The Itchy & Scratchy Game

About

The Itchy & Scratchy Game is a side-scrolling platformer where you play the mouse Itchy, flinging a mallet at the cat Scratchy across seven maze-like levels. Each stage is a different cartoonish setting filled with moving platforms and hidden doors. You start with a basic weapon but can grab new tools like a baseball bat or a cannon mid-level. The goal is to whack Scratchy, only for him to return with a ridiculous new gadget, think spike wheels or explosives, in a second wave of chaos. You’ll repeat levels until you beat both phases, with the difficulty spiking as Scratchy’s contraptions get more absurd. The game leans into its cartoon roots with slapstick violence and chaotic level design. While it’s short by modern standards, its relentless difficulty and escalating boss fights have earned it a cult following among retro gamers. Released in 1993, it’s a relic of early ’90s platforming, where trial-and-error was the name of the game. Its legacy is bolstered by the Itchy & Scratchy Show’s popularity, making it a nostalgic pick for fans of The Simpsons’ darker humor.