Few video game characters elicit as much nostalgia—and infamy—as Bubsy the Bobcat. Known for his wisecracking personality, Bubsy has clawed his way back into the spotlight with the announcement of Bubsy 4D. This brand-new 3D platformer promises to blend the series’ chaotic charm with modern mechanics. Bubsy 4D will hit Nintendo Switch 1|2, PlayStation 4|5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC (Xbox Play Anywhere), and Steam at launch. No release date has been confirmed as of yet.
Lord Sovereign and Lord Cognito of the Iron Lords Podcast recently provided a behind-the-scenes look at the project. Including an interview with Fabraz‘s co-founder, Ben Miller and Atari‘s Jason Polansky that sheds light on how Bubsy 4D came to be, the character’s enduring legacy, and what fans can expect from this interstellar adventure.
Atari and Fabraz
Ben Miller shared that making a Bubsy game started as a joke, but it seems the stars aligned, sparking a passionate collaboration between Atari and Fabraz. The up-and-coming 3D platformer heavyweight studied the old games to embrace their charm while tackling their flaws. “We didn’t want to shy away from any of the history,” Ben Miller said. The goal was to blend Fabraz’s expressive platforming mechanics with Bubsy’s anarchic energy and legacy.
The Bubsy 4D trailer showcased a new enemy: the BaaBots, robotic sheep empowered by technology created by Bubsy’s old enemies, the Woolies. The BaaBots are stealing all the Golden Fleece, and it’s up to Bubsy to venture through space to defeat them and reclaim the goods.
Gameplay and Art Style
Lord Sovereign got a chance to play an alpha build demo of seemingly the game’s opening. Miller noted the game is fully playable from start to finish with the team now in the polishing phase. The opening level showcased its tight, expressive 3D platforming, a massive leap from the clunky Bubsy 3D. Bubsy’s robust moveset includes leaping, gliding, wall-clawing, and enemy-pouncing, plus a “hairball form” for rolling, bouncing, and launching at high speeds. Players can spend in-game currency to unlock and level up moves and abilities, offering, as Miller put it, “options for how you want to express your own game style.”
Each level packs 150 yarn collectibles and a hidden item, along with the Golden Fleece needed to complete the level. Litter boxes are littered across each level as quirky checkpoints. Completion times are shown at the end of each level alongside suggested times, if you fancy yourself a speedrunner. The cel-shaded art style, bursting with Looney Tunes energy, delivers a vibrant, cartoonish vibe, while customizable clothing lets players style Bubsy for his intergalactic adventure. After playing the amazing Demon Tides demo extensively, it’s easy to see some shared DNA between the two games.
Insights from the Bubsy 4D Developer Interview
The Iron Lords’ video featured Lord Sovereign and Lord Cognito diving into Bubsy 4D with Ben Miller, who guided them through the alpha build demo and shared the game’s origin story. Bubsy 4D’s tongue-in-cheek humor jabs at Bubsy 3D’s missteps while celebrating the franchise’s quirky legacy. Miller mirrors this in the interview as well: “It’s a delicate balance because it’s very easy to dunk on Bubsy for very obvious reasons… Mario 64 had just come out. Nobody knew what the rules were just yet. And there are still things that were there that were good, and there’s a reason [Bubsy] stuck around and stuck in people’s minds.”
Fabraz leaned into this, crafting a game that honors Bubsy’s roots while modernizing controls. Miller highlighted some inspirations for the gameplay elements, saying, “It’s some bringing our own flavor to it, but also a lot of looking back at the game. There’s a little mix of like Mario and Sonic in Bubsy.” Watch the full hands-on and interview below:
Bubsy’s Back in 4D! (Not Really)
Bubsy 4D is clawing its way toward a redemption arc, fusing Fabraz’s platforming finesse with Atari’s nostalgic vision. With its Looney Tunes-inspired art, expressive gameplay, and cheeky humor, this cosmic romp could be Bubsy’s finest hour.
Yet, as we celebrate his unlikely comeback, I find it even more hilarious that highly requested platforming icons like Banjo, Conker, and Spyro still sit on the sidelines, waiting for their modern revival. For now, Bubsy’s stealing the spotlight all for himself.
