In the competitive landscape of video game mascots, few have managed to stand the test of time against icons like Mario and Sonic. Many promising characters, despite appearing in quality titles, have faded into obscurity. Names like Sparkster (Rocket Knight Adventures), Zool, Croc, and Sackboy, though memorable, often struggled to maintain their presence.
One such character who often evokes recognition, even if his games weren’t always critically acclaimed, is Bubsy. Debuting in 1993 with Bubsy in Claws: Encounters of the Furred Kind, he was marketed as a fast-paced rival to Sonic. The initial game achieved decent sales, paving the way for several sequels. However, the original developer, Accolade, eventually ceased operations and was acquired by Infogrames in 1999, which also eventually dissolved.
This hiatus left the Bubsy franchise dormant for 21 years. However, the series made a comeback in 2017 and 2019 with Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back and Bubsy: Paws on Fire!, respectively. Unfortunately, both entries were met with lukewarm reception due to their perceived lower quality.
Now, seven years later, it appears Bubsy is gearing up for a fresh start with Bubsy 4D. The game is slated for a full release on May 22nd across multiple platforms, including PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2 (anticipated), Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X.
Early impressions from those who have tried Bubsy 4D at events have been positive. To let players experience it firsthand, a playable demo for the game has now been released on consoles. This follows the PC demo’s availability and is accompanied by a new trailer, which you can find below. If you’ve already had a chance to try out Bubsy’s latest adventure, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.