Garfield is taking his nap, as usual, when he is awakened by the dog Odie. From the corner of his eye, he gets a glimpse of his pal Arlene, being taken away in a pound car. Despite his natural laziness, he decides to rescue his on-and-off girlfriend, along with Odie. Based on the comics and incorporation the known sense of humour, Garfield and Odie travel through a 3D world solving puzzles that involve doors, keys, but also team-based actions with your partner. Of course there are enemies to defeat, such as bad dogs and evil piranhas.

Next to the regular moves, Garfield can also gain special powers based on his eating habits: big burger kicks, healing lasagna, etc. You cannot control Odie, who is invincible, directly, unless a second players hops in, but you can give him orders by whistling or kicking him. You can even travel over water by standing on his head. During gameplay, important story elements are told through comic strip-style panels to show you what Garfield cannot see (for instance to show you a switch between a well, or a hidden door). You can then take the appropriate action (it usually involves kicking Odie) to solve these problems.