Bubsy 4D Review

There’s something to be said for a solid platformer, a game that tests your skills and reaction time in a fun and challenging world. These games were at their peak in the ‘90s, and one such character appears to be making a return with developer Fabraz’s latest title: Bubsy 4D. The question is if this is a return to form, or if it’s time to leave this cat outside.

Now, some of you might be wondering just who the heck this Bubsy fellow is? Essentially, he’s a callback to the early days of console gaming, where every company was pushing to create a marketable mascot of their own to compete with the likes of Sonic and Mario. In those days, colourful platformers were the go-to for developers, appealing to the younger generation while also showing off the power of the hardware at the time. However, the console wars back then were a lot more vicious, and the majority of companies and characters slowly faded into obscurity… or obscurekitty in this case. 

But Bubsy is back with a new adventure, with the plot focusing on Bubsy’s long-time enemies, the fleece-obsessed Woollies, who steal all of Earth’s sheep. However, something went wrong, and those sheep have returned with new upgrades, becoming the Baabots. These mechanical menaces are after Bubsy’s Golden Fleece, and it’s up to the feline and his family and friends to head into space and get it back. 

Now, in the interest of fairness, the plots of these games are never really all that deep; instead, the focus (however much there is) is more on the characters. There are no deep connections, just characters. Bubsy himself is a fourth-wall-breaking loser, which his companions often bring up.

 There’s some comedy in their interactions, but like a lot of games that have a main character who exists through random quotes, you’ll be hearing the same lines over and over again. I did chuckle on occasion through some of the dialogue, but it was rare. Also, I do want to make it clear that, while the game is cartoony, it’s not really for kids, as there are some more mature moments. It’s nothing graphic, but it’s worth taking note of. 

With all that being said, the real focus of these kinds of titles is how you get around and what the movement is like. Bubsy can jump, pounce, glide, and climb all around the map, as well as take out the odd enemy that appears. The actual controls are simple to understand and use, and it does generally feel great when you make a long jump with a perfect pounce-and-glide combo. 

On top of that, you also have the new Hairball mechanic that sees Bubsy turn into a ball and roll around the map. This helps you to pick up some speed and zoom through the odd pipe. One of the good things is that you can use this new form whenever you want, which is a must for speedrunners. That’s really one of the main focuses for Bubsy 4D: the push to better your times. While there are three different planets to visit, with five levels on each and a boss, the real point of the game is getting through them as quickly as you can to compete with other people online. You can run through the plot in only a few hours, but if you do, then you’ll be missing out on all the collectables and upgrades.

Speaking of upgrades, as you play through, you’ll find blueprints that you can use to unlock new skills for Bubsy. However, if I am honest, outside of a couple that I never really found myself using any of them. I’m sure I might be missing how some of them can be used to get a better time, but the combat ones seem a bit pointless, as combat isn’t really a focus. There are enemies and the bosses, but like most early platformers, they’re more about dodging and pouncing to hit them three times to win. It’s not really a challenge, especially as there are no “lives”, so if you do die, you just go back to the checkpoint. 

Bubsy 4D is a strange game that feels like a blast from the past, and it is a very competent platformer. The issue is that, if you’re looking for a deep plot or varied gameplay styles, there’s nothing really here for you. This is a colourful platformer, and it does it very well, but that’s all it really is. If you want to go back to the early days of console gaming and show off your skills, then Bubsy 4D is a very solid choice, but otherwise, you could give it a miss.