It was 2015. The Land of Ooo was at the absolute peak of its cultural powers, and WayForward—the studio behind Shantae—decided to do something risky. They took a series defined by vibrant, 2D surrealism and shoved it into a chunky, low-poly 3D world. Honestly? It shouldn't have worked. Most fans expected another 2D brawler or a dungeon crawler like Explore the Dungeon Because I Don't Know!, but instead, we got Adventure Time Finn and Jake Investigations.
It’s a point-and-click adventure. Well, sort of.
Think more along the lines of Telltale Games or the classic Sam & Max titles, but with a heavy dose of "Mathematical!" charm. You aren't just hitting things with a sword—though there is some combat that feels a bit like an afterthought—you're actually solving crimes. You're looking for clues. You're talking to Cinnamon Bun until your brain hurts.
The Weird Pivot to 3D Investigation
Most licensed games are lazy cash grabs. You know the ones. They take a popular IP, slap it onto a generic platformer template, and hope parents buy it for their kids. But Adventure Time Finn and Jake Investigations felt like it actually understood the assignment. It leaned into the "Professional Investigators" subplot from the show, specifically referencing the Ticklertins agency that Joshua and Margaret (Finn’s parents) ran back in the day.
The shift to 3D was jarring for a lot of people. In 2015, the graphics looked a bit like a late-era PlayStation 2 game. The textures were flat, and the lighting was basic. But if you look past the technical limitations, the character models captured the weird, rubbery physics of Ooo surprisingly well. Seeing Peppermint Butler in a three-dimensional space feels slightly cursed, yet entirely appropriate for his character.
The gameplay is broken down into "Greybles." If you’re a fan of the show, you know that Cuber uses Greybles to tell stories. Here, they act as chapters. Each case is self-contained but builds toward a larger, more cohesive narrative. It's not L.A. Noire. You aren't going to find a bloody crime scene in the Candy Kingdom. Instead, you're figuring out why someone would steal a bunch of stuff from the Treehouse or why there’s a sudden influx of weird behavior in the Fire Kingdom.
How the Mechanics Actually Play Out
You spend most of your time walking around and interacting with objects. Finn does the legwork. Jake provides the "Stretchy" assistance.
📖 Related: Catching the Blue Marlin in Animal Crossing: Why This Giant Fish Is So Hard to Find
Basically, you walk up to a trash can, Finn makes a comment about it, and Jake might turn into a key or a bridge to help you reach a new area. It’s a very traditional adventure game loop:
- Talk to everyone until you trigger a flag.
- Pick up everything that isn't nailed down.
- Try to combine items in your inventory until something makes sense.
- Solve a logic puzzle that usually involves some deep-cut lore from the show.
The combat is where the game loses some momentum. Occasionally, Finn will get cornered by some generic greebles or Candy People gone rogue, and the game shifts into an arena-style brawler. It’s floaty. It’s simple. You have a fast attack, a heavy attack, and some special "Jake moves." It serves its purpose as a palate cleanser between the talking segments, but nobody is playing this for the frame-perfect combos.
Voice Acting and the Authentic Ooo Experience
One thing WayForward absolutely nailed was the audio. They got the actual voice cast. Hearing Jeremy Shada and John DiMaggio riff off each other is what keeps the game alive. Without the original voices, this would have been a hollow shell. The writing captures that specific brand of Adventure Time humor—that mix of total absurdity and genuine heart.
The game doesn't hold your hand too much, either. Some of the puzzles are actually kind of tricky if you aren't paying attention. You have to remember small details about characters' motivations. It rewards you for being a fan without being totally impenetrable to a casual player.
Why We Still Talk About This Game in 2026
You might wonder why a niche title from the mid-2010s still gets brought up in retro-gaming circles. It’s because it represents a lost era of licensed gaming. We don't get "mid-budget" games like this anymore. Nowadays, everything is either a massive $200 million AAA open-world slog or a tiny indie pixel-art project. Adventure Time Finn and Jake Investigations sits in that comfortable middle ground.
It was released on everything: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, 3DS, and PC. It was one of the last gasps of the 7th generation of consoles while trying to bridge the gap to the 8th. Because of that, it has a certain "jank" that is actually quite nostalgic.
👉 See also: Ben 10 Ultimate Cosmic Destruction: Why This Game Still Hits Different
The Criticisms are Valid
Let's be real. The game has issues.
- The loading screens on the older hardware (especially the 3DS) are brutal.
- The combat is repetitive.
- Some of the environments feel empty.
But those flaws are easy to overlook when you’re standing in the Ice Kingdom listening to Tom Kenny voice the Ice King as he says something heartbreakingly pathetic. The game is a love letter to the fans. It’s filled with Easter eggs, from the specific items in Finn’s inventory to the background characters hanging out in the Candy Kingdom square.
Comparison with Other Adventure Time Games
If you compare this to Pirates of the Enchiridion, the differences are stark. Pirates went for a more "open sea" RPG approach with turn-based combat. It looked better, sure. But Investigations feels more like an actual episode of the show. There’s something about the methodical pace of a detective game that fits the "mystery" elements of Ooo perfectly.
Then there’s Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?!, which was a pure Zelda II clone. That was great for what it was, but it didn't let you live in the world the way Investigations does. In this game, you can actually walk into the kitchen of the Treehouse. You can see the mess. You can feel the scale of the world, even if it is just a series of interconnected rooms.
Actionable Steps for New Players
If you’re looking to play this today, there are a few things you should know. It’s not on every digital storefront anymore due to licensing issues that often plague these kinds of games, but physical copies are still floating around for reasonable prices.
Where to Find It
Check eBay or local used game shops. The PS4 and Xbox One versions are the most stable. If you’re a handheld fan, the 3DS version is a bit scaled back but still contains the full story. PC players can sometimes find keys through secondary marketplaces, but be careful with regional locks.
✨ Don't miss: Why Batman Arkham City Still Matters More Than Any Other Superhero Game
How to Play
Don't rush it. This isn't a game you speedrun.
- Talk to everyone twice. The dialogue changes frequently based on what items you’re holding.
- Pay attention to the background. Often, the solution to a puzzle is hinted at in the environment design.
- Check your inventory often. Jake’s abilities evolve, and sometimes you’ll forget he can turn into a giant fan or a bridge.
Maximize the Experience
Play this while revisiting the show. Specifically, watch the "Joshua & Margaret Investigations" episode (Season 6, Episode 9) right before you start. It sets the tone perfectly and gives you the backstory for the "Investigation Office" that serves as your hub.
Adventure Time Finn and Jake Investigations isn't a masterpiece of technical engineering. It’s a weird, slightly clunky, incredibly sincere piece of fan service. It treats the source material with respect, and in a world of cynical tie-in media, that’s more than enough. It captures the essence of what made the show great: the idea that even in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, there’s always something new to discover, and there’s always someone who needs help.
The best way to experience it is to embrace the slow pace. Let the characters talk. Enjoy the bad jokes. It’s a relic of a specific time in television and gaming history that we likely won't see again. So, if you can find a copy, grab it. It's a mystery worth solving.
Next Steps for Enthusiasts:
- Source a physical copy: Since digital delisting is common for licensed titles, look for the "Complete Edition" if available in your region to ensure you get all the Greybles.
- Optimize your settings: If playing on PC, use a controller. The point-and-click interface was clearly designed with a gamepad in mind, and the mouse controls can feel floaty.
- Lore Check: Keep a wiki open for the "Land of Ooo" history. Some puzzles rely on knowing character relationships that aren't always explicitly explained in the game’s dialogue.