Bubsy 4D Review Thread
Game Information
Game Title: Bubsy 4D
Platforms:
- PC (May 22, 2026)
Trailer:
Developer: Fabraz
Publisher: Atari
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 73 average - 57% recommended - 30 reviews
Critic Reviews
But Why Tho? - Mick Abrahamson - 5 / 10
>Bubsy 4D tries to modernize, yet still feels stuck in the past. Uninteresting level designs, underwhelming bosses, and a short game overall leave one wanting more.
COGconnected - James Paley - 83 / 100
>Quote not yet available
ComingSoon.net - Tyler Treese - 8.5 / 10
>It’s a love letter to a character whose unlikely comeback was fuelled by irony and Bubsy’s first genuinely great game.
>Overall, Bubsy’s return after all these years isn’t a milestone in platform gaming history. It’s certainly great to see an icon from the 90s return for the modern age and Bubsy’s charm, wit and self-awareness (which is either a blessing or a curse depending on your sense of humour) is still in place which grants him a certain level of charm. The game doesn’t reinvent the wheel as far a platforming goes, however, this in my book is necessarily a bad thing. > >Gameplay is solid, with a good variety of worlds and the move to 3D, Sorry 4D this time around agrees with this Bobcat. Although it is easy to break the camera slightly during rolling segments at high speed, the game as a whole holds up well overall. The fact that you’re allowed you to complete each world using whatever type of movement and controls you want is a neat touch, despite the frustration of insta-death and respawn with a single misplaced step or hit as this could certainly frustrate and put off younger players new to the series. > >My only gripe really is that the worlds can often feel barren, with very little in the way of enemies initially. Although I only managed to complete the first world during play for the writing of this review, the levels, although varied, seem to have a lot more platforming than enemy encounters. This might change as the game progresses, but like I said, could be off putting to some people. The Baabot boss encounters provide a good challenge at the end of each world, meaning you have to master Bubsy’s full range of moves if you want to stand a chance. > >One of the best things for me though, is that the game isn’t charging full price on the Xbox Store at launch, meaning that it’s going to be a lot more tempting for the casual gamer to try. > >If you’re looking for a solid, fun, yet challenging, colourful slice of gaming goodness reminiscent of the old school platformers from the early days of 3D, then Bubsy 4D might just be the game for you to scratch that platforming itch (great, Bubsy’s humour has started to rub off on me too).
Console Creatures - David Pietrangelo - 7 / 10
>Nine lives later, Bubsy 4D does the best it can to revive a nearly forgotten franchise. The game may not be purrfect, but it's a big first step in reviving this snarky feline's 3D platforming adventures.
Game Lodge - Jean Kei - Portuguese - 7 / 10
>We have a short game with responsive controls and smooth movement, featuring the kind of old-school humor that both celebrates and pokes fun at a game so terrible it’s practically a joke. What could possibly go wrong?
GameBlast - Alecsander Oliveira - Portuguese - 7 / 10
>Bubsy 3D is finally a good game worthy of the bobcat, offering a fun adventure with varied movement options and accessible yet satisfying 3D platforming. While the visuals lack personality and some stages feel repetitive, especially the tube-rolling sections, it still manages to revive the classic mascot with a genuinely enjoyable experience.
GameFM - Gabriel Kreyssig Romualdo - Portuguese - 9 / 10
>Bubsy 4D is an absolute joy to play, packed with a genuinely hilarious sense of humor. Featuring precise gameplay enhanced by excellent momentum, charismatic characters, and a charming aesthetic, the game brings one of gaming’s most infamous mascots back into the spotlight — and, if all goes well, this time he’s here to stay. The team at Fabraz has once again delivered a top-tier platformer and, despite a few aspects that could still be improved here and there — in some cases unrelated to the studio itself — there’s no denying that we are looking at one of the best platform games of 2026.
Gameliner - Joey Visser - Dutch - 2 / 5
>Bubsy 4D is a game where you can switch off your brain for a bit of simple platforming action, but that's about it.
Gamer Social Club - DeMandre Pressley - 8 / 10
>Well… I guess persistence pays off. While Bubsy 4D may be over too soon, it’s still an overall very fun platformer and Bubsy is finally a likeable protagonist. If this is what the future holds for the bobcat, What could possibly go wrong?
Gaming Furever - Sean Phillips - 4 / 5
>Bubsy 4D is paw-sitively a purr-fectly claw-some game with a-mews-ing levels, hiss-terical comedy, and fur-nally shows that Bubsy isn’t a cat-astrophe of a fur-anchise and can be a claw-somely radi-claw series.
Gaming-Village - Sebastian Küpper - German - Recommended
>Bubsy 4D is an enjoyable 3d platformer with a somewhat crude humour, that does not feel remminiscent of its predecessor Bubsy 3D, but that is probably for the better. Compared to the rest of the Bubsy series, Bubsy 4D clearly is the best game, but even when taken on its own as a 3D platformer, it is a well-made game. Demon Turf's influence on the game design is pretty apparent and I would rank Bubsy 4D in between the slightly better Neon Splash and the weaker original Demon Turf.
Giant Bomb - Jeff Grubb - 3 / 5
>What should a Bubsy game be in 2026? I thought the answer to that question was obvious to everyone: It shouldn’t. But here I am reviewing Bubsy 4D, the new take on the sarcastic cat from Atari and developer Fabraz. And I’m glad that I am because this is the best Bubsy ever. Now, that’s not saying a lot.
Kakuchopurei - Jonathan Toyad - 60 / 100
>Bubsy 4D has some charm and seminal fun in its platforming, as well as spot-on controls and feel. However, the stages aren't that memorable, and it's over so quick unless you're doing Nine Lives/Tank mode and practicing for future speedrunning, and is very bare longevity-wise. Even for indie gaming standards, there's a good number of cracks that make this sequel feel more like a cash-in rather than a genuine send-off, as lovely-sounding as its soundtrack is.
KonsoliFIN - Niko Lähteenmäki - Finnish - 3 / 5
>Bubsy 4D is a fun and clever platformer that despite being a bit too short, rises above the average thanks to its ambitious mechanics and mostly great level design. It’s just a shame that Fabraz – well known for developing highly regarded indie platformers – stumbles slightly when it comes to the technical side and certain gameplay aspects. Even so, the bobcat’s commendable comeback shouldn’t be dismissed with a mere eye-roll.
Loot Level Chill - Lyle Pendle - 9 / 10
>Against all odds, Bubsy 4D is an incredible 3D platformer. I promise this isn't a bad joke, although there are plenty of them here.
MonsterVine - Spencer Legacy - 4.5 / 5
>Bubsy 4D is a far better revival for the boisterous bobcat than I think anyone could have anticipated he’d ever receive. Fabraz nailed it out of the park here, turning a series that was essentially the internet’s platforming laughingstock into a brilliant and extremely enjoyable 3D platformer that I couldn’t stop playing. The camera can be a bit unwieldy on occasion, but that’s nowhere near enough to stop Bubsy 4D from being a top-notch game.
Netto’s Game Room - Joonatan Syrjätie - 5 / 5
>Bubsy 4D manages to be a consistent, well-paced platformer that doesn't waste your time. It encourages you to master its mechanics while providing smooth controls and a great soundtrack. I honestly can't believe I'm saying this, but I legitimately like Bubsy now. That says everything about what Fabraz managed to accomplish; they didn't just break this bobcat's curse, they made him an underdog worth rooting for.
NookGaming - Andrew Camac - 8 / 10
>Bubsy 4D, for better or worse, is a Bubsy game. It still has some of the main irritations that the franchise is known for, but they are thankfully overshadowed by some outstanding gameplay. The platforming and feeling of speed and control are unmatched, and there is nothing quite like a complex platforming section that just comes off as seamless. It’s in these moments you forget you’re playing a game attached to the Bubsy the Bobcat franchise. > >I genuinely wouldn’t mind more Bubsy games of this quality. It’s been a nice palate cleanser and gave me some of my favorite platforming action I’ve experienced outside of a Nintendo game. Bubsy is always going to irritate, that’s just how he is, but when he has gameplay like this to back him up, I can’t help but love the mischievous, fourth-wall-breaking tyke.
PSX Brasil - Ivan Nikolai Barkow Castilho - Portuguese - 75 / 100
>Bubsy 4D is a good platform game with interesting mechanics. However, the levels are too simple and it's a rather short game, with a very low overall challenge. What will make you return to the levels are the collectibles and the challenging Time Trials.
PlayStation Universe - Joe Richards - 7.5 / 10
>Bubsy 4D has the makings of a modern classic, helmed by a team that has a clear ambition and design philosophy. It's issues are more fundamental, and in the fabric of Bubsy himself. I can take self-deprecation, but there comes a point where it stops being funny and becomes borderline pathetic. A mismatched level approach to level design means that both feel weak in spots, and I think you could have done more to bring those together. This is the best Bubsy game, but I can't say it isn't without fault.
Push Square - Stephen Tailby - 6 / 10
>In some ways, Bubsy 4D is the best the series has ever been; the bobcat's wide range of abilities affords him a huge amount of freedom to move through levels with style. However, a fairly narrow focus on movement means other aspects suffer; enemies may as well not be there, and stages are static and sparsely furnished. The result is a good 3D platforming character stuck in a pretty bland 3D platformer.
ReGame It - Taha Omar - Arabic - 7 / 10
>Bubsy 4D delivers a strong comeback with fun platforming, varied level design, smooth movement, and the series’ signature humor. Despite some technical issues and a short runtime, it remains an enjoyable experience for platformer fans
>Bubsy 4D is a great 3D platformer that’s a little on the short side but still gives a lot of respect to a character who deserved more love than he ever got. It’s charming, funny, challenging, and shows that it’s paw-sible to make a wonderful Bubsy game.
ThreeTwoPlay - Michael Seifert - German - 3.5 / 5
>Contrary to all expectations one might have had for the franchise Bubsy 4D delivers competent gameplay and a fun experience. It's an entertaining and well-made platformer that invites you to speedrunning it with mechanics that encourage absurd maneuvers. The only downside is the game's length. On one hand it's the highest praise a game can receive to wish for more. On the other hand the game's 15 levels are completed so quickly that you wonder if that's all there is. If you're motivated to achieve 100% completion and start climbing leaderboards Bubsy 4D definitely has more to offer, but a few more worlds would have made the experience way more satisfying.
>Bubsy 4D marks an enjoyable return for the iconic bobcat that goes a long way in repairing his long-tarnished reputation. It is a short, breezy adventure that doesn’t reinvent the genre, but between the rewarding platforming mechanics and the sheer satisfaction of speedrunning through levels, there’s a hell of a lot to like here. And sure, there’s still plenty of room for improvement, but this is certainly proof that even the most maligned of gaming mascots deserve a second chance.
Video Chums - A.J. Maciejewski - 7.5 / 10
>Bubsy 4D is a loosey-goosey 3D platformer with plenty of silliness on display and it offers oodles of entertaining challenges that make its messy gameplay really shine. I'd even go so far to say that it's the cat's pajamas. 🧶
Virtualni Kutak - Kristina Žarkov - Unknown - 7.5 / 10
>Bubsy 4D feels like a chaotic love letter to old-school platformers, blending exaggerated humour, nostalgic PS1/PS2-style visuals, and constantly shifting mechanics into something deliberately messy yet strangely cohesive. It may not always be polished, but its charm and playful energy make it a memorable, endearing return for a franchise that thrives on controlled chaos and silly jokes.
WayTooManyGames - Leonardo Faria - 7.5 / 10
>Bubsy 4D is indeed one of the biggest surprises of the year, not because it’s a masterpiece or anything, but solely due to the fact that it is a Bubsy game that doesn’t suck. Atari and Fabraz weren’t messing around with this project: they knew the franchise sucked, yet they were dead set on proving the world that you can, in fact, make a decent entry in the series, with somewhat decent production values and actually pretty good controls. It’s not perfect, its protagonist is still an insufferable twerp, but it is what it is: a good game that just so happens to star Bubsy the freaking Bobcat. There must be a god after all.