Amazing World of Gumball perfectly tackles the biggest stereotypes found in RPGs

The Amazing World of Gumball is one of Cartoon Network’s lesser known shows, but it has developed a cult following for its witty, often surreal and reference-heavy humor.

In one of the show’s newest episodes, “The Console,” main character Gumball Watterson and his siblings are forced to play their way out of a fantasy role-playing game after Gumball is given a cursed console. Together, Gumball, Darwin and Anais have to make their way through town, breaking into neighbors’ houses and collecting items as they go. In order to make their way out of the virtual world, they have to power up enough to take on the final boss.

Video game-inspired one off episodes aren’t a new trend in television. Community did an entire episode using 8-bit graphics, and South Park tackled World of Warcraft in one of its more iconic episodes, “Make Love, Not Warcraft.” One of the biggest differences is the attention The Amazing World of Gumball writers pay to calling out very specific, stereotypical occurrences that can be found in any RPG.

At one point, Gumball, Darwin and Anais come across an “awkwardly placed shrub” in the middle of a sidewalk. Instead of just walking around it, they have to try out an assortment of tools to destroy it. After obvious weapons like an axe and chainsaw are deemed too ineffective, Gumball calls out just how preposterous the entire ordeal is. The scene in question can be seen in the GIF below, which was captured from a YouTube video uploaded by Denss the Princester.

The episode also makes jokes about the pointlessness of side quests, the immature choosing of a username and the ability to take whatever you want without thinking of how it might affect others in the game.

The full episode is available to stream on Cartoon Network’s website.