Bubsy

Bubsy is a series of platform video games created by Michael Berlyn and developed and published by Accolade. The games star an anthropomorphic bobcat named Bubsy, a character that takes inspiration from Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog. The first entry in the series was released in 1993¹, with multiple sequels released afterwards, but poor reception to Bubsy 3D (1996) caused the series to be put on hold. Beginning in 1999, ownership of Accolade and the Bubsy franchise changed hands several times, with later owners including Infogrames (now Atari SA), Tommo, and Billionsoft, the latter of which released two Bubsy games in the late 2010s. As of April 2023, Atari SA has re-acquired the Bubsy franchise and is currently publishing new games in the series through Atari, Inc. In addition to the games, a television pilot was created for a potential Bubsy animated series, but it was not picked up by any channel.

Bubsy is a series of platform video games created by Michael Berlyn and developed and published by Accolade. The games star an anthropomorphic bobcat named Bubsy, a character that takes inspiration from Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog. The first entry in the series was released in 1993, with multiple sequels released afterwards, but poor reception to Bubsy 3D (1996) caused the series to be put on hold. Beginning in 1999, ownership of Accolade and the Bubsy franchise changed hands several times, with later owners including Infogrames (now Atari SA), Tommo, and Billionsoft, the latter of which released two Bubsy games in the late 2010s. As of April 2023, Atari SA has re-acquired the Bubsy franchise and is currently publishing new games in the series through Atari, Inc. In addition to the games, a television pilot was created for a potential Bubsy animated series, but it was not picked up by any channel. ==Characters and story== released by Atari in 2025¹ highlights the variations in the character's design and personality: from left to right: 4D, 3D, Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind and The Woolies Strike Back. The protagonist of the series is Bubsy, an orange bobcat who typically wears a white shirt with a red exclamation point on it. He is described as loud-mouthed and wise-cracking, and frequently employs a personal catchphrase, "What could possibly go wrong?" Certain games have acknowledged Bubsy's perceived obnoxiousness with an in-game option to alter the frequency of his voice lines. Bubsy has the ability to jump and glide for short distances, with later games allowing him to pounce at enemies and roll himself into a "hairball". Bubsy's supporting cast include Terri and Terry, his overeager twin niece and nephew; Arnold, his cowardly armadillo sidekick; Virgil Reality, a vole inventor and mad scientist; and Oblivia, Virgil's assistant and Bubsy's potential love interest who is hard of hearing. These supporting characters first appeared in the Bubsy television pilot and were not designed by Bubsy creator Michael Berlyn, who was on hiatus from Accolade at the time. Following the cartoon pilot, these characters were later introduced into the video games. Certain games, including Bubsy II and Paws on Fire!, have featured playable appearances for these characters. In the series, Bubsy is the owner of the world's largest yarn collection, including the rare Golden Fleece. This makes him a frequent target of the Woolies, a race of wool-loving aliens from the planet Rayon, led by queens Poly and Ester. Multiple games have featured Bubsy and the Woolies battling for control of Earth's yarn and the Golden Fleece as a central plot element. Bubsy has also repeatedly contended with Oinker P. Hamm, a capitalist pig who steals rare objects and creatures to turn them into attractions. The television pilot includes an original villain, Ally Cassandra, an aristocratic alley cat constantly seeking to expand her wealth and power; she is aided by her henchmen Bozwell the buzzard and Sid the shrew, who appear as enemies in Bubsy II. ==Other media== A pilot episode for a potential Bubsy animated series was produced by Calico Entertainment and Imagination Factory, and sponsored by Taco Bell. Titled "What Could Possibly Go Wrong?", it aired on Bohbot Communications' Kid's Day Off syndication package for Thanksgiving 1993. In the pilot, Bubsy must rescue Virgil and Oblivia from Ally Cassandra, who wants Virgil's new reality-altering helmet for herself. Rob Paulsen provides the voice of Bubsy, while the other characters were performed by Tress MacNeille, Jim Cummings, Pat Fraley, B. J. Ward and Neil Ross. The pilot was not picked up for a full series, but was included in Super Bubsy and The Purrfect Collection. In 2013, independent game developer Arcane Kids released Bubsy 3D: Bubsy Visits the James Turrell Retrospective, an unofficial fan game satirizing Bubsy 3D in celebration of the franchise's 20th anniversary. The parody game was well-received by audiences, and was briefly considered for inclusion in The Purrfect Collection.

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