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{{Short description|Series of platforming video games}}
{{About|the video game series|the first video game in the series|Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind}}
{{Distinguish|Busby (disambiguation){{!}}Busby}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2013}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2013}}
⚫
{{Infobox video game series
{{Refimprove|date=August 2010}}

⚫
{{Infobox VG series
|title = Bubsy
|title = Bubsy
|image = [[Image:Bubsy (SNES).png|256px]]
|image = BubsyPOFrender.png
|caption = Bubsy in ''Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind'' SNES Gameplay
|caption = Bubsy as seen in ''[[Bubsy: Paws on Fire!]]''
⚫
|developer = [[Accolade (developer)|Accolade]], [[SCE Bend Studio|Eidetic]]
|publisher = Accolade
|website =
|creator = [[Michael Berlyn]]
|creator = [[Michael Berlyn]]
|artist =
|artist =
⚫
|developer = [[Accolade, Inc.|Accolade]], [[Imagitec Design]], [[Bend Studio|Eidetic]], [[Black Forest Games]], [[Choice Provisions]]
|publisher = Accolade, [[Atari Corporation]], Messe Sansao, Inc., [[Retroism]], Billionsoft, [[Tommo]], [[UFO Interactive Games]]
|composer = {{unbulleted list|Matt Berardo|Chip Harris|Alastair Lindsay|Kevin Saville|Chris Huelsbeck|Stemage}}
|first release version = ''[[Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind]]''
|first release version = ''[[Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind]]''
|first release date = {{vgy|1993}}
|first release date = 1993
|latest release version = ''[[Bubsy 3D]]''
|latest release version = ''[[Bubsy: Paws on Fire!]]''
|latest release date = {{vgy|1996}}
|latest release date = 2019
|platforms = [[Super NES]], [[Sega Genesis|Mega Drive/Genesis]], [[Game Boy]], [[Atari Jaguar]], [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], [[PlayStation 4]], [[Nintendo Switch]], [[Microsoft Windows]]
}}
}}
'''''Bubsy''''' is a series of [[Platform game|platforming]] video games created by [[Michael Berlyn]] and developed and published by [[Accolade, Inc.|Accolade]]. The games star an [[Anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] [[bobcat]] named Bubsy,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=6716 |title=Playing Catch-Up: Bubsy's Michael Berlyn |author=Frank Cifaldi |date=October 3, 2005 |work=[[Gamasutra]] |access-date=February 4, 2014}}</ref> a character that takes inspiration from ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' and ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (1991 video game)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]''. The games were originally released for the [[Super NES]], [[Sega Genesis|Mega Drive/Genesis]], [[Game Boy]], [[Atari Jaguar|Jaguar]], [[personal computer|PC]] and [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] during the 1990s.


'''''Bubsy''''' is a series of video games created by [[Michael Berlyn]] and developed and published by [[Accolade (developer)|Accolade]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=6716 |title=Playing Catch-Up: Bubsy's Michael Berlyn |author=Frank Cifaldi |date=October 3, 2005 |work=[[Gamasutra]] |publisher= |accessdate=February 4, 2014}}</ref> Four games were released in the series: ''[[Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind]]'', ''[[Bubsy 2]]'', ''[[Bubsy in Fractured Furry Tales]]'' and ''[[Bubsy 3D]]''. The games were [[platform game]]s similar to ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' and ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (1991 video game)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]''. The games were released for the [[Super Nintendo]], [[Sega Genesis]], [[Atari Jaguar]], the [[personal computer|PC]] and [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] in the early and mid-1990s.
There are six games that have been released in the series: ''[[Bubsy in: Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind]]'', ''[[Bubsy II]]'', ''[[Bubsy in: Fractured Furry Tales]]'', ''[[Bubsy 3D|Bubsy is 3D in "Furbitten Planet"]]'', ''[[Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back]]'' and ''[[Bubsy: Paws on Fire!]]'' In 1997, a special version of the first game, titled ''Super Bubsy'', was released for [[Windows 95]]. In 2015, a compilation of the first two games was released for [[Microsoft Windows]] through [[Steam (service)|Steam]], by Retroism, the video game software subsidiary of [[Tommo]]. In addition to the games, a [[television pilot]] was created for a ''Bubsy'' [[cartoon]] show based on the video game series, but it did not transition to become a full-fledged series.


==History==
== History ==
{{Timeline of release years
| compressempty = yes
| 1993 = ''[[Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind]]''
| 1994a = ''[[Bubsy 2]]''
| 1994b = ''[[Bubsy in Fractured Furry Tales]]''
| 1996 = ''[[Bubsy 3D]]''
| 2017 = ''[[Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back]]''
| 2019 = ''[[Bubsy: Paws on Fire!]]''
}}
=== ''Bubsy in: Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind'' ===
{{Main|Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind}}
⚫
The first ''Bubsy'' game was released in May 1993 by Accolade for the SNES, and later for the Genesis. The plot focuses on a race of fabric-stealing aliens called "Woolies", who have stolen the world's yarn ball supply (especially Bubsy's, who owns the world's largest collection). A special version, titled ''Super Bubsy'', was later released in 1997 for [[Windows 95]], featuring graphics redrawn for a higher resolution, new game elements and the entire ''Bubsy'' television pilot. In addition to the power-ups found in the original game, there are bouncing TVs that Bubsy can collect which allow the player to view more of the cartoon.


===''Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind''===
=== ''Bubsy 2'' ===
{{main|Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind}}
{{Main|Bubsy 2}}
⚫
''Bubsy II'' was released shortly after the first game, on October 28, 1994. In the game, Bubsy faces antagonist Oinker P. Hamm, who has created the "Amazatorium", a theme park that saps information away from history and puts it on display for his personal profit. The game features five levels: a music-themed world, a medieval era, an Egyptian area, an outer space zone, and an aerial zone with Bubsy flying a [[World War I]] biplane. Bubsy collects trading cards which he can use to buy various items. These include a "portable hole" (a small portal he can step through and disappear to the main lobby), a diver's suit, a [[Nerf gun]], screen-clearing smart bombs, or extra lives. The game features the addition of Bubsy's nephew and niece that can be played by another player to help or hinder Bubsy. There are also secret stages involving Bubsy and his unwilling sidekick, Arnold the Armadillo. Additionally, Bubsy could take two hits (denoted by his expression next to the "lives" counter), and on a third, he would lose a life – though some hazards will still instantly kill him. ''Bubsy II'' is also the only ''Bubsy'' title to be reprogrammed for the [[Game Boy]] as a black-and-white game with [[Super Game Boy]] support for limited colors. This version of the game features the three levels of difficulty, but only has three of the original worlds (Egyptian, Musicland and Skyland) available for play.


A re-release of both titles titled ''Bubsy Two-Fur'' (a collection of the first two games) was released on [[Steam (service)|Steam]] in December 2015 by Tommo division Retroism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://retroism.com/bubsy-two-fur/|title=Bubsy Two-Fur – Retroism|access-date=February 14, 2016|archive-date=February 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160222135143/http://retroism.com/bubsy-two-fur/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>[https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=553404370 Steam Greenlight :: BUBSY Two-Fur – Steam Community]". [[Steam (service)|Steam]]. November 16, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2015.</ref>
⚫
The first ''Bubsy'' game was released in May 1993 by Accolade for the SNES, and later for the Genesis. The plot focuses on a race of fabric-stealing aliens called "Woolies", who have stolen the world's yarn ball supply (especially Bubsy's, who owns the world's largest collection).


===''Bubsy 2''===
=== ''Bubsy in Fractured Furry Tales'' ===
{{main|Bubsy 2}}
{{Main|Bubsy in Fractured Furry Tales}}
⚫
''Bubsy in: Fractured Furry Tales'' was released on December 15, 1994, for the [[Atari Jaguar]]. This title sets Bubsy traversing across various [[fairy tale]]s. The game sees Bubsy taking on the [[Mad Hatter]] in ''[[Alice's Adventures in Wonderland|Alice in Wonderland]]'', the Giant in ''[[Jack and the Beanstalk]]'', the Djinni in ''[[Ali Baba|Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves]]'', a sea monster in ''[[Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas]]'' and [[Hansel and Gretel]] in Candyland. The game plays similarly to the prior two games in the series, but without any of the gadgets or band-aids of ''Bubsy 2''.
''Bubsy II'' was released shortly after the first game, on October 28, 1994. In the game, the antagonist, Oinker P. Hamm, has created his "Amazatorium", which actually saps information away from history, and puts it on display, for his personal profit. It's up to the player to control Bubsy and stop this. The game features five levels; a music-themed world, a medieval era, an Egyptian area, an outer space zone, and an aerial zone with Bubsy flying a [[World War I]] biplane.


⚫
=== ''Bubsy is 3D in "Furbitten Planet"'' ===
⚫
Bubsy collects trading cards which he can use to buy various items. These include a "portable hole" (a small portal he can step through and disappear to the main lobby), a diver's suit, a Nerf gun, screen-clearing smart bombs, a slingshot or extra lives. The game features the addition of Bubsy's nephew and niece that can be played by another player to help or hinder Bubsy. There are also secret stages involving Bubsy and his unwilling sidekick, Arnold the Armadillo. Additionally, Bubsy could take two hits (denoted by his expression next to the "lives" counter), and on a third, he would lose a life – though some hazards will still instantly kill him.
⚫
{{Main|Bubsy 3D}}
⚫
''Bubsy 3D'' is the fourth ''Bubsy'' game, and was the only title in [[3D computer graphics|3D]]. The game was released in 1996 for the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] video game console. It is the sequel to the original in terms of the story and takes place on the Woolies' home planet, [[Rayon]]. ''Bubsy 3D'' has 16 main levels and two boss levels, and the main character's goal is to defeat the two queens of Rayon, [[Polyester|Poly and Esther]]. The player can collect [[rocket]]s, as well as atoms, in order to eventually escape from planet Rayon. Bubsy actively speaks throughout the game based on various actions performed by the player. A planned release for the [[Sega Saturn]] was cancelled.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/19970221232703/http://www.accolade.com/products/bubsy3d/index.html Welcome to Bubsy 3D]". [[Accolade, Inc.|Accolade]]. February 21, 1997. Retrieved on July 8, 2010.</ref>


=== ''Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back'' ===
''Bubsy II'' is the only ''Bubsy'' title to be reprogrammed for the [[Game Boy]] as a black-and-white game with [[Super Game Boy]] support for limited colors. This version of the game features the three levels of difficulty, but only has three of the original worlds (Egyptian, Musicland and Skyland) available for play.
{{Main|Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back}}
In October 2017, a fifth ''Bubsy'' title, ''Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back'', was released for [[PlayStation 4]] and [[Personal computer|PC]].<ref name="GematusAnnounce" /> The game was developed by [[Black Forest Games]], who previously worked on reviving the dormant ''[[The Great Giana Sisters|Giana Sisters]]'' series with ''[[Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams]]''.<ref name="GematusAnnounce">{{cite web|url=http://gematsu.com/2017/06/accolade-returns-announces-bubsy-woolies-strike-back-ps4-pc#s376pdkSMlXDmP8t.99|title=Accolade returns, announces Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back for PS4, PC – Gematsu|date=June 8, 2017|website=gematsu.com}}</ref>


===''Bubsy in: Fractured Furry Tales''===
=== ''Bubsy: Paws on Fire!'' ===
{{main|Bubsy in Fractured Furry Tales}}
{{Main|Bubsy: Paws on Fire!}}
A sixth ''Bubsy'' title, ''Bubsy: Paws on Fire!'', was released on May 16, 2019, for PlayStation 4 and PC. The game was developed by [[Choice Provisions]], who previously worked on the ''[[Bit.Trip]]'' series and ''Woah, Dave!''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://gematsu.com/2019/04/bubsy-paws-on-fire-delayed-to-may-16|title=Bubsy Paws on Fire! delayed to May 16|work=Gematsu|access-date=April 3, 2019}}</ref> The Nintendo Switch version was released shortly after in August 29.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://gematsu.com/2019/05/bubsy-paws-on-fire-for-switch-delayed-to-summer|title=Bubsy: Paws on Fire! for Switch delayed to summer|work=Gematsu|access-date=May 9, 2019}}</ref>
⚫
''Bubsy in: Fractured Furry Tales'' was released December 15, 1994 for the [[Atari Jaguar]]. This title sets Bubsy traversing across various [[fairy tales]] in order to rescue [[Mother Goose]]. The game sees Bubsy taking on the [[Mad Hatter]] in ''[[Alice's Adventures in Wonderland|Alice in Wonderland]]'', the Giant in ''[[Jack and the Beanstalk]]'', the Djinni in ''[[Ali Baba|Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves]]'', a sea monster in ''[[Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea]]'' and [[Hansel and Gretel]] in Candyland. The game plays similarly to the prior two games in the series, but without any of the gadgets or band-aids of ''Bubsy 2''.


The soundtrack by [[Stemage]] was released by Materia Collective on the same game's release date.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/pressreleases/342840/Bubsy_Paws_on_Fire_Original_Game_Soundtrack_on_All_Storefronts.php|title = Bubsy: Paws on Fire (Original Game Soundtrack) on All Storefronts}}</ref> A CD sampler containing the first 7 tracks of the soundtrack was included with the Limited Edition of the game.
⚫
===''Bubsy 3D: Furbitten Planet''===
⚫
{{main|Bubsy 3D}}
⚫
''Bubsy 3D'' is the first and only [[3D computer graphics|3D]] platformer game in the ''Bubsy'' franchise and was released in 1996 for the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] video game console. It is a sequel to the original in terms of the story and takes place on the Woolies' home planet, [[Rayon]]. ''Bubsy 3D'' has 16 main levels and two boss levels and the main character's goal is to defeat the two queens of Rayon, [[Polyester|Poly and Esther]]. The player can collect [[rocket]]s, as well as atoms, in order to eventually escape from planet Rayon. The [[computer graphics|graphics]] are very simplistic, even for their time, with a dense [[fog]] that covers entire levels throughout the game. Bubsy actively speaks throughout the game based on various actions performed by the player. Accolade planned to release the game for the [[Sega Saturn]].<ref>"[http://web.archive.org/web/19970221232703/http://www.accolade.com/products/bubsy3d/index.html Welcome to Bubsy 3D]". [[Accolade (developer)|Accolade]]. February 21, 1997. Retrieved on July 8, 2010.</ref>


=== Future ===
''Bubsy 3D'' was panned by both critics due to its confusing control schemes and camera angles. It was featured on ''[[Seanbaby]]'s [[Electronic Gaming Monthly|EGM]] Crapstravaganza: The 20 Worst Games of All Time'' list<ref>"[http://www.seanbaby.com/nes/egm17.htm EGM's Crapstravaganza: The 20 Worst Games of All Time]", Electronic Gaming Monthly. Retrieved on July 11, 2010.</ref> as well as in eighth place on [[GameTrailers]]' 2006 Top 10 Best and Worst Games list, where it was described as "a terrible, terrible clone".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/vd0xxz/gt-countdown-top-ten-best-and-worst-games-of-all-time | title=GT Countdown: Top Ten Best and Worst Games of All Time | work=GameTrailers.com | date=November 17, 2006 | format=video | accessdate=2013-04-04}}</ref>
In April 2023, [[Atari SA]], the parent company of [[Atari, Inc. (1993–present)|Atari, Inc.]], re-acquired over 100 titles from [[Tommo]] and Billionsoft, including the ''Bubsy'' franchise,<ref>{{cite press release |title=Atari Announces Acquisition of More than 100 PC and Console Titles from the 80s and 90s |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/04/19/2650476/0/en/Atari-Announces-Acquisition-of-More-than-100-PC-and-Console-Titles-from-the-80s-and-90s.html |website=GlobeNewswire |date=19 April 2023 |access-date=April 20, 2023}}</ref> ten years after losing them following the bankruptcy liquidation. In October, Atari CEO Wade Rosen announced in a YouTube interview that the company was open to pitches for a new installment in the franchise.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.timeextension.com/news/2023/10/atari-is-open-to-pitches-for-a-new-bubsy-game | title=Atari is Open to Pitches for a New Bubsy Game | date=October 11, 2023 }}</ref> In June 2024, the company announced ''Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection'', a multimedia release with games, videos, and original interviews about the franchise slated to be released in 2025.<ref name="pc">{{Cite web |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/why-bubsy-in-the-purrfect-collection-is-the-right-move-for-the-franchise/ar-BB1pfta6 |title=Why Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection is the Right Move for the Franchise |first=Connor |last=O'Keefe |language=en-US |department=GameRant |website=[[MSN News]] |date=2024-07-01 |accessdate=2024-07-03}}</ref>

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==Reception==
Bubsy was awarded Most Hype for a Character of 1993 by [[Electronic Gaming Monthly]].<ref name="egmbuyersguide1994">{{cite journal |last= |first= |year=1994 |month= |title=Electronic Gaming Monthly's Buyer's Guide |journal=Electronic Gaming Monthly |volume= |issue= |page= |url= |accessdate=2009-01-09 |quote= }}</ref> [[GamesRadar]] included Bubsy in a list of the 13 most hateful video game mascot characters of the '90s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/the-13-most-hateful-video-game-mascot-characters-of-the-90s/?page=3 |title=The 13 most hateful video game mascot characters of the '90s – Page 3 |author=David Houghton |date=September 7, 2009 |work=[[GamesRadar]] |publisher=[[Future US]] |accessdate=February 3, 2012}}</ref>


==Television pilot==
==Television pilot==
Bubsy also had a pilot episode for an [[animated series]] sponsored by [[Taco Bell]] in 1993,<ref name="Sega16Interview">{{cite web|url=http://www.sega-16.com/2006/08/interview-mike-berlyn/|title=Sega- 16 Interview: Mike Berlyn (Creator of Bubsy Series)|date=August 1, 2006|website=sega-16.com}}</ref> titled ''What Could Possibly Go Wrong?''<ref>{{cite book |last=Lenburg |first=Jeff |title=The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons |date=1999 |publisher=Checkmark Books |isbn=0-8160-3831-7 |access-date=6 June 2020 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780816038312/page/230/mode/2up |page=230}}</ref> [[World Events Productions|Calico Entertainment]] and Imagination Factory jointly produced the pilot for airing on [[Bohbot Entertainment|Bohbot Communications]] ''Kid's Day Off'' syndication package for Thanksgiving 1993.<ref name="CalicoImagination">{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/1993/digital/news/calico-hooks-up-with-imagination-factory-107442/|title=Calico hooks up with Imagination Factory|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=August 18, 2021}}</ref> It featured new additions to the ''Bubsy'' franchise not made by the original Bubsy producer (Michael Berlyn) as he was on hiatus from Accolade at the time. These included Virgil Reality, a genius inventor and scientist; Oblivia, Virgil's assistant and planned future love interest for Bubsy; Ally, the main antagonist, along with Buzz and Sid, her two Henchmen. The pilot was produced by Calico Creations. [[Rob Paulsen]] provides the voice of Bubsy, alongside voices from [[Tress MacNeille]], [[Jim Cummings]], [[Pat Fraley]], [[B. J. Ward (actress)|B. J. Ward]] and [[Neil Ross]]. The pilot was not picked up for a full series.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmNdbdSCuC4 Bubsy TV Pilot: ''"What Could Possibly Go Wrong?"'', aired on November 28, 1993.</ref> Virgil later appeared as a playable character in ''[[Bubsy: Paws on Fire!]]''
Bubsy also had a pilot episode for an [[Cartoon series|animated series]] in 1993, simply called "What Could Possibly Go Wrong?", produced by Calico Creations. Rob Paulsen reprised his role of voicing Bubsy, alongside voices from [[Tress MacNeille]], [[Jim Cummings]], [[Pat Fraley]], [[B. J. Ward (actress)|B. J. Ward]] and [[Neil Ross]]. The pilot was not picked up for a full series.

⚫
== Reception ==
Bubsy was awarded "Most Hype for a Character" of 1993 by ''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]''.<ref name="egmbuyersguide1994">{{cite magazine|year=1994 |title=Electronic Gaming Monthly's Buyer's Guide |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly }}</ref> Bubsy also won ''[[GameFan]]'''s "Best New Character" award for 1993.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/GamefanVolume2Issue02/GamefanVolume2Issue02February1994#page/n57/mode/2up|title=Gamefan Volume 2 Issue 02 January 1994|date=January 1, 1994|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>


==References==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
== External links ==
{{wikiquote}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* [https://www.bubsy.com/ Official website]
⚫
*{{moby game|id=-group/bubsy-series|name=''Bubsy'' series}}
* {{twitter|bubsythe_bobcat}}
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*{{IMDb title|0287945|Bubsy Pilot}}
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* {{moby game|id=-group/bubsy-series|name=''Bubsy'' series}}
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*[http://www.sega-16.com/2006/08/interview-mike-berlyn/ Sega-16 interview with Bubsy creator Mike Berlyn]
⚫
* {{IMDb title|0287945|Bubsy|animated series pilot}}
*[http://www.sega-16.com/2006/07/history-of-bubsy/ Sega-16 retrospective on the entire Bubsy series]
*[http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=6716 Playing Catch-Up: ''Bubsy's'' Michael Berlyn] – Gamasutra
* [http://www.sega-16.com/2006/08/interview-mike-berlyn/ Sega-16 interview with ''Bubsy'' creator Mike Berlyn]
⚫
* [http://www.sega-16.com/2006/07/history-of-bubsy/ Sega-16 retrospective on the entire ''Bubsy'' series]
* [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=6716 Playing Catch-Up: ''Bubsy''{{'}}s Michael Berlyn] – Gamasutra
* [https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=553404370/ Steam Greenlight for ''Bubsy Two-Fur'']


{{Bubsy series}}
{{Bubsy series}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Animated series based on video games]]
[[Category:Bubsy| ]]
[[Category:Bubsy (series)|Bubsy]]
[[Category:Platformers]]
[[Category:Anthropomorphic animal characters]]
[[Category:Anthropomorphic characters in video games]]
[[Category:Fictional felines]]
[[Category:Video game franchises]]
[[Category:Video game franchises]]
[[Category:Video game franchises introduced in 1993]]
[[Category:Video game franchises introduced in 1993]]
[[Category:One Piece characters]]
[[Category:Television pilots not picked up as a series]]
[[Category:Christian prophets]]
[[Category:]]

Latest revision as of 19:34, 22 December 2024

This article is about the video game series. For the first video game in the series, see Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind.
Not to be confused with Busby.

Bubsy
Bubsy as seen in Bubsy: Paws on Fire!
Developer(s)Accolade, Imagitec Design, Eidetic, Black Forest Games, Choice Provisions
Publisher(s)Accolade, Atari Corporation, Messe Sansao, Inc., Retroism, Billionsoft, Tommo, UFO Interactive Games
Creator(s)Michael Berlyn
Composer(s)
  • Matt Berardo
  • Chip Harris
  • Alastair Lindsay
  • Kevin Saville
  • Chris Huelsbeck
  • Stemage
Platform(s)Super NES, Mega Drive/Genesis, Game Boy, Atari Jaguar, PlayStation, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows
First releaseBubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind
1993
Latest releaseBubsy: Paws on Fire!
2019

Bubsy is a series of platforming video games created by Michael Berlyn and developed and published by Accolade. The games star an anthropomorphic bobcat named Bubsy,[1] a character that takes inspiration from Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog. The games were originally released for the Super NES, Mega Drive/Genesis, Game Boy, Jaguar, PC and PlayStation during the 1990s.

There are six games that have been released in the series: Bubsy in: Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind, Bubsy II, Bubsy in: Fractured Furry Tales, Bubsy is 3D in "Furbitten Planet", Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back and Bubsy: Paws on Fire! In 1997, a special version of the first game, titled Super Bubsy, was released for Windows 95. In 2015, a compilation of the first two games was released for Microsoft Windows through Steam, by Retroism, the video game software subsidiary of Tommo. In addition to the games, a television pilot was created for a Bubsy cartoon show based on the video game series, but it did not transition to become a full-fledged series.

History

[edit]
Release timeline
1993Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind
1994Bubsy 2
Bubsy in Fractured Furry Tales
1995
1996Bubsy 3D
1997–2016
2017Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back
2018
2019Bubsy: Paws on Fire!

Bubsy in: Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind

[edit]
Main article: Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind

The first Bubsy game was released in May 1993 by Accolade for the SNES, and later for the Genesis. The plot focuses on a race of fabric-stealing aliens called "Woolies", who have stolen the world's yarn ball supply (especially Bubsy's, who owns the world's largest collection). A special version, titled Super Bubsy, was later released in 1997 for Windows 95, featuring graphics redrawn for a higher resolution, new game elements and the entire Bubsy television pilot. In addition to the power-ups found in the original game, there are bouncing TVs that Bubsy can collect which allow the player to view more of the cartoon.

Bubsy 2

[edit]
Main article: Bubsy 2

Bubsy II was released shortly after the first game, on October 28, 1994. In the game, Bubsy faces antagonist Oinker P. Hamm, who has created the "Amazatorium", a theme park that saps information away from history and puts it on display for his personal profit. The game features five levels: a music-themed world, a medieval era, an Egyptian area, an outer space zone, and an aerial zone with Bubsy flying a World War I biplane. Bubsy collects trading cards which he can use to buy various items. These include a "portable hole" (a small portal he can step through and disappear to the main lobby), a diver's suit, a Nerf gun, screen-clearing smart bombs, or extra lives. The game features the addition of Bubsy's nephew and niece that can be played by another player to help or hinder Bubsy. There are also secret stages involving Bubsy and his unwilling sidekick, Arnold the Armadillo. Additionally, Bubsy could take two hits (denoted by his expression next to the "lives" counter), and on a third, he would lose a life – though some hazards will still instantly kill him. Bubsy II is also the only Bubsy title to be reprogrammed for the Game Boy as a black-and-white game with Super Game Boy support for limited colors. This version of the game features the three levels of difficulty, but only has three of the original worlds (Egyptian, Musicland and Skyland) available for play.

A re-release of both titles titled Bubsy Two-Fur (a collection of the first two games) was released on Steam in December 2015 by Tommo division Retroism.[2][3]

Bubsy in Fractured Furry Tales

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Main article: Bubsy in Fractured Furry Tales

Bubsy in: Fractured Furry Tales was released on December 15, 1994, for the Atari Jaguar. This title sets Bubsy traversing across various fairy tales. The game sees Bubsy taking on the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland, the Giant in Jack and the Beanstalk, the Djinni in Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, a sea monster in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas and Hansel and Gretel in Candyland. The game plays similarly to the prior two games in the series, but without any of the gadgets or band-aids of Bubsy 2.

Bubsy is 3D in "Furbitten Planet"

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Main article: Bubsy 3D

Bubsy 3D is the fourth Bubsy game, and was the only title in 3D. The game was released in 1996 for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to the original in terms of the story and takes place on the Woolies' home planet, Rayon. Bubsy 3D has 16 main levels and two boss levels, and the main character's goal is to defeat the two queens of Rayon, Poly and Esther. The player can collect rockets, as well as atoms, in order to eventually escape from planet Rayon. Bubsy actively speaks throughout the game based on various actions performed by the player. A planned release for the Sega Saturn was cancelled.[4]

Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back

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Main article: Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back

In October 2017, a fifth Bubsy title, Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back, was released for PlayStation 4 and PC.[5] The game was developed by Black Forest Games, who previously worked on reviving the dormant Giana Sisters series with Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams.[5]

Bubsy: Paws on Fire!

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Main article: Bubsy: Paws on Fire!

A sixth Bubsy title, Bubsy: Paws on Fire!, was released on May 16, 2019, for PlayStation 4 and PC. The game was developed by Choice Provisions, who previously worked on the Bit.Trip series and Woah, Dave!.[6] The Nintendo Switch version was released shortly after in August 29.[7]

The soundtrack by Stemage was released by Materia Collective on the same game's release date.[8] A CD sampler containing the first 7 tracks of the soundtrack was included with the Limited Edition of the game.

Future

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In April 2023, Atari SA, the parent company of Atari, Inc., re-acquired over 100 titles from Tommo and Billionsoft, including the Bubsy franchise,[9] ten years after losing them following the bankruptcy liquidation. In October, Atari CEO Wade Rosen announced in a YouTube interview that the company was open to pitches for a new installment in the franchise.[10] In June 2024, the company announced Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection, a multimedia release with games, videos, and original interviews about the franchise slated to be released in 2025.[11]

Television pilot

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Bubsy also had a pilot episode for an animated series sponsored by Taco Bell in 1993,[12] titled What Could Possibly Go Wrong?[13] Calico Entertainment and Imagination Factory jointly produced the pilot for airing on Bohbot Communications Kid's Day Off syndication package for Thanksgiving 1993.[14] It featured new additions to the Bubsy franchise not made by the original Bubsy producer (Michael Berlyn) as he was on hiatus from Accolade at the time. These included Virgil Reality, a genius inventor and scientist; Oblivia, Virgil's assistant and planned future love interest for Bubsy; Ally, the main antagonist, along with Buzz and Sid, her two Henchmen. The pilot was produced by Calico Creations. Rob Paulsen provides the voice of Bubsy, alongside voices from Tress MacNeille, Jim Cummings, Pat Fraley, B. J. Ward and Neil Ross. The pilot was not picked up for a full series.[15] Virgil later appeared as a playable character in Bubsy: Paws on Fire!

Reception

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Bubsy was awarded "Most Hype for a Character" of 1993 by Electronic Gaming Monthly.[16] Bubsy also won GameFan's "Best New Character" award for 1993.[17]

References

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  1. ^ Frank Cifaldi (October 3, 2005). "Playing Catch-Up: Bubsy's Michael Berlyn". Gamasutra. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  2. ^ "Bubsy Two-Fur – Retroism". Archived from the original on February 22, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
  3. ^ Steam Greenlight :: BUBSY Two-Fur – Steam Community". Steam. November 16, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
  4. ^ "Welcome to Bubsy 3D". Accolade. February 21, 1997. Retrieved on July 8, 2010.
  5. ^ a b "Accolade returns, announces Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back for PS4, PC – Gematsu". gematsu.com. June 8, 2017.
  6. ^ "Bubsy Paws on Fire! delayed to May 16". Gematsu. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  7. ^ "Bubsy: Paws on Fire! for Switch delayed to summer". Gematsu. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  8. ^ "Bubsy: Paws on Fire (Original Game Soundtrack) on All Storefronts".
  9. ^ "Atari Announces Acquisition of More than 100 PC and Console Titles from the 80s and 90s". GlobeNewswire (Press release). April 19, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  10. ^ "Atari is Open to Pitches for a New Bubsy Game". October 11, 2023.
  11. ^ O'Keefe, Connor (July 1, 2024). "Why Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection is the Right Move for the Franchise". GameRant. MSN News. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  12. ^ "Sega- 16 Interview: Mike Berlyn (Creator of Bubsy Series)". sega-16.com. August 1, 2006.
  13. ^ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. p. 230. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  14. ^ "Calico hooks up with Imagination Factory". Variety. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  15. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmNdbdSCuC4 Bubsy TV Pilot: "What Could Possibly Go Wrong?", aired on November 28, 1993.
  16. ^ "Electronic Gaming Monthly's Buyer's Guide". Electronic Gaming Monthly. 1994.
  17. ^ "Gamefan Volume 2 Issue 02 January 1994". January 1, 1994 – via Internet Archive.
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