Oh sure, let’s all torch the Bubster.
There are two flavors of classic collections these days. Ones that simply deliver the games with a CRT filter and rewind feature at most, looking at you Fear Effect. Then we have ones that are built with the utmost care, which are sometimes a collection of bad games. Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection is the latter, complete with the bad games part. Bubsy has a ton of nostalgia behind it for a series that never had a decent entry until it was revived in the early 2000s. However, the people behind this collection clearly have love for the Bubster. This is one of the more impressive collections of classic games I have ever seen, and being a fan of Bubsy’s mediocrity, I wholeheartedly approve.
Alright, let’s dig into what is included in this collection. This compilation is strictly limited to the classic games, so none of the modern versions are included. We have the first two games which released on the SNES, Genesis, and GameBoy respectively. Every version is included here, with Bubsy II being the only one released on Nintendo’s portable. We also have the Jaguar version known as Bubsy in Fractured Furry Tales, in case you haven’t noticed, these games are chock full of puns. Finally, we have the coup de grâce with Bubsy 3D. This game is infamous for being one of THE worst games ever conceived.
MSRP: $19.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $19.99
I am going to spare the details of each game, just know none of them are classics. What I do want to discuss is some of the variations. The SNES and Genesis versions of the games are typical of that era. The SNES versions look better with more vivid colors, while the Genesis versions are faster, but a little muted. There is one Japanese version included for the SNES version of the first game.
The biggest modification though is the work done to Bubsy 3D. They have gone back and reworked the controls to work like a true 3D platformer. It makes the game infinitely more playable. Don’t be confused though, the game is still awful, but at least now I could actually play it. The original used straight tank controls and felt awful, I can now at least maneuver throughout the terrible environments while listening to Bubsy’s awful one-liners.
Every game also comes with a set of filters for each one. The standard CRT filters are here for the console games and the GameBoy version even includes a dot matrix filter, which is super cool. The rewind feature is of course present as are save states. All the traditional bells and whistles are included. What makes this collection special though, is its presentation and extra features.
The main menus showcases each game with some info, including plenty of hilarious quips about each game. They are displayed with the proper box arts, sans the company logos of course. There are cheats for each game, which is truly the only way to play them. In addition to that though there is an absolute metric ton of extra features. First, we have the music player which includes tracks from every game. Nothing here stands out but having them all like this is super cool. I have nostalgia for the tunes, but I don’t hum any of them outside the games.
The biggest addition though is the Meowseum, yes, the puns never quit. I respect the commitment to the bit. This section is packed with all kinds of interesting goodies. There are interviews with the creator of the character as well as the pilot of the animated series. Yes, they wanted to really make Bubsy a household name. There are also promotional materials included for each game. These include advertisements, merchandise photos, and so much more. It really is the ultimate collection for the Bubster. There are also developer notes about the game and how it came to be. There is a ton of love poured into this, and as a fan of bad games from the past, I loved every minute of it.
Bubsy is a weird character. So many old school gamers know and love him but will freely admit they are bad games. Yet here we are in the year of our lord 2025 and getting one of the best compilations created for a collection of games that so many people do not enjoy. I love it. We need to preserve all games, and I only wish we could get collections like this for every series that has been forgotten by time. This won’t make you love Bubsy, but if you have even an ounce of nostalgia, this is a no-brainer.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
