Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind

Last updated
Bubsy in: Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind
Bubsy 1 cover.png
Sega Genesis cover art
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)
Producer(s)
  • John A.S. Skeel
  • Cynthia Kirkpatrick
  • Sandy Jackson (Windows)
Designer(s) Michael Berlyn
Programmer(s)
  • D. Scott Williamson
  • Joel Seider (SNES)
  • Al Baker (Genesis)
  • Bart Crane (Windows)
Artist(s)
  • Beckett Gladney
  • Ken Macklin
  • Ken Nicholson (Windows)
  • Mark Johnson (Windows)
Composer(s) Matt Berardo
Series Bubsy
Platform(s)
Release
  • Super NES
    • NA: May 1993 [1]
    • EU: October 28, 1993
    • AU: 1993
    • BR: December 1, 1993
    • JP: June 17, 1994
    Genesis
    Windows
Genre(s) Platform
Mode(s) Single-player

Bubsy in: Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind, [lower-alpha 1] often shortened to Bubsy, is a platform game developed by Accolade and released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis in 1993. [5] It is the first entry in the Bubsy series of video games. The game's title is a play on words in reference to the film Close Encounters of the Third Kind , [6] with the game revolving around Bubsy defending the planet's supply of yarn balls from alien invaders. [7]

Contents

The game was ported to Windows in 1997 under the title Super Bubsy. A sequel, Bubsy 2 , was released in 1994. [8]

Gameplay

Screenshot of the first level Bubsy (SNES).png
Screenshot of the first level

In the game, enemy aliens called "Woolies" intend to steal Earth's supply of yarn balls. Since Bubsy has the world's largest collection of yarn balls, he has the most at stake and sets out to stop the Woolies and reclaim the yarn balls. [7] The game plays as a 2D side-scrolling platformer. [5] The player must maneuver Bubsy through the levels, jumping on Woolies, and collecting stray yarn balls (which earns the player an extra life if 500 are collected). [9] The game consists of sixteen levels, and Bubsy starts off with nine lives. [10] In general, the game's gameplay has been compared to the Sonic the Hedgehog games from the Genesis. [11] [10] [12] [13]

Development

Designer Michael Berlyn had previously designed adventure video games, such as Altered Destiny and Les Manley in: Search for the King , prior to his work on Bubsy. [14] Eventually burning out on the genre, he came across the original Sonic the Hedgehog and ended up playing it 14 hours a day, for a whole week, in order to find inspiration to do his own take on it. [14] Development of the game began on December 6, 1991. Earlier sketches show Bubsy wearing shoes which were omitted in the final design. The Genesis version, which was the first one being worked on, was to be released in September 1992, but Accolade's legal troubles with Sega caused the game to be delayed. [15] After artists Beckett Gladney and Ken Macklin constructed the backgrounds and character animations respectively on a PC program, a group named Solid Software went on to program them for the Super NES. [16]

Director John Skeel said in an interview that they wanted to create a game "as fast as Sonic and as deep as Mario" that would be easy to play but hard to master. [17] He also had difficulty finding a good voice for the main character. After weeks of searching through voice talent tapes, Skeel received a call from Brian Silva who aided trying to find a suitable voice, until Skeel tried speeding up a recording of Silva's voice, which took inspiration from Looney Tunes characters like Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny, and added to the end result of Bubsy's design. Bubsy's catchphrase, "What could possibly go wrong?", was derived from the development team's quip. [18]

In December 1992, some children who resided near Accolade's office in San Jose, California, were invited to have pizza, soda, and to test play the game. The children were also asked to comment on the game's aspects. Their suggestion to add more secret paths was picked up, resulting in the inclusion of some underground tube ways in the first level. [19]

A group of 20+ people worked on the game. [20] During the programming of the Super NES version of the game, one of the hazards in the game was catnip that could drive Bubsy mad. This was replaced with banana peels because of Nintendo's censorship policies. [19] The game was developed and released concurrently for the Super NES and Genesis, with each version looking and sounding almost identical. [9]

Promotion

Bubsy mascot at CES Bubsy Mascot.png
Bubsy mascot at CES

In January 1993 at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, a Bubsy mascot leaped out of a sack to greet spectators. [21]

Months after the game's release, a lottery was put up by Accolade and GamePro . Winners of the lottery would win a 6-day trip to tourist locations in California, receive $500 in cash, and meet the game's developers. Other prizes include a Bubsy plush and shirt. [22]

In Spain, a contest of drawing Bubsy fanart was put up where the winners would receive a cap, a hairpin, a shirt, a cup, and a rain coat. [23]

Re-releases

The Super NES version was released in Japan under the title Yamaneko Bubsy no Daibōken. The release was mostly identical, except that Bubsy's voice clips and most of the in-game text were dubbed in Japanese.

Super Bubsy, a port of the game to Windows 95 developed by ATI Technologies, was released on May 19, 1997. [4] It contained completely redrawn graphics, and, if the player collects all 20 hidden TVs, this unlocks the Bubsy cartoon pilot that was never picked up for further episodes. [11]

The Super NES version was also re-released on Steam via emulation on December 17, 2015, as part of the Bubsy Two-Fur, a two games compilation which also includes the Super NES version of Bubsy 2. [24]

Reception

Pre-release anticipation for the game was very high, with the game receiving aggressive marketing regarding the game as the next Sonic the Hedgehog or Super Mario . [11] [14] Bubsy himself even won Electronic Gaming Monthly's "Most Hype for a Character of 1993". [72] Andy Eddy highly praised the game's nonlinear level designs in VideoGames & Computer Entertainment , but criticized that Bubsy suffers from uncontrollable momentum. He also complained that the backgrounds often don't move enough to give the player a frame of reference when taking big leaps, and concluded: "Bubsy's flaws don't kill it, because there's loads of fun in there, but they do bring it down a notch or two". [30] GamePro's Feline Groovy also considered the nonlinear levels to be a high point and the controls a low point, elaborating that "when [Bubsy] runs, he tends to keep on running, even when you're not pressing the control pad. This is an intentional feature of the controls, but it'll cost you a few lives and a lot of frustration until you get the hang of it, especially on the extra tiny levels". However, she praised the graphics and judged Bubsy to have more personality than Sonic the Hedgehog thanks to his charming animations and voice clips. She gave the game the maximum 5 out of 5 in every category except control, deeming it "a must for any gamer's library". [73] GamePro gave the Genesis version 5 out of 5 in graphics and FunFactor, 4 out of 5 in sound, and 4.5 out of 5 in control. [9] Brazilian magazine ProGames gave the Super NES version a happy face with an open mouth (the magazine's maximum rating) on all five categories. [48] German magazine PC Games gave the Windows version 70% [36] GameFan awarded Bubsy "Best New Character" for 1993. [74] The game also won a Parents choice award for being fun but non-violent. [75] Electronic Games listed the Genesis version as one of the platform's best action games, [76] and the Super NES version as one of the best Super NES games. [77]

Conversely, IGN, in a retrospective review, called the game "mediocre", calling it a "pale Sonic imitator" and criticizing the game's floaty, imprecise physics and odd level design, but praised the character design inspired by classic cartoons. [13] Hardcore Gaming 101, also in retrospect, called it a "Sonic rip-off" and criticized the game's physics, collision detection and overall level design. They said the levels "...seem to lack structure and cohesion. As a result, stages that should be fun to explore are just monotonous because one part of the stage doesn't look any different from the other. And when they aren't tedious, they're confusing". [11]

Notes

  1. ↑ Known in Japan as Bubsy the Bobcat's Great Adventure (やまねこバブジーの大冒険, Yamaneko Babujī no Daibōken)
  2. ↑ The Gamers magazine uses a reversed number rating system. In this case, 1 is the highest, and 6 is the lowest.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Master System</span> Home video game console

The Master System is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console manufactured and developed by Sega. It was originally a remodeled export version of the Sega Mark III, the third iteration of the SG-1000 series of consoles, which was released in Japan in 1985 with graphical capabilities improved over its predecessors. The Master System launched in North America in 1986, followed by Europe in 1987, and then in Brazil and Korea in 1989. A Japanese version of the Master System was also launched in 1987, which features a few enhancements over the export models : a built-in FM audio chip, a rapid-fire switch, and a dedicated port for the 3D glasses. The Master System II, a cheaper model, was released in 1990 in North America, Australasia and Europe.

<i>Sonic the Hedgehog</i> (1991 video game) 1991 video game

Sonic the Hedgehog is a 1991 platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Genesis/Mega Drive. It was released in North America on June 23 and in PAL regions and Japan the following month. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog, who can run at near supersonic speeds; Sonic sets out on a quest to defeat Dr. Robotnik, a scientist who has imprisoned animals in robots and seeks the powerful Chaos Emeralds. The gameplay involves collecting rings as a form of health, and a simple control scheme, with jumping and attacking controlled by a single button.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Accolade (company)</span> American video game company

Accolade, Inc. was an American video game developer and publisher based in San Jose, California. The company was founded as Accolade in 1984 by Alan Miller and Bob Whitehead, who had previously co-founded Activision in 1979. The company became known for numerous sports game series, including HardBall!, Jack Nicklaus and Test Drive.

1992 saw many sequels and prequels in video games, such as Dragon Quest V, Final Fantasy V, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Street Fighter II: Champion Edition, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, and Super Mario Kart, along with new titles such as Art of Fighting, Lethal Enforcers, Mortal Kombat and Virtua Racing.

<i>Bubsy</i> Series of platforming video games

Bubsy is a series of platforming 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 games were originally released for the Super NES, Mega Drive/Genesis, Game Boy, Jaguar, PC and PlayStation during the 1990s.

<i>Sonic the Hedgehog 2</i> (8-bit video game) 1992 video game

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a 1992 platform game developed by Aspect and published by Sega for the Master System and Game Gear. It is the sequel to the 8-bit Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) and follows Sonic as he attempts to get the Chaos Emeralds back to rescue his friend Miles "Tails" Prower from Dr. Robotnik. Like the first Sonic the Hedgehog, players run through levels at high speeds while collecting rings and defeating enemies. Although it shares the same title with Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for the Sega Genesis and their releases coincided, the games have little in common and share no levels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sega Genesis</span> Home video game console

The Sega Genesis, known as the Mega Drive outside North America, is a 16-bit fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master System. Sega released it in 1988 in Japan as the Mega Drive, and in 1989 in North America as the Genesis. In 1990, it was distributed as the Mega Drive by Virgin Mastertronic in Europe, Ozisoft in Australasia, and Tectoy in Brazil. In South Korea, it was distributed by Samsung Electronics as the Super Gam*Boy and later the Super Aladdin Boy.

Michael Berlyn was an American video game designer and writer. He was best known as an implementer at Infocom, part of the text adventure game design team. He is also known as the designer behind Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind (1993) and Bubsy 3D (1996).

<i>Barkley Shut Up and Jam!</i> 1994 basketball video game

Barkley Shut Up and Jam! is a basketball video game originally developed and published by Accolade for the Sega Genesis on North America in March 1994 and later in Europe in April 1994. The game is the first entry in the Barkley Shut Up and Jam series, featuring former NBA MVP Charles Barkley prominently and as one of the playable characters.

<i>Alien 3</i> (video game) 1992 video game

Alien 3 is a run and gun game based on the 1992 film of the same name. It was released for the Genesis and Amiga in 1992, then for the Commodore 64, Game Boy, Game Gear, Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and Master System.

<i>Bubsy 3D</i> 1996 video game

Bubsy 3D is a 1996 platform game developed by Eidetic and published by Accolade. It is the first and only 3D game in the Bubsy series, and the fourth game in the series overall. The game was released for the PlayStation on November 25, 1996, in North America, with a later European release in August 1997. Bubsy 3D follows the series' titular character, an orange bobcat named Bubsy, who travels to the planet Rayon to stop the alien Woolies, and return safely to Earth.

<i>HardBall III</i> 1992 video game

HardBall III is a multiplatform baseball video game developed by MindSpan and published by Accolade between 1992 and 1994 for the Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo Entertainment System and DOS platforms. The game is licensed by the Major League Baseball Players Association and is the sequel to HardBall II.

<i>The Adventures of Batman & Robin</i> (video game) 1994 video game

The Adventures of Batman & Robin is a series of video game adaptations released between 1994 and 1995 featuring the DC Comics characters Batman and Robin based on Batman: The Animated Series. The games were released for numerous platforms, with the Genesis, Game Gear, and Sega CD versions published by Sega while the Super NES version was published by Konami.

<i>Bomberman 94</i> 1993 video game

Bomberman '94 is a video game from the Bomberman series which was developed and published by Hudson Soft for the PC Engine and released on December 10, 1993, in Japan. It was later re-developed by Westone and re-published by Sega as Mega Bomberman on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1994 in other areas. The PC Engine Bomberman '94 was later released outside Japan through the Virtual Console and the PlayStation Network.

<i>Brett Hull Hockey</i> 1994 video game

Brett Hull Hockey is an ice hockey video game developed by Radical Entertainment and originally published by Accolade for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in January 1994. It prominently features former Canadian-American NHL player Brett Hull and is officially licensed from the NHL Players' Association.

<i>Bubsy 2</i> 1994 video game

Bubsy 2 is a platform video game, the sequel to Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind, and the second game in the Bubsy series. It was originally released by Accolade in 1994 for the Sega Genesis, Super NES, and Game Boy, and re-released for Windows through Steam on December 17, 2015.

<i>Bubsy in Fractured Furry Tales</i> 1994 platform video game

Bubsy in: Fractured Furry Tales is a platform video game developed by Imagitec Design and published by Atari Corporation for the Atari Jaguar in North America on December 1994, and Europe in January 1995. The third entry in the Bubsy series, the plot follows the titular character, who ventures through a realm of fairy tales to restore order and protect children all over the world from creatures and antagonists of corrupted fairy tales, which appeared after Mother Goose was captured by Hansel and Gretel.

<i>Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back</i> 2017 video game

Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back is a platform game developed by Black Forest Games and published by UFO Interactive Games under the Accolade label. It was released for PlayStation 4 and Windows on 31 October 2017. The game is the fifth installment in the Bubsy series, and the first new entry in 21 years since Bubsy 3D.

References

  1. ↑ "Super NES Games" (PDF). Nintendo. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  2. ↑ The Unknown Gamer (August 1993). "Genesis ProReview - Bubsy in: Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind". GamePro . p. 60. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Sega Force Mega Vol.2 No.3 pg. 43". Sega Retro. October 1993. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Accolade Introduces Super Bubsy" (Press release). Accolade. May 19, 1997. Archived from the original on February 1, 1998. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  5. 1 2 "Accolade returns with new Bubsy game". MCV. NewBay Media. 9 June 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-06-13. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  6. ↑ "Video Games (1993-03)(Markt & Technik)(DE)". March 1993.
  7. 1 2 "Super Bubsy". IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved 2012-06-22.
  8. ↑ "Bubsy II". IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  9. 1 2 3 "GamePro Issue 049 August 1993".
  10. 1 2 Rodger Swan (2007-03-26). "Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind". Sega-16.com. Retrieved 2012-06-22.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Kalata, Kurt (2017-09-25). "Bubsy: Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind". Hardcore Gaming 101. Retrieved 2012-06-22.
  12. ↑ Buchanan, Levi (June 9, 2008). "Poll Results: Mascots with 'Tude". IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  13. 1 2 Buchanan, Levi (November 7, 2008). "What Hath Sonic Wrought?, Vol. 1". IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  14. 1 2 3 "News - Playing Catch-Up: Bubsy's Michael Berlyn". Gamasutra . Retrieved 2012-06-22.
  15. ↑ Quan, Slasher (July 1992). "Bubsy: A Bobcat in the Making". GamePro . p. 54 and 55.
  16. ↑ "File:GamePro US 037.PDF - Retro CDN".
  17. ↑ "ENTREVISTA CON JOHN SKEEL, director estadounidense del proyecto". Hobby Consolas (in Spanish). February 1993. p. 17.
  18. ↑ "Bubsy Gets his Voice". Nintendo Power . No. 56. Nintendo. January 1994. p. 84.
  19. 1 2 "File:GamePro US 041.pdf - Retro CDN". retrocdn.net.
  20. ↑ "Hobby Consolas 019". April 1993.
  21. ↑ "File:GamePro US 040.pdf - Retro CDN". retrocdn.net.
  22. ↑ "GamePro Issue 047 June 1993".
  23. ↑ "File:HobbyConsolas ES 024.PDF - Retro CDN".
  24. ↑ "Bubsy has arrived on Steam!". Steam . Valve. 2015-12-17. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  25. ↑ "Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind SNES Review Score". Archived from the original on 2019-05-13.
  26. ↑ "Electronic Gaming Monthly Review". GameRankings . Retrieved 2012-06-22.
  27. ↑ "Gamefan Volume 1 Issue 06 May 1993". May 1993.
  28. ↑ "Gamefan Volume 1 Issue 10 September 1993". September 1993.
  29. ↑ "Nintendo Power Review". GameRankings . Retrieved 2012-06-22.
  30. 1 2 Eddy, Andy (May 1993). "Bubsy in: Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind". VideoGames & Computer Entertainment . No. 52. L.F.P., Inc. p. 41.
  31. ↑ "SNES N-Force Magazine Issue 03". September 1993.
  32. ↑ Davies, Johnathan (August 1993). "BUBSY". Super Play . Future Publishing. p. 50.
  33. ↑ "BUBSY: IN CLAWS ENCOUNTERS OF THE FURRED KIND". Mean Machines . September 1993. p. 77.
  34. ↑ "Abenteuer im Wollkorb: Bubsy". Video Games (in German). November 1993. p. 124.
  35. ↑ "Haarig: Bubsy". Video Games (in German). September 1993. p. 88.
  36. 1 2 Wagner, Harald (October 1997). "Super Bubsy: Katzenjammer". PC Games (in German). p. 184.
  37. ↑ Greppi, Antonio (September 1993). "BUBSY THE BOBCAT: Maullidos con estrella". Super Juegos (in Spanish). p. 67.
  38. ↑ "BUBSY: El Gato Más Vacilón". TodoSega (in Spanish). September 1993. p. 29.
  39. ↑ "BUBSY THE BOBCAT". Nintendo Acción (in Spanish). October 1993. p. 49.
  40. ↑ Ja, Ben (September 1993). "Bubsy". Player One (in French). p. 109.
  41. ↑ Player One n°34 (Septembre 1993) - Page 143.jpeg (1700×2339). download.abandonware.org.
  42. ↑ Antonini, Christian (October 1993). "BUBSY In: CLAWS ENCOUNTERS of the FURRED KIND". Consolemania (in Italian). p. 89.
  43. ↑ Alex (July–August 1993). "BUBSY In: Clawed Encounters of the Furred Kind". Consolemania (in Italian). p. 54.
  44. ↑ "BUBSY". MEGA Force (in French). September 1993. p. 124.
  45. ↑ "BUBSY". Consoles + (in French). September 1993. p. 117.
  46. ↑ Larry (August 1993). "BUBSY". Super Power (in French). p. 147.
  47. ↑ "BUBSY IN CLAWS ENCOUNTERS OF THE FURRED KIND". Joypad (in French). September 1993. p. 55.
  48. 1 2 "BUBSY". ProGames (in Portuguese). c. 1993. p. 15.
  49. ↑ Fury, Red (July–August 1993). "BUBSY: CLAWS ENCOUNTERS of the FURRED KIND". Game Power (in Italian). p. 37.
  50. 1 2 Fury, Red (September 1993). "BUBSY". Game Power (in Italian). p. 51.
  51. ↑ "BUBSY THE BOBCAT". Computer+Videogiochi (in Italian). July 1993. p.  106.
  52. ↑ "BUBSY THE BOBCAT: CLAWS ENCOUNTERS OF THE FURRED KIND". Computer+Videogiochi (in Italian). October 1993. p.  108.
  53. ↑ "Hobby Consolas 025". October 1993.
  54. ↑ "File:HobbyConsolas ES 024.PDF - Retro CDN".
  55. ↑ "File:SegaPro DE 12.PDF - Retro CDN".
  56. ↑ "File:PlayTime DE 1993-08.PDF - Retro CDN".
  57. ↑ "File:Gamers DE 1993-06.PDF - Retro CDN".
  58. ↑ "File:ASM DE 1993-09.PDF - Retro CDN".
  59. ↑ "Power Play Magazine (September 1993)". September 1993.
  60. ↑ Toniutti, Tiziano (December 1993). "BUBSY THE BOBCAT: Claw Encounters of the Furred Kind". K (in Italian). p. 129.
  61. ↑ "Ação Games".
  62. ↑ "Supergame".
  63. ↑ "SEGA Force Mega Nr. 2-7". sega.c0.pl.
  64. ↑ "page 31.jpg (2193×3137)". download.abandonware.org (in Spanish).
  65. ↑ "Super NES Buyer's Guide Volume 3 Issue 3 May 1993".
  66. ↑ "File:Megazone AU 31.pdf - Retro CDN". retrocdn.net.
  67. ↑ "File:VideoGame BR 27.pdf - Retro CDN". retrocdn.net.
  68. ↑ "BUBSY". ProGames (in Portuguese). c. 1993. p. 14.
  69. ↑ "BUBSY: El Gato Más Vacilón". TodoSega (in Spanish). September 1993. p. 26.
  70. ↑ Fury, Red (July–August 1993). "BUBSY: CLAWS ENCOUNTERS of the FURRED KIND". Game Power (in Italian). p. 35.
  71. ↑ "BUBSY THE BOBCAT". Computer+Videogiochi (in Italian). July 1993. p.  104.
  72. ↑ 1994 Video Game Buyer's Guide. Electronic Gaming Monthly. 1994.
  73. ↑ "Super NES Pro Review: Bubsy: Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind". GamePro . No. 56. IDG. May 1993. pp. 78–79.
  74. ↑ "GAMEFAN'S 2ND ANNUAL MEGAWARDS". Gamefan. January 1994. p. 58.
  75. ↑ "Accolade Presents Super Bubsy for Windows 95; Popular Video Game Character Jumps to Windows. - Free Online Library". Archived from the original on 2016-12-02. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
  76. ↑ "Electronic Games 1994-03". March 1994.
  77. ↑ Editors of Electronic Games (May 1994). "State of the Art Report: SNES". Electronic Games . p.  58.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.