If you owned a Super NES, you’re probably familiar with ‘Bubsy’. The orange bobcat debuted into the gaming world in 1993 with ‘Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind’. The game series spawned several follow-ups – ‘Bubsy II’ (1994), ‘Bubsy in Fractured Furry Tales’ (1994), ‘Bubsy 3D’ (1996), ‘Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back’ (2017) and ‘Bubsy: Paws on Fire!’ and it’s returning to consoles once again with ‘Bubsy 4D’. In this latest outing, Bubsy discovers that the Woolies have returned and they’ve kidnapped the Earth’s sheep population. When the sheep free themselves, steal the Golden Fleece and take over the Woolies’ planets, Bubsy has to step in to save the day.
If you played ‘Bubsy 3D’ back in 1996, you’ll probably enjoy ‘Bubsy 4D’. This game, developed by Fabraz, builds on the gameplay mechanics of that title, and adds a few new elements to keep things exciting for gamers. Working your way through three different plants, Bubsy has to work through five levels on each one and collect items while avoiding perils. There are plenty of animated cut scenes and a lot of humour to keep you occupied as you play.
Succeeding in the game comes down to combining movements. It will take a little while to get to grips with the control system and executing it for maximum effect, so expect plenty of trial and error. At the beginning of the game you are taught how to glide, dash and jump, and it’s important to string these together in combos throughout the game to navigate the tricky levels. At points you have to aim Busby at certain targets that help him move quickly and propel him to where he needs to be. As you progress, you unlock new skills that will help you provided you can find the relevant items.
One of the new elements for ‘Bubsy 4D’ is the ability to turn Bubsy into a hairball so he can roll around environments at super speed. This works great for the levels that have various slides and chutes, and it can help the furry little creature launch himself at speed when navigating wide gaps between platforms. One of the issues that I found with ‘Bubsy 4D’ is that the control system isn’t very precise. It’s incredibly easy to overshoot when you’re launching yourself and/or jumping, and that frequently results in you losing a life. The movements are so responsive, that it’s far too easy to get it wrong and that led to quite a frustrating experience throughout.
Visually the game is very strong. The cartoon-feel is in keeping with the series so far, and there’s impressive detail and colours throughout the three worlds. If you imagine ‘Super Monkey Ball’ crossed with ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’, you’ll get an idea of what to expect. Bubsy himself stands out against the colourful backdrops thanks to the style of animation he’s been created with.
‘Bubsy 4D’ is a solid enough platformer but it’s not really bringing anything new to the table. It looks good and there is plenty of charm to enjoy, but the game mechanics make it quite a frustrating experience. Levels feels repetitive and the lack of enemies along the way is disappointing. For the majority of the game you’re just navigating colourful levels, which is pleasant to look at but not the most exciting. ‘Bubsy’ may be a gaming legend but this isn’t one of the better entries in the series.
Developer: Fabraz Publisher: Atari Reviewed on: PS5 Also available on: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PS4, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S Release date: 22nd May 2026
