Bubsy the bobcat had his moment in the spotlight during the 1990s as one of gaming's quirkier mascots, though he never quite managed to dethrone Mario or Sonic. What he lacked in mainstream success, he made up for in sheer oddball personality, and that peculiar charm has only grown more apparent in retrospect. Now, decades later, developer Fabraz is giving the washed-up feline a second crack at stardom with Bubsy 4D, a game that swings for the fences with self-aware humor and genuine reverence for its own checkered past.
The premise is straightforward enough: Bubsy must reluctantly defend the galaxy from an invasion of returning enemies called the Woolies and newcomers dubbed the BaaBots. He's dragged into action by his Gen-Z-coded niece and nephew, along with various allies, to prove he still has what it takes to carry a video game. The game doesn't shy away from the fact that its protagonist is a has-been. Instead, it weaponizes that reality, turning Bubsy's faded star power into the emotional core of a surprisingly charming adventure.
Bubsy 4D plays like a legitimate 1990s 3D platformer filtered through the sensibility of a Saturday morning cartoon. Spread across three distinct worlds, the game rewards players who master its physics and movement systems. Bubsy's toolset centers on dashing, rolling into a ball form, and chaining maneuvers together at speed. When everything clicks, the sensation of momentum and flow is genuinely satisfying. The standout moments come from levels built around discarded computer hardware, where scaling towers and zipping through the air via ball form creates an exhilarating sense of mastery.
The movement itself carries personality. Bubsy's anxious whining and fidgeting animations reinforce his comedic nature and add character to every jump and dash. Unlike his infamous 1996 debut in 3D, this version isn't about tank-like controls or sluggish pacing. The focus on building speed through levels is bracing, even if Bubsy never quite reaches Sonic-tier velocity. There's a genuine satisfaction in finding your rhythm and maintaining momentum through a stage.
However, the experience has clear limitations. The campaign runs under four hours, which feels abrupt just as the difficulty ramps up and the level design reaches its peak. The stages themselves, while mechanically sound, often feel sparse. With relatively few enemies to encounter and side activities scattered throughout, some of the more open-ended zones become tedious to explore. The tighter, more focused stages shine brightest, but they're outnumbered by levels that feel like they're coasting on potential rather than realizing it.
The movement system, while charming, can feel slippery when precision matters most. Nailing tight platforming sequences requires real adjustment time, and failure often comes from overshooting jumps or misjudging landing zones rather than enemy encounters. The higher-difficulty stages expose this weakness, turning what should be triumphant moments into frustrating ordeals of trial and error.
What rescues Bubsy 4D from its shortcomings is relentless charm and stylistic confidence. The game is packed with references to classic Bubsy titles and broader video game tropes, operating as a full-on parody of 3D platformers without ever breaking the fourth wall outright. The pause menu occasionally triggers panic animations where Bubsy reacts to being yanked from action into a menu. His niece and nephew provide consistent comic relief, regularly mocking his attempts to appear cool. Unlockable costumes include the blocky retro-3D skin from his original 3D outing, and players can even activate the original tank controls for an extra challenge.
The game embraces the vibe of N64-era classics like Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie while folding in modern sensibilities that prevent it from feeling purely nostalgic. The writing is tongue-in-cheek throughout, poking fun at game design conventions like Coyote Time with unlockable moves that acknowledge the mechanic by name. There's even a respectful tribute to Bubsy 3D's original developers in the credits.
Bubsy 4D offers a bite-sized experience with considerable personality, but it leaves you wanting more substance. The campaign ends just as momentum builds. Revisiting levels for collectibles and time trials provides some replay value, and a permadeath 9 Lives mode offers additional challenge, yet the overall package still feels slight. For fans of the character or players hungry for a fresh take on 90s platforming with modern polish, it's worth the investment. For everyone else, it's a charming oddball that doesn't quite stick the landing.
Author Emily Chen: "Bubsy 4D proves the underdog cat deserves better than he got, even if this comeback feels a bit rushed."
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