Bubsy 4D

Let's rewind to 1995, when my two older brothers and I first encountered the red-haired Bubsy. I was seven years old and remember how we carefully browsed through the selection of games for hire at the local video shop, and for some reason, we were drawn to the cheerful bobcat on the cover. After that, my strongest memory is a mixture of frustration, disappointment, and resignation. The game was simply too complicated for my seven-year-old self, and I seem to recall that we didn't get through very many levels.

My acquaintance with Bubsy could have ended there, and many reviews of the later games suggest that probably should have been the case. But some game series have a knack for clawing their way back into your consciousness and popping up every now and then like a jack-in-the-box. Sometimes Bubsy made an appearance via YouTube channels like Angry Video Game Nerd, and other times in lists of terrible games. Despite this chequered history, there was something appealing about Bubsy 4D when it landed on the list of upcoming review copies.

Now, just over thirty years later, Bubsy has landed at the New York-based game studio Fabraz, where this follows Atari striking a bulk deal with the former publisher Accolade in 2023. Fabraz is an indie studio known for titles such as Demon Turf, Slime-san, and Planet Diver, and with hindsight, I'm delighted to report that Atari's gamble in handing the reins over to them has given us something as rare as a genuinely good Bubsy game.

Fabraz has certainly done their homework. Bubsy is lightning-fast, the Woolies still love yarn, and the worlds whizz by at breakneck speed. On the surface, everything feels very familiar to those of us with experience of the series' earlier instalments, but the developers have also delved deep into the archives and unearthed characters such as Oblivia, Terry, and Terri, who originally featured in the ill-fated 1993 TV series. Gone are the nightmarish enemy placements, gone is the bobcat that runs off-screen, gone is the feeling of being reduced to nothing after just one unfortunate hit from an enemy. Fabraz has taken note of what was most frustrating about the original games and allowed something new to emerge.

Bubsy 4D begins with the gang sitting at Bubsy's house playing with his old video camera. Suddenly, the rat scientist Virgil bursts in and announces that the Woolies are back, and this time, they're stealing the planet's sheep instead of yarn, with the aim of creating their own golden super-yarn. However, the plan goes awry and the sheep overthrow their captors and build "Baabots", an army of sheep-like robots that return to seize all the golden yarn. Naturally, this cannot be allowed to continue and soon the gang are drawn into an intergalactic chase.

The plot is deliberately trivial, and the dialogue pokes good-natured fun at both this and the series' chequered history. The voice acting is mostly thoroughly entertaining, and the character's classic catchphrase "What could possibly go wrong?" is delivered with more finesse than ever.

A demo version has been available for just over a month on consoles and since last autumn on PC, where the reactions have been surprisingly positive, especially compared to the series' previous flops. One detail that has really stood out is the praise for the game's tight controls, something I was initially sceptical about, but was intrigued all the same as a central part of Bubsy 4D is speedrunning; grinding through the levels to climb the global leaderboards. A few levels in, I was struck by the fact that it took me a full 25 minutes to complete a level, only to then discover that the world record stood at just over two and a half minutes. I had time to think: What is so fantastic about these controls? A few hours later, when I'd finished the game, the penny dropped. It's simply a matter of throwing yourself into it, committing the button combinations to muscle memory and daring to "let go".

There is so many positive things to say about the controls that I want to start with the very basics: the response feels spot on. Bubsy can turn on a sixpence, execute rapid attacks on the fly, and glide gracefully through the air. On top of this, there's a new ability where the bobcat curls up into a ball and whizzes through the levels. Admittedly, it took quite a few restarts and a string of expletives before I mastered the system, but once the controls are second nature, the game really comes into its own, and then it becomes a fantastic joy to revisit the various planets.

Along the way, you can also purchase new abilities and skins from the cousins Terry and Terri. Some upgrades improve climbing and jumping, which changes the entire gameplay dynamic, whilst cosmetic choices let you customise Bubsy's appearance, or even make him look exactly as you remember him from back in the day. Plus, Bubsy doesn't shy away from breaking the fourth wall. He comments on things happening whilst you're playing, and even when you pause or make changes in the game's menu system. If you turn off his dialogue, he accuses you of censorship and if you pause at the wrong moment, he complains about your timing. Beyond that, there are many other little hidden gems for you to discover for yourselves.

Visually, Fabraz has opted for a cel-shaded style that gives the game a lovely, cartoonish feel. This works brilliantly for the cast of characters and the enemies, but unfortunately not quite as well for the environments they inhabit. I fully understand that a game with such a strong focus on speedrunning must prioritise a flawless frame rate, but when this comes at the expense of detail, it's a minus in my book. The worlds are certainly colourful and charming, but at times feel rather empty, as the level design is open with plenty of alternative routes for the adventurous and clearly marked paths for those who prefer to play it safe. The adventure also spans three unique planets made of yarn, corrugated cardboard, and rubbish respectively. Each new world introduces new challenges and enemies that turn the bobcat's life into a sweaty ordeal.

Over the years, I've grown rather tired of platform games that hold the player's hand. Super Mario, for example, is no longer as unforgiving as it was on the NES, but in Bubsy 4D, I soon realised that Fabraz has struck a delicate balance, landing firmly on the right side of the challenge scale. A platformer should be tricky, but it shouldn't give us grey hairs or post-traumatic stress. There were definitely times when I switched the game off out of sheer exhaustion at the difficulty level, but when I later returned to the same level, equipped with a better understanding of the controls, I instead felt a huge sense of joy at how far I'd come. That said, the game isn't entirely unforgiving. There are plenty of save points in the form of cat boxes, and you rarely need to replay large sections to get back. However, before you've got the controls down to a tee, certain obstacles can feel almost insurmountable.

The setup follows a traditional platformer formula where you work your way through four or five levels and are then pitted against a boss. In my book, a good boss fight is one that requires several attempts where you fail miserably at first, but with each additional try you learn the boss' patterns and find a way forward. When the boss finally falls, an incredibly satisfying feeling spreads through your heart, and that's exactly how it is here. Bubsy 4D is challenging in the very best way, and yet unfortunately, the adventure is a bit on the short side. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for future DLC that adds more worlds as in total, the game took me 4-5 hours to complete, and on a second playthrough, I think most people could easily halve that time.

Summing up Bubsy 4D is a much more enjoyable task than I'd ever dared to hope for. Sure, the short playtime, the occasionally barren environments, and the visual compromises made for the sake of frame rate prevent the title from reaching the very highest echelons of platforming. But once the controls are where they should be and you're whizzing across the screen with a smile on your face, the graphical shortcomings fade into insignificance. Fabraz has achieved the seemingly impossible: they've removed the old source of embarrassment and made the red-haired Bubsy relevant again. It may not be a ground-breaking and flawless masterpiece, but it is a genuinely strong, challenging, and incredibly entertaining platforming gem that far exceeds expectations. For that seven-year-old who once sighed in despair in front of the rental game, the vindication is total. "What could possibly go wrong?" Bubsy once asked himself. This time, the answer is: surprisingly little.