Currently available for PC in Early Access on Steam, Cartoon Crime is an open-world action and shooting game focused on online co-op, offering freedom and chaos within a stylized universe. Developed by BuBa Games, the game's main distinguishing feature is the ability to switch instantly between a third-person perspective and the traditional top-down view, providing different ways to explore the city and engage in combat. Players take control of characters involved in the criminal underworld, completing missions, claiming territory, confronting rival gangs, and escaping police pursuits, or simply ignoring objectives and exploring the possibilities of the environment.

Progression allows players to earn money, purchase weapons, improve their skills, and hire bodyguards to provide assistance during criminal activities. Combat combines shootouts with close-quarters encounters, including punches, kicks, and melee weapons. Kickboxing matches are another available activity, challenging characters to face increasingly difficult opponents in exchange for cash rewards. Players' actions also influence law enforcement responses, as repeated offenses increase their wanted level and can turn minor altercations into police chases across different parts of the city.

Exploration also plays an important role, with various accessible establishments expanding the range of activities beyond the main missions. Gun shops, gyms, restaurants, and cinemas are among the locations players can visit, while bowling, pool, and arcades offer alternative ways to spend their hard-earned money. The city also features different neighborhoods, islands, and regions, alongside a variety of vehicles, including cars, bicycles, boats, and aircraft, allowing players to travel through the world in different ways.

The behavior of the inhabitants also contributes to the open-world dynamics, with civilians reacting differently to fights, crimes, and disturbances throughout the streets. Rival gangs and hostile characters introduce additional challenges during exploration, while the option to recruit allies provides support when encounters become more intense. Character skills develop according to the activities players undertake, allowing them to shape their abilities based on their preferred playstyle.

The experience can be enjoyed solo or through online co-op, allowing players to share missions, explore the environment, and create chaotic situations throughout the city. By combining different camera perspectives, side activities, combat encounters, and freedom of exploration, the game offers a structure in which progression does not depend exclusively on completing the story, leaving room for experiences shaped by the players' own decisions.