It’s that time of year again! The Lords are at PAX East once more, and we are covering multiple exciting announcements, reveals, and more.
One of the many exciting games at the show was Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection. Following the Bobcats’ surprising comeback with titles like The Woolies Strike Back and Paws on Fire in recent years, Atari is bringing the 90s icons’ back catalog to modern platforms.
What is Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection?
Speaking with Atari PR at the PAX East booth, I learned that the collection was born from a passion for the character. Spearheaded by Audi Sorlie at Limited Run, they partnered with Atari using the Carbon Engine to get the Bobcat’s entire legacy in one purrfect collection.
The full list of games includes the following:
- Bubsy in: Claws Encounters of the Purred Kind (Genesis/SNES & Game Boy)
- Bubsy 2 (Genesis/SNES & Game Boy)
- Bubsy in Fractured Furry Tales (Atari Jaguar)
- Bubsy 3D (PlayStation 1)
Alongside bringing Bubsy’s titles to modern platforms, the collection also contains video interviews, artwork, box art, and more to teach younger audiences where Bubsy comes from.
What Could Possibly Go Wrong? – Impressions of the Emulation
My hands-on with the collection included Bubsy II on the Genesis and Bubsy 3D on the PlayStation. Both titles felt solid to play, running at their target frame rates, though I noticed Bubsy 3D feeling smoother than it did originally on PS1.
In addition, they support emulation features seen on Nintendo Switch Online titles, having full rewind support for every game.
The resolution for the two games looked sharp, too, though the game will have support for borders and other features expected from games powered by the Carbon Engine.
The Importance of Game Preservation – Reason for the Collection
While the games played great during my hands-on, I kept thinking, ‘why these games’, regarding making a collection. In many regards, the Bubsy titles were critically lambasted by everyone, and it didn’t help when Bubsy 3D released after Crash Bandicoot and Super Mario 64.
But when speaking to the Atari PR reps, hearing the reasoning for this collection put everything together for me. Bubsy, as a character, comes from a long line of platform mascots trying to take the crown from characters like Mario and Sonic. While he came short of gaining the crown, he did garner an audience of people who love him and his adventures.
In addition, it’s fully in line with the idea that every game deserves to be remembered, which I agree with. Teaching newer generations about icons of the past and remembering lessons for the future is the only way the gaming industry can grow and evolve.
Hearing that the PR manager had largely received praise and excitement from the collection’s reveal was heartwarming, and seeing the passion, love, and care put into this makes me excited to see the final product.
Closing Thoughts on Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection
You can enjoy Bubsy’s iconic adventures in 2025 when it releases across PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
You can learn more about the collection via its Steam Page and stay tuned for additional PAX East 2025 coverage here at Lords of Gaming!
