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 just generally enjoyable as Bubsy 4D can exist given the wise-cracking Bobcat's undeniably rocky reputation within the annals of platforming history. Neither the original game, its sequel, or Bubsy's infamous first attempt at transitioning to 3D left an imprint on the beloved genre - especially compared to other contemporary mascot heavyweights at the time - so why would it now?
It's all thanks to new developer Fabraz, and more specifically its willingness to embrace an unabashedly 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 quite budget restrained at times, but after well over 30 years of trying, Bubsy 4D is not half bad. Yup, I'm just as shocked as you are.
Back to Basics
No doubt helping Bubsy 4D greatly is its incredibly stripped-back and back-to-basics approach with regards to what a 3D platformer should be in this day and age. Rather than shoot for the moon with story, Bubsy's reinvented adventure presents a wildly simple but fun narrative setup. Better yet, it doesn't assume you have any prior knowledge of past Bubsy games, whisking the titular Bobcat off into space with his close-knit family litter and tasking them to recover the coveted Golden Fleece stolen from them by an alien race of sheep robots.
Bubsy 4D isn't the type of old-school 3D platformer to take itself all that seriously. And neither should it. Fabraz knows this, Atari the publisher knows this, and even Bubsy himself knows this, as evidenced by all the fourth-wall breaking antics he regularly indulges in, such as the way he'll routinely roast you simply for pausing the game or his crotch area being blurred after you unlock his naked skin.
None of this charm or 90s-fueled nostalgia would work, however, were the actual platforming itself not any good. Luckily, this is where Fabraz smartly taps into its experience working on the Demon Turf games and the recently released Demon Tides spin-off, all of which help make the act of hunting for collectibles truly fly and feel good.
Spin a Yarn
Rather than the simple climbing and jumping from before, Bubsy now comes packing a new momentum-fueled movement style. This means he can glide, scamper, and leap in his pursuit to find all 150 yarn ball collectibles sprinkled throughout the 15 featured stages, all of which combine together to make Bubsy handle the most fluid he ever has.
Easily the most game-changing is the hairball form ability, which allows Bubsy to roll his way down and through marble-like tunnels, as well as bounce around levels in a way that feels like controlled chaos. So good is Bubsy's hairball form, it instantly works to give Bubsy 4D's brand of platforming its own identity - the kind of which he should have unleashed decades ago, as it's a style of movement only really a cat could deploy.
For as great (if sometimes slippery) as it can be to merely move around, though, Bubsy 4D does suffer from some incredibly sparse-looking stages. Much like Demon Turf and Demon Tides before it, there's always an incredible amount of empty environmental space in the distance. This works to really hit home the idea that Bubsy and friends are exploring planets rather than anywhere on Earth, but it does mean that running off certain poorly-positioned ledges or platforms often spells certain death.
Fortunately, the suite of unlockable upgrades Bubsy 4D provides does go some way to combat the more unpredictable aspects of the bobcat's movement. The Hairball form, for instance, showcases Bubsy at his most unwieldy by making it incredibly easy to launch yourself off the side of tunnels should you start boosting too fast. That said, additional manoeuvres like being able to walk back after slipping off a ledge or maintaining a hairball bounce for longer offer a good incentive to seek out each stage's secrets, even if they do require a bit of extra finesse to pull off.
Honestly, if there's one thing that lets Bubsy 4D down as a package and prevents it from being totally pawsome, it's its short length. I was able to complete all three planets, always taking the time to hunt down at least 90% of yarn balls, in just a little over four hours.
Was this time well spent and did I have an absolute blast chaining together and then perfecting all of Bubsy's fresh movement skills? You bet, but I was left with the feeling that this relatively grand adventure was over too soon. Sure, timed challenges relating to each stage are here for players wanting to test their true mastery, but most proved too tough for my liking.
Despite its short length and the general unwieldiness of some of Bubsy's new traversal abilities, Bubsy 4D excels in being the first truly solid entry in the franchise - and it has an incredible time poking fun of itself while doing so. Gaming's cheekiest Bobcat is on close to top form here, having the smarts to get out of its own way while focussing on what a modern platformer should: worthwhile collectibles and fun platforming challenges. I wish this self-referential ride lasted a little longer, but I still say bring on Bubsy 5D.
Rating: 3/5
