Bubsy 4D just got a playable demo on consoles
The world's most infamous bobcat has a new 3D platformer coming out next month, and you can try the first three levels right now.
A playable demo for Bubsy 4D is now available to download on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. Atari and developer Fabraz released the console trial today. It gives players a chance to play through the first three levels of the upcoming platformer ahead of the full release on May 22.
The Fabraz factor
Atari acquired the rights to the Bubsy franchise in 2023 after buying a catalog of old IP from a holding company. The publisher immediately started asking indie developers for pitches to revive the character. Atari CEO Wade Rosen stated at the time that the company wanted something unusual. He said a generic platformer would not work for a character with such a weird history.
Fabraz took the job. The studio is best known for Demon Turf and Slime-san. They built a 3D platformer that acknowledges the bobcat's terrible reputation but still tries to be a competent video game. This is the first fully 3D entry in the series since 1996's notoriously awful Bubsy 3D on the original PlayStation.
The demo includes a mix of traditional platforming and a new "Hairball Mode." This mechanic lets Bubsy roll around narrow pathways like a furry Super Monkey Ball. The full game contains three planets with five levels each. Players can collect yarn to buy outfits in an in-game shop, or they can find hidden blueprints in the levels to unlock new abilities. One of those unlocks is an optional tank control scheme that mimics the 1996 game.
Getting used to the physics
Bubsy games are an acquired taste. The original 16-bit titles suffered from blind jumps and fall damage. The subsequent revivals by other studios in the late 2010s struggled to find an audience. The Fabraz team knows how to build a platformer, but they kept some of the character's signature weirdness intact.
The mechanics here are not for everyone. The momentum takes some getting used to. The glide physics require a bit of practice to master. But once you adjust to how the character handles, the game is not as bad as the internet makes it out to be. There is actual fun to be found in these levels. Stringing together a long glide into a perfect roll feels good once the timing clicks.
The levels are designed with multiple goals in mind. You can try to reach the end before a strict time limit expires, or you can explore every corner to collect all 150 yarn balls scattered across a stage. The environments are relatively open. They draw obvious inspiration from modern 3D Mario games rather than the linear obstacle courses of the 16-bit era.
Leaning into the joke
The marketing relies heavily on self-deprecating humor. The promotional voiceover literally tells players to "Download today. Regret tomorrow." The game itself contains frequent fourth-wall breaks about Atari, internet memes, and the character's mixed legacy. The developers even brought back extended universe characters like Arnold Armadillo and Virgil Reality to flesh out the cutscenes.
Bubsy 4D launches on May 22 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Nintendo Switch, and the upcoming Switch 2. It is strange to see a gaming industry punchline get a genuine redemption arc. At least the demo is free, so you can judge the physics for yourself before deciding if the bobcat deserves a second chance.
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