Bubsy 3D

, the player takes on a role as bobcat Bubsy, scoring points by collecting atoms.|alt=Screenshot of gameplay, showing the anthropomorphic bobcat Bubsy running through a 3D environment Bubsy 3D is a 3D platformer in which the player controls Bubsy, an anthropomorphic orange bobcat, in order to stop the alien Woolies and escape their planet, Rayon, by collecting atoms. The player must also collect rocket parts to build a transport back to planet Earth, and defeat the two Woolie queens, Poly and Ester. Bubsy's actions include running, jumping, gliding, swimming, and even piloting a rocket car in certain levels. The actions can trigger the character's signature quotes. The player can also control Bubsy's running speed, and the position of the camera. Bubsy defeats enemies by shooting atoms, as well as using his jump and glide abilities to pounce on them. Bubsy has limited lives and hit points, which can be extended by collecting atoms, reaching a high score, or by attacking clams who offer random prizes. After each level is a potential bonus round, unlocked when Bubsy collects at least 150 atoms. There are also jumping puzzles where Bubsy must activate four platforms or switches in the right order, which unlocks either a rocket or a power-up that grants temporary abilities. The game has 18 levels. Three of them take place underwater, where Bubsy must manage his oxygen supply, and his gliding action is replaced with a jetting dive. Bubsy passes most levels by touching a goal, except for two levels that are designed as boss fights. There are two rockets in each non-boss level, and there is a different ending if Bubsy collects all of them. There is also a two-player mode, where players contest each other to collect as many points as possible and achieve a higher score. ==Plot==

Bubsy 3D takes place on the planet Rayon, the home planet of the series' recurring enemies, the Woolies. The story follows the central character, an orange bobcat named Bubsy, whose goal is to escape the planet by building a rocket ship from a collection of atoms and rocket pieces. The story begins with the Woolie queens, Poly and Ester, invading Earth and kidnapping Bubsy, intending to steal all of Earth's yarn. However, Bubsy escapes his kidnappers when there is a malfunction on the Woolie ship, creating a panic across their planet. The game's ending depends on how many collectibles the player is able to gather. If Bubsy collects fewer than the 32 rocket parts needed to escape, his rocket will ultimately become stranded in outer space. If the player successfully collects all 32 rocket pieces, the rocket rips through the space-time continuum due to the density of the atoms that Bubsy has collected, stranding Bubsy in the Stone Age. In both cases, the Woolies go through with their plans and invade Earth. ==Development==

Bubsy 3D was developed by Eidetic and published by Accolade. The game was designed by mainly Michael Berlyn, the original creator of Bubsy, with a team that included fellow Eidetic founder and industry veteran Marc Blank (of Zork fame). Blank also programmed the game. Development of the game started in April 1995, with a team of approximately eight people. The team paid particular attention to Bubsy's body language, taking inspiration from Warner Bros. cartoons. though this has been disputed by Video Game History Foundation founder Frank Cifaldi. Programmer Christopher Reese described development changes due to the team's lack of experience with 3D technology. Still, the characters were Gouraud shaded and texture mapped. Berlyn said he chose this unusual combination because it made the characters stand out, ensuring the player's attention would be on Bubsy rather than on the environments. Berlyn attended the January 1996 Consumer Electronics Show to help demonstrate the Bubsy 3D beta personally. While wandering the floor he saw the demonstration for Super Mario 64, another 3D platformer, but one built with Nintendo's best resources in order to serve as the flagship title for a new gaming console (the Nintendo 64). Berlyn realized that Bubsy 3D looked greatly inferior to Super Mario 64, but as Accolade was already committed to releasing the game, it was too late to do anything except make Bubsy 3D as good as possible within the remaining time. Accolade planned to release a version for the Sega Saturn, and announced plans to take advantage of the more sophisticated movement of the Saturn's analog controller. However, the Saturn version was ultimately cancelled. ==Reception==

Bubsy 3D received a wide range of reviews upon release, but the majority were mixed to negative. comparing the game favorably to a Warner Bros. cartoon. NowGamer credited Bubsy 3D with being the first genuinely 3D PlayStation game, and said that "younger players will be enthralled by its bright colours and simple gameplay, even if adults reach straight for the sick bucket." In January 2002, Seanbaby ranked it 17th in his 20 worst games of all time, criticizing the game's controls, the character's personality, and the graphics. The Guardian also included it on their list of the 30 worst video games of all time. GameTrailers was another publication that named Bubsy 3D the eighth worst video game ever made, criticizing the voice clips, the tank controls, and comparing it unfavorably to Super Mario 64. Josh Wirtanen at Retrovolve blamed Bubsy 3D's negative legacy on such comparisons to Super Mario 64, saying that Bubsy 3D reflected the quality of most 3D games at the time, compared to the exceptional quality of Super Mario 64. Game Revolution suggested that the negative reception for Bubsy 3D may be why developers are reluctant to make another 3D game in the series. In an article dedicated to the now-defunct publisher Accolade, magazine Retro Gamer listed Bubsy 3D as one of the three games to avoid and used the game as an example of the "rushed, near-unplayable misfires that damaged the company's reputation badly." In a 2015 interview, Berlyn called Bubsy 3D "[his] biggest failure". Still, he also felt that his team had no precedent to follow and that the end product deserves praise in light of that. Following the game's release, Berlyn opted to take a couple of years off from designing video games to "rethink things". Actress Lani Minella cited her voice work on the game as one of her least favorites, describing the voice as irritating. ==Legacy==

Bubsy 3D is remembered as one of three 3D platformers released in 1996 that established the template for the genre, along with Super Mario 64 and Crash Bandicoot. A remaster of the game was released by Arcane Kids in 2017, featuring an additional epilogue to the story in which Bubsy reflects on the events of his experience. Bubsy 3D was the last new game in the series for over 20 years. In September 2017, a new team released Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back for the PlayStation 4 and PC. Bubsy 3D was re-released for the first time in 2025 as part of Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection. The compilation adds native widescreen support to Bubsy 3D, and also includes a "Refurbished Edition" of the game that features analog control. A new 3D Bubsy game, Bubsy 4D, is scheduled for a 2026 release. ==Notes==