Game:

Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind (1993)

Duration: 7:01

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This game is a part of my childhood... it brought both good times and awful, surpressed memories.

Bubsy in: Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind (or it's very rare Japanese equivalent, "Yamaneko Bubsy no Daibouken") was a platformer starring a bobcat named Bubsy, who was one of many video game stars who emerged during the early 90s trying to make a name for themselves. Unlike most however, Bubsy actually had a pretty good shot; he had a lot of attitude (for better or worse), he traversed big levels with plenty of places to explore, he looked good and the soundtrack wasn't too bad either, and he went on to appear in a few more games after his initial success and even had a cartoon pilot. Bubsy's real problem was that while his initial appearance was successful due to what many considered hype at the time, his follow-up adventures were nothing to write home about or just mediocre in general, and he soon disappeared without a trace.

In the first Bubsy game, Bubsy is trying to stop a group of fabric-stealing aliens known as the Woolies, who are trying to steal all the yarn on Earth. Bubsy doesn't like the idea and wishes to humble the Woolies. The game is a platformer compared mainly to Sonic the Hedgehog due to the fast pace of the game, but unlike Sonic, quite a deal of caution is necessary in Bubsy as he dies in one hit and there are hazards almost everywhere; he'll also perish if he falls too far or suffer some otherwise nonsensical deaths. The game attempts to alleviate this to an extent with the ability to look ahead, look behind, look up or look down (and it does help) but is offset by the controls.

Controlling Bubsy never feels quite right and if he's jumping or moving over a slope, he'll be impacted in mid-air, such as being slowed down jumping up a hill or sped up jumping down one. It's realistic to an extent, but his momentum can change at a moments notice. He has the ability to "glide" as well, which provides him more stability in the air and saves him from falls that would otherwise kill him. Controlling Bubsy the way you want requires an understanding of the levels and takes a little practice.

Bubsy can't do a whole lot here other than run, jump, collect goodies, and access secret bonus rounds, but it is adequate at what it does. This is a video of the first few levels. Enjoy.