Why I’ll always be a Bubsy Bobcat fan – Reader’s Feature

Bubsy 4D – the most recent game wasn’t very good either Even though one of its entries is often described as a contender for the worst video game of all time, I remain a fan of Bubsy Bobcat and would love to see more sequels. Back in the 1990s, the Bubsy Bobcat platform series appeared on the Sega Mega Drive and Super Nintendo. I first learned about it while watching an episode of the then-popular GamesMaster, and I was curious to see whether it was actually a good platformer.

I later got the chance to play the first game at a market stall that, at the time, sold used Mega Drive games. After seeing it on GamesMaster and wanting to try it for myself, I bought the original Bubsy Bobcat game and quickly realised I was going to enjoy it. The first game followed Bubsy as he was forced to take on the Woolies, a group of aliens who had decided to invade Earth.

You could guide Bubsy through 16 levels in total, and many reviewers praised it as a strong alternative to Sonic the Hedgehog. It also won a Parent’s Choice Award for being fun and non-violent. On top of that, the first game featured a great soundtrack and performed well considering the competition it faced.

Sadly, the second game did not go down as well with players. It felt like recycled content, with confusing level design and a bland presentation. These problems did little to help the series, and Bubsy 3D very much seemed to kill the franchise for two decades.

That changed when Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back was released in 2017, followed by a Bubsy Bobcat collection in 2025 featuring the first game and the 16-bit and 3D titles. That, in turn, ensured a fourth game in the series, Bubsy 4D, would arrive. Despite the failures of the earlier 16-bit and 32-bit games, the first Bubsy title did enough to keep the series alive even today, despite the setbacks that came later.

And although some players were put off by the earlier entries, there are still fans like me who genuinely enjoy the franchise. So what should come next, and how can the series make sure a new game entertains and excites players? One good approach would be to learn from earlier developers and use clever ideas such as changing enemy placement, items, and power-ups each time you play.

That would add replay value, keep players interested, and provide a fresher challenge in future games. Platform games should spark curiosity and give players a reason to keep coming back. Multiplayer modes with unique maps would be ideal, along with exclusive enemies for certain stages and bosses that can appear on different maps each time.

That way, you would never fight the same boss on the same map twice, keeping the game feeling fresh and interesting. Adding new playable characters would also be a smart move, as it would offer different perspectives and could lead to multiple endings. It would also add more content and give players a reason to finish the game with different characters, while opening the door to trophies or achievements.

An unlockable theatre mode would also be a great bonus for enjoying the soundtrack and endings once they have been unlocked. Bubsy Bobcat will always remain one of my favourite Mega Drive platformers. By reader gaz be rotten Bubsy 3D is widely regarded as one of the worst games ever made The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

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