I came away from gamescom last year with the stunning realization that my time playing Bubsy 4D was perhaps the most fun I had had at the show. I have no nostalgia whatsoever for the bobcat. In fact, most of what I do know about the series comes from YouTube videos and angry critics complaining about its 3D iteration. So presenting Bubsy 4D as a sort of comeback story would fit the character quite well. While Bubsy 4D is not a revolutionary platformer, its tight controls and a myriad of movement mechanics make it a joy to play.

The game does not require you to know much about Bubsy’s lore. One day, the alien enemies of Bubsy and his friends, the Woolies, come and take away the sheep from his planet. Once they return with the force of the baahbots, they steal the Golden Fleece. Reluctantly, Bubsy and his friends chase them in their spaceship as they travel across planets to recover the Golden Fleece. Everywhere, you find winks and nods to Bubsy’s past. I found it particularly funny that even the other characters barely acknowledge the relevance or role of Bubsy himself. It's a running gag that fits Bubsy’s overall disinterest in the whole affair. There isn't a grand story here, but the tone fits the vibe of wacky 3D platformers of the 1990s and early 2000s. If you ask me, it's all just a good excuse to present you with some fun levels and platforming challenges.

What struck me immediately was the wide variety of options and moves available from the word go. If you've played Fabraz’s previous games like Demon Turf or Demon Tides, you'll probably feel right at home. The jump, the double jump and the pounce feel tight and responsive. These tools will probably help you navigate your way through the levels without issue. What makes the moveset more interesting are the glide and the hairball. The glide speaks for itself; it can give you just that little extra edge to course correct a jump or launch yourself a bit further, especially when you chain it back into a pounce or double jump. The hairball transforms Bubsy into a large ball that enables him to roll around and gain a lot of momentum. While the first levels confine you to a set track to get used to the movement, later on the ball is absolutely required to make it through time gates or complete chases. When all strung together, it becomes a cohesive platformer that makes the worlds fun to explore to their fullest. You can even purchase additional moves using blueprints you can find hidden in the levels. Want the Mario 64 backflip high jump, or the long jump? You can discover them. That little bit of customization really encourages the player to find their own preferred style.

The levels are hit or miss in terms of their effectiveness. Each planet has its own distinct visual style. While they are varied on a structural level, I did feel that they blended together after a while–on Switch, in particular, with a lower resolution that becomes pretty apparent. Every level has lots of balls of yarn to collect, which can be used to purchase costumes for Bubsy. Within the levels you will be traveling through several distinct “islands” with their own type of platforming challenges. Some may be extended parkour runways, while others have a more open feel to them. I did like this structure, but compared to a more traditional 3D platformer I did find that these sections could've used a bit more personality. From ramps to rooftops and clawing and climbing about the levels serve their technical purpose with some cute flavor that aren't the traditional forest, desert and snow areas. That having been said, with all the collectibles to find you'll be dashing through them most of the time.

Finally a word on the bosses which tended to be a bit too slow paced for my taste. In particular because Bubsy can only take three hits before being returned to the last litterbox (checkpoint) he came across. I did like the inventiveness of the bosses as their patterns and strategies do stand out. But the 'three hits to defeat the boss' becomes more of an endurance test. It is a bit at odds with how expressive the platforming itself is. That creativity you have control over as the player wavers when fighting the bosses. Granted it is only a small mark against the game, especially for a game that adheres pretty traditionally to level and world structures.

Some of my favorite indie approaches to the modern 3D platformer, such as Tinykin, Blue Fire, A Hat in Time and Demon Tides, have these movement mechanics that I never get tired of exploring. I think Bubsy 4D is a great and focused contender in the 'expressive platformer' genre. While the character will probably not suddenly capture everyone's heart, its gameplay is something I'm so happy to see more of in action. For those hungry for a new 3D platformer in the year 2026, Bubsy 4D is a great shot of nostalgic gameplay with modern tweaks and flourishes. On Switch 1, it runs fine enough, and on Switch 2 you should have no problems. If you had told me that one day Bubsy would be part of the 3D platformer renaissance I, and many others, would've laughed you out of the room. But here we are. It's Bubsy's world once more and we are just living in it.