Bubsy's latest 3D outing is firmly a family affair, with the rest of his bobcat clan on hand to provide upgrades and insight back at base. If cats really do have nine lives, you needn't look further than the Bubsy series of oddball platformers for proof.
Don't get me wrong, the titular puss is still a ways off from having eight solid prior entries under his belt, yet knowing this makes it all the more surprising that something as fluid-feeling, smartly self-deprecating, and generally enjoyable as Bubsy 4D can exist given the wise-cracking Bobcat's rocky reputation. Neither the original game, its sequel, nor Bubsy's infamous first attempt at transitioning to 3D left an imprint on the beloved genre, so why would it now?
It's all thanks to new developer Fabraz, and its willingness to embrace an indie mindset that paves the way for the most expressive, satisfying movement style ever featured in a Bubsy game. True, Bubsy's latest incarnation is a tad short and can feel budget-restrained at times, but after over 30 years of trying, Bubsy 4D is not half bad.
No doubt helping Bubsy 4D greatly is its incredibly stripped-back approach to what a 3D platformer should be. Rather than shoot for the moon with story, the adventure presents a wildly simple narrative setup. It doesn't assume prior knowledge of past games, whisking the Bobcat off into space with his family to recover the coveted Golden Fleece from alien sheep robots.
Bubsy 4D isn't the type of old-school 3D platformer to take itself seriously. Fabraz knows this, Atari the publisher knows this, and even Bubsy himself knows this, as evidenced by fourth-wall-breaking antics like roasting you for pausing or blurring his crotch after unlocking his naked skin. None of this charm would work if the platforming weren't any good, but Fabraz taps into its experience on Demon Turf to make hunting collectibles feel fluid.
Bubsy now comes packing a momentum-fueled movement style, allowing him to glide, scamper, and leap in pursuit of 150 yarn ball collectibles across 15 stages. The most game-changing is the hairball form, letting him roll through marble-like tunnels and bounce around in controlled chaos. However, Bubsy 4D suffers from sparse-looking stages and empty environmental space, meaning poorly-positioned ledges often spell death. Unlockable upgrades help combat unpredictable movement, but the hairball form can be unwieldy, making it easy to launch off tunnels if boosting too fast.
