Cartoon Crime: The $2.99 Open-World Crime Game From a Two-Person Studio in Istanbul

Cartoon Crime is an open-world crime and action game from BuBa Games, a two-person indie studio in Istanbul. It's in Steam Early Access for $2.99 / £2.75 / €3.11, and since launching on August 26, 2026 it has had nine updates, the latest adding steam trains, zombies and hidden labs.

The studio emailed us about it, so here's our Indie Spotlight: what the game is, what's new, and what's coming. This is a spotlight, not a review.

Cartoon Crime at a glance

What is Cartoon Crime?

Think of a cartoon-style take on the classic open-world crime game. You explore cities, districts and islands at your own pace, take on missions, make money, buy weapons, improve your skills and recruit bodyguards. Its standout trick is the camera: you can switch instantly between third-person and a classic top-down view, the second giving it an old-school arcade crime feel.

The world is full of places to go inside: gun stores, gyms, fast-food restaurants, cinemas, bowling alleys, pool halls and arcades. Combat isn't just guns either. There's fist fighting, kicks, melee weapons and kickboxing rings with tougher opponents and cash prizes. Cause trouble and civilians may run or fight back, and as your wanted level rises, police chases get harder to escape. You can follow the story, or ignore it entirely and make your own chaos.

What's new in Cartoon Crime?

BuBa Games has been updating the game every week or two:

• Update 7 (October 4): Skypark Island, new interiors and major fixes.
• Update 8, "Welcome to the Wild West" (October 14): a Wild West-inspired desert region. The studio says it includes Redstone Canyon, Dustwing Airfield, a nuclear plant area, new vehicles and the "Beneath the Sand" mission.
• Update 9 (October 20): steam trains, zombies and hidden labs.

The developers say they're continuing to improve gameplay and performance throughout Early Access.

What's planned for the full release?

BuBa Games expects Early Access to last about 6 to 12 months. It plans more missions, activities, locations, weapons, vehicles and character options, plus improvements to the police and wanted systems. The price is low during Early Access and may rise gradually as the game grows; the studio says any change will be announced in advance.

Did Cartoon Crime use AI?

BuBa Games was upfront about this in its email to us: AI tools helped with some pre-generated 2D elements, text editing, localization and development support. The studio says it reviews that material itself, and that nothing is generated by AI during gameplay.

Is Cartoon Crime worth a look?

At $2.99 it's an easy impulse buy if you like the idea of a light-hearted, cartoon open-world sandbox with a top-down mode, and two developers shipping nine updates in under two months is a good sign. Expect Early Access rough edges, and check the Steam page and update notes before you buy. You can follow the studio on its YouTube channel.

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Cartoon Crime FAQ