is dark and menacing, Daemonic is bright and happy but in a fucked up fever dream way. I'm so glad I saw this vid, you get it dude.

[@kordru]

i'm going to use this term more often

[@TheDigworks]

I used ps1 rugrats to be able to recreate the buildings in the sims, i love recreating things iv seen in other medias, there is a lot of plants on the lot because of this

[@ForgottenWalrus]

And not even a clip from the level that ends with Angelica literally abandoned by the others in an alien spaceship! 😱

[@FerrariCarr]

I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought the Rugrats games were a little...off. Especially the first game, with the toy store and grocery store levels. They were actually my favorite levels, but they definitely had a nightmare quality to them.

[@halfastudio]

I just found your channel and I'm on a marathon because man you just speak my heart and mind... I'm sticking around, looking forward to your videos

[@David-lu4th]

I remember playing these games as a kid.... I really enjoyed them, I don't remember ever being scared... but looking back, the game was kinda eerie. I guess I enjoyed the strangeness

[@oworeo]

this is basically a silent hill for a 3 years old in a way

[@themeekwarrior]

I loved the Rugrats game so much as a kid, even in spite of the levels that filled me with dread and unease. This is a really interesting look at why it made people feel the way it did. I hope more indie horror games can take from little blunders like this.

[@SquareEyedJak]

The image of this grown ass man sat alone in his room playing this shit and feeling spooked gives me purpose in life. 👻

[@Bashcrandicoot94]

Love your videos jak ♥️

[@PuNkY-fr]

You here ! :) :)

[@Joyless]

Are we gonna have a fight or what

[@MisterJW]

The Shadow Monsters took all of the people away, champ

[@xexun0010]

When I used to play this game as a kid I loved golf world. I never felt creeped out or anything playing it back then, but now looking back at the game it does have a weird feeling to it

[@idcseriouslyman7487]

Actually loved this game as a kid. I wouldn't mind replaying it.

[@atuck5122]

I love this video. & i love your channel because of it. Even if every other video you make sucks, this alone validates your entire channel. Wholly unique topic for YT. I love it.

[@KotoCrash]

This and Bugs Bunny Lost in Time were my two big video game timesinks as a kid.

[@suturesunder3465]

Loved the video, most have said many of the things I'd like to say so instead I'll add: for some reason, my mum remembers the golf in Rugrats: Search for Reptar very fondly.

[@AlexThe1Menace]

I feel like I haven't seen a video of yours in literally ages so what a relief to finally get around to this in my watch later. Interesting topic for real though. Just appreciating a very specific aspect of these kinds of games like you did that one time about GTA 3's ambience.

[@Daisy624]

Rugrats was my favorite cartoon as a child! I still quote it sometimes and I’m 27 🙃 I had the rugrats in Paris game and I remember feeling creeped out for this very reason. Glad I can put it into words now and that it wasn’t just me lol

[@ProjectEchoshadow]

Cool video great points and all just one quick k question: Why is a baby on a mountain⸮

[@WillButtlerYeets]

Oh and the Toy Story 2 Playstation One game. Something about that stuck with me for some reason.

[@DuckyGamerDeluxe]

I thought this video would not even fit to your rebrand and then i saw the visuals of those games. Damn i was wrong Edit: ok i was really expecting something completely different by this videoXD Well done

[@AcousticJuice93]

Rugrats in paris is genuinely probably the weirdest video game I've ever played. It sticks in my mind like some pivotal life event, yet I literally couldn't tell you anything about the game beyond walking around.

[@Aerafae]

I seriously can and do watch these videos over and over, thank you man. Your music is great too; I really appreciate the pay what you want option with my financial situation at the moment. Much love

[@dragonfye1]

My mother bought me ‘the search for reptar’ to play on our family’s ps1 way back when, I was probably 6 or 7 years old. I was a HUGE ‘Rugrats’ fan, so it seemed to her like a match made I heaven. But from the moment the game started up I recall my older sister complaining that it was…CREEPY… and she wasn’t wrong. I was determined to ignore it tho, because for the most part, I could overlook it and play on. It wasn’t until about twenty minutes later when I found the ‘Let there be light’ segment that I couldn’t take it anymore and started to cry. To this day I don’t understand why a survival horror section would be in the rugrats game.

[@Upsedriss]

Love that youre still uploading man, always fun!

[@melepe2547]

WHAT THE HECK YOU NEED MORE SUBSCRIBERS. AND THIS VIDEO NEEDS MORE VIEWS

[@arranr]

The best video ever made about old Rugrats video games.

[@IshidaSado]

I got to play a bit of the search for reptar at my cousins house when I was little and I loved it so much! I loved the sounds and open cartoon-like spaces of the house. It didn't scare me and even now I take comfort in it. Though I understand how it could be unnerving (and on occasion, it is to me too) but that only adds to my love for it! I always tell people that my favorite graphics are ps2 graphics because of how comfortably they sit between liminal and detailed. Unnerving when I'm seeking the unknown and a nostalgic escape when I'm seeking comfort. Really the best of both worlds. Maybe it's just my opinion but I feel games were always meant to channel the liminal unrealistic world rather than reality itself.

[@binnieb20]

We should do another one about Toy Story 2 and Petscop.

[@clarkred4235]

Yo, I can't believe I'm five months late to this video! You're definitely right about the feeling from these games. If you know, you know. I wish you talked about studio tour more because there were so many bits you could've talked about that I at least found eerie as a kid as it was the only out of the three I owned as a child. The opening scene where the hands are draped over a moving wall. The golf levels, (i have a whole list) studio tour was a trip and it always felt like you were waiting on a jumpscare the entire time! Subbed!

[@Happy-nj3ht]

dude I kid you not this game was the early spark for my love of horror games

[@Rosie404]

you know, the world landscape feels pretty similar to what anxiety feels like when youre a kid

[@virclemora4535]

Finally someone who realizes phil's potential with his base dex

[@ruthmcnally310]

Agreed. Everyone seems to main Angelica because of her base int, which to be fair, is good early on, but int really falls off later, while dex remains relevant for the whole game, and Phil has a high enough base in it to carry you for most of the game.

[@papaelf420]

This video really got my attention. I need to know more about liminal spaces in video games. There's this one game I used to play as a kid called Sitting Ducks. It scared the hell out of me for various reasons, and the eerie atmosphere of a part of the game never sits well with me. Maybe it'll interest you too. Edit: Also Glover is a unique game with interesting mechanics and liminal settings.

[@thrdai]

4:09 When I was a toddler I walked around the house with my mom’s makeup mirror held under one eye, pretending to be walking on the ceiling. Happily, I still have both eyes.

[@matjb]

My siblings and I all collectively agree that this game was the creepiest Playstation game we have played...and we grew up playing Tomb Raider, Twisted Metal, Oddworld, Medievil, etc.

[@Ikcatcher]

How do you keep finding the strangest of points to talk about and somehow make it interesting

[@левонхачатрян-г6ч]

A lot of the older games can give these weird feelings. A good example is CS 1.6. Try playing this game alone and just explore the maps. They are big, have no music, besides ambient sounds, and filled with weird places, nobody would go to during normal gameplay. Another great example is TNT Evilution (a weird spinoff/expansion of Doom 2). It goes for a more realistic level designs than Doom 2, but since it's the Doom engine, the results are as weird as you would expect. Some of the levels are gigantic, have bizzarre secret rooms and somewhat sad nostalgic music. Especially maps 12, 14 and 20. And, finally, there is a specific example of one unsettling level in an otherwise normal game. First castle in world 7 of Super Mario Bros 3. It's a very confusing empty level with no enemies, besides a boss at end. I really recommend to play this game blind, if you haven't already, and the see, how much this level stands out.

[@ElectricBarrier]

I never would have even thought to think these kinds of things about the Rugrats PS1 games, which I think sums up why I enjoy these videos you've been making so much. I genuinely wouldn't have considered this, they're just PS1 games to me, but now I *am* considering it. I feel like with each one of these I get closer to transcendence, or insanity, and I think I don't care which.

[@emmalheureux6461]

Great video!! I only owned Rugrats Royal Ransom for PS2, but vaguely remember one of these games from some kid's house I went to as a child. These games are quite something Edit: the Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius game for PS2 is great for liminal spaces 😬😬 like in Retroland

[@shortbreadgirlscout3463]

This game definitely scared me.

[@raelogan]

I loved this game as a kid, my brother had a bootleg copy and we'd play the crap out of this trying to find all the Reptar Bars/Coins/Whatever to get to the Reptar ending. We'd explore every possibility after we'd got the idea from how extensive Metal Gear Solid was, and we had a blast. I didn't even realize how this was seen as a creepy game. 😅

[@mathieuleader8601]

childrens hospitals are powerful liminal spaces

[@MRWALL.i6732]

I'm so glad I wasn't the only one who thought that levels were 'creepy' in these games, you pretty much summed up my thoughts in more detail then I could.

[@MRWALL.i6732]

And if your curious, here's my thoughts: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6mWdJt5h96Irck

[@damiannichols1250]

Hey man I know you're not making videos right now but I found your channel like a month ago and I gotta say these are super high quality good shit man

[@verogazebo]

dude did not see the dnb coming at the end but was a welcome surprise! great video!

[@JingleJangleJam]

There is even more harrowing nightmare-imagery in Rugats in Paris on N64, with its graphics.

[@TheDigworks]

picking a character in paris the movie determines difficulty, could not for the life of me beat the game as angelica but was fine with tommy, the music i remember being earapey

[@Elemtree]

Umm... you dropped this, king... 😳👉👑

[@logsaplenty]

I'm so glad I found this channel, it's so good

[@Sev3617]

I love your vids, wish you uploaded more, great content!

[@tonilafountain636]

lol, I seem to remember an episode when they did go mini golfing, and explored the pyramids on the corse! Nice easter egg!

[@Josh-rs9kg]

When I was really little I had a few different games on my brother's old ps1, including search for reptar, and while I remember the feeling of the ui and especially the collectibles, I could never remember any of the levels from the game except for that fUCKING GOOSE man I still remember never being able to catch it, honestly since the ps1 broke down while I was too young to remember most of it images of this game have always shaken me more than most liminal space images.

[@ЗДРАВЕЙСВЯТ]

I feel the same things inside of postal 2. Maybe you should do a video

[@shelbysawyer9675]

YT algorithm psychic lately.popped in a megaman promo from 1998 and saw a megaman video in my feed. Thought about dusting off search for reptar today, and… this?!??

[@NewOrderOfAlexandria]

Those hidden side rooms in Paris were really weird, always felt like I was in a area I shouldn't be and that I was going to be told off! *Anxiety*

[@HalfbreedHybrid]

Man, I loved this game growing up!

[@thebreakfastmenu]

I buried those Search For Reptar horrors deep in my psyche. It's weird to see them again.