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 new Bubsy games in the late 2010s.[2][3] As of April 2023, Atari SA has re-acquired the Bubsy franchise and is currently publishing new games in the series through Atari, Inc.[4][5] In addition to the games, a television pilot was created for a potential Bubsyanimated series, but it was not picked up by any channel.
The first Bubsy game was released by Accolade in May 1993 for the Super NES, and in July for the Sega Genesis. The plot focuses on Bubsy, who owns the world's largest collection of yarn balls, retrieving the world's yarn supply from a race of fabric-stealing aliens called "Woolies". A special version, titled Super Bubsy, was later released in 1997 for Windows 95, featuring graphics redrawn for a higher resolution, new game elements and the entire Bubsy television pilot.
Bubsy II was released in October 1994, again for SNES and Genesis. In the game, Bubsy faces antagonist Oinker P. Hamm, who has created the "Amazatorium", a theme park that saps information away from history and puts it on display for his personal profit. A Game Boy version was released the following year, and featured Super Game Boy support.
Bubsy 3D is the fourth Bubsy game, and was the series' first 3D entry. In the game, Bubsy is kidnapped by the Woolies and taken to their home planet, and must construct a rocket ship to escape. The game was released in 1996 for the PlayStation, while a planned release for the Sega Saturn was cancelled.[6]
In October 2017, Billionsoft released a fifth Bubsy title and the series' first new entry in over 20 years, Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back for PlayStation 4 and Windows.[7] The game once again features Bubsy pursuing the Woolies, now attempting to retrieve his prized golden fleece. The game was developed by Black Forest Games, who previously worked on reviving the dormant Giana Sisters series with Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams.[7]
A sixth Bubsy title, Bubsy: Paws on Fire!, was released in May 2019, for PlayStation 4 and Windows. Unlike other entries, Paws on Fire! is an auto-running game, in which Bubsy and his allies must free trapped animals from the Amazootorium, Oinker's personal zoo. The game was developed by Choice Provisions, who previously worked on the Bit.Trip series and Woah, Dave!.[8] A Nintendo Switch version was released the following August.[9]
During the 2025 Gamescom event, a seventh Bubsy game was announced, titled Bubsy 4D. The game will feature Bubsy protecting the golden fleece from not only the Woolies, but an army of BaaBot sheep robots. The game will be a 3D platformer developed by indie studio Fabraz and published by Atari for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows.[10]
An emulated re-release of the first two SNES games, titled Bubsy Two-Fur, was released on Steam in December 2015 by Tommo division Retroism.[11]
In June 2024, Atari announced Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection, a compilation of the first four games in the series developed by Limited Run Games.[12]The Purrfect Collection is set to be released digitally in September 2025 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows, with physical releases set to follow at a later date.[13]
Television pilot
Bubsy also had a pilot episode for an animated series sponsored by Taco Bell in 1993,[14] titled "What Could Possibly Go Wrong?"[15]Calico Entertainment and Imagination Factory jointly produced the pilot for airing on Bohbot Communications' Kid's Day Off syndication package for Thanksgiving 1993.[16] It introduced new characters not designed by original producer Michael Berlyn, who was on hiatus from Accolade at the time.[14] These included Virgil Reality, a genius inventor and scientist; Oblivia, Virgil's assistant and planned future love interest for Bubsy; Ally Cassandra, the main antagonist, along with Buzz and Sid, her two henchmen. 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.[17] The pilot was not picked up for a full series, but was included in Super Bubsy and Bubsy in: the Purrfect Collection.[18][19] Characters from the pilot went on to be introduced into later video games, including Bubsy: Paws on Fire! and Bubsy 4D.[20]
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