Line #40 YMMV/Bubsy


1	!!YMMV items for the games:
2	* AluminumChristmasTrees: The Gold X award on the cover; [[https://web.archive.org/web/19970601104334/http://www.psextreme.com/ratings.htm it actually existed, being given to the game by magazine PSExtreme]].
3	* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic:
4	** Generally, the first ''Bubsy'' game's music used limited instrumentation but nevertheless had interesting progression and was layered extremely well.
5	*** The Genesis version had the [[https://youtu.be/snG7nSGR7h8 game's title theme]], [[https://youtu.be/mOF5AogkbaA ''Hill Stream Blues'']] (theme of levels 1 through 3), and [[https://youtu.be/PlsgMUedGM4?t=14 ''Woolering Heights'']] (theme of levels 13 through 15).
6	** The SNES music gives us [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY1l50i63M0 the title theme]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZVYfKEXrZ8 Bluegress Bobcat]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54Vn_R2cYag Hill Stream Blues]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox9JO0Mdo4c Wool Wool West]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZp_q_jzlng Woolering Heights]], and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g2uksSR9dQ Day the Wool Stood Still]].
7	** Admittingly, ''The Woolies Strike Back" has some great tracks as well, such as "Sushi Air Drop".
8	** BaseBreakingCharacter: Bubsy himself. As mentioned in MemeticLoser below, any brief look into the internet's opinion on this series will find a ''lot'' of hate for the character with some considering him the absolute worst of all the MascotWithAttitude characters or simply annoying. However he ''does'' actually have a pretty extensive fanbase too, which can be seen by the sheer volume of fanart of him on Website/DeviantArt, among others who view Bubsy as a lovable, [[DeadpanSnarker wise-cracking]] & hilarious character outside of the criticism and hate he'd typically get.
9	* BileFascination:
10	** One of the more compelling reasons to check out ''Bubsy 3D''.
11	** The series and character as a whole are subject to this, with Bubsy basically becoming [[MemeticLoser the internet's poster child for failed video game mascots of the 90s]]. This may have ironically been what pushed Accolade to come out of retirement and make a new Bubsy game in 2017.
12	* CondemnedByHistory: Believe it or not, '''''Bubsy 3D''''' has undergone this. Due to the game releasing only shortly after ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' and ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot1996'', it actually received mainly mixed reviews, even having some on the higher end of the spectrum up to ''93%''. While reviewers did criticize the elements it would become infamous for in later years, at the time, it was seen as at least okay. It wasn't until years had passed with the release of far more refined 3D platformers that the backwards design of ''Bubsy 3D'' propelled it into infamy as among the worst games ever made.
13	* CultClassic: The first two games towards Bubsy fans for being average/decent games.
14	* DifficultySpike: Every third chapter in the first game threw every obstacle at you that it could, and doesn't ease up.
15	* FanonDiscontinuity: Even the fans of this series wish that ''Bubsy 3D'' never existed.
16	* FirstInstallmentWins: Generally speaking, the original ''Bubsy'' game is still considered the best by fans.
17	* FriendlyFandoms:
18	** one exists with ''WesternAnimation/FelixTheCat'', as the two have a respectable amount of fanart together. some of those fans being a fan of both also helps, Felix The Cat fans might even be the least cruel when it comes to Bubsy fans.
19	** a minor one exists with Bonkers, assuming the Bonkers fans get through the usual shenanigans.
20	* FandomRivalry:
21	** A few Bubsy fans might throw a fit with ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' fans, especially since the fans of the latter made fun of the Custom Character from Sonic Forces being Bubsy, not helping is that '''BUBSY IS SLOWLY RECOVERING FROM THE HATE ALREADY AT THE TIME''', even worse is that the first two games are based on Sonic.
22	** With ''WebVideo/JonTron'' and Tacoman, for obvious reasons (with the former being responsible for starting the hatebase in the first place).
23	* GameBreaker: The Nerf Ballzooka in the second game gives you a long-range, high-damage attack.
24	* GeniusBonus: Bubsy's gliding ability makes sense because real-life cats [[http://janderson99.hubpages.com/hub/How-Do-Cats-Survive-High-Falls-and-Always-Land-Feet-First can also survive long falls with limited parachuting]].
25	* HarsherInHindsight:
26	** The magazine ads that mentioned that Bubsy was a washed up hack of a character might be seen as this if you're an unironic Bubsy fan.
27	** The Devs of ''Bubsy II'' hanged Bubsy plushies on the ceiling with pencils stabbed in them, this gets quite harsh after Bubsy's reputation started diminishing, this became very depressing after Micheal Berlyn's death and Bubsy getting bought by Atari shortly after, it would be even more depressing if you are an unironic Bubsy fan.
28	* HilariousInHindsight:
29	** Coincidentally, in ''Bubsy 3D'', Bubsy is voiced by Creator/LaniMinella, who would eventually go on to be the first voice actress for Rouge from [[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog the Sonic Series.]] Let us repeat that...Bubsy voiced a SONIC character. [[FollowTheLeader Just let that sink in.]]
30	** People who joked up Bubsy making his re-appearance in ''VideoGame/SonicForces'' didn't actually expect [[https://youtu.be/5RHdrmZsNs0 a new]] ''Bubsy'' game.
31	** Some of the old magazine ads for the original game joked that Bubsy was a washed up hack of a character. Considering his legacy, it feels like foreshadowing.
32	** one of Bubsy's abilities is to glide, shortly after Bubsy's release, we have [[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles Knuckles The Echidna]], where one of his abilities is being able to glide.
33	** One of Bubsy's lines in ''The Woolies Strike Back'' (or at least unused), is "i miss New Coke", fast forward to five days after Paws On Fire's release, and New Coke returned.
34	* ItsShortSoItSucks: Despite having surprisingly alright gameplay, ''Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back'' had rather less-than-stellar reception because of its incredibly short length, especially for its pricetag. It can be beaten in an hour or less.
35	* MemeticLoser:
36	** Bubsy, being representative of the pitfalls of [[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic]]-[[FollowTheLeader knockoffs]], and [[GenreKiller contributing to their downfall]] with the infamous ''Bubsy 3D''. Fan games like ''Bubsy Visits the James Turrell Retrospective'', which make a complete mockery of the character, speak volumes about his legacy.
37	** It reached depressing levels when Bubsy was put onto Steam. This series was once in the running to become the biggest franchise of a major gaming company. Now it has to [[SelfDeprecation insult itself and bank on its own tattered reputation just to get its first two games onto Steam Greenlight]][[note]] Ironically, [[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog the very franchise that "inspired" Bubsy]] ended up doing that as well, albeit as an attempt to ''repair'' such a tattered reputation (as opposed to merely using it) with much greater success[[/note]]. And to top it all off, it didn't even get a proper port but instead it got a ROM emulation.
38	** Bubsy is a loser even in his own games, having very few abilities aside from a [[TooFastToStop difficult to control]] glide, struggling to hurt even basic enemies without getting hurt himself, and dying in one hit from everything - and this doesn't just mean "enemies," it's ''everything'' - even benign things like stray manholes kill him and he's possibly the only 2D platformer protagonist to ''[[EpicFail die from fall damage]].''
39	* MemeticMutation:
40	** '''''"[[CaptainObvious OH LOOK, AN ARROW]]! [[BetterThanABareBulb AREN'T THESE GAME DESIGNERS]] [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools WONDERFUL]]?!!!"'''''[[note]] The memetically appropriate response, of course, being [[SoBadItsGood "No."]] [[/note]]
41	** What could possibly go wrong?!
42	*** What could [[IncrediblyLamePun pawss]]ibly go wrong?!
43	** After the incredibly unexpected announcement of ''Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back'', many gamers were quick to make remarks (some sarcastic, some sincere) about how ludicrous it was that a franchise as thoroughly dormant as Bubsy got a new game before many other more popular dormant franchises did.
44	** "[[https://imgur.com/kBdnxs2 Bubsy pulled a]] [[WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph Turbo]] on [[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic]]", a conspiracy theory from Website/FourChan about Bubsy replacing Sonic in modern games and presumably being the reason they weren't as well-received.
45	* SugarWiki/MostWonderfulSound: The sound when you collect yarn in the SNES version.
46	* NightmareFuel: One death animation in the first game is Bubsy shattering into glass shards. A certain romhack of ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2'' featuring Bubsy used it as the ''only'' death animation, so being forced to stare at it again and again, longer during the inevitable Game Over screen remains uncomfortable.
47	* OnceOriginalNowCommon: Upon release, the first game was hyped critically due to the lavish amount of personality granted to Bubsy through the game's plentiful animations and voice clips, something that was yet to be a norm in video games of the time. It got quickly surpassed by games like ''Earthworm Jim'' and ''Crash Bandicoot'', and then ''decades'' of even more advanced games.
48	* PolishedPort: The PC port of the first game, titled ''Super Bubsy'', features high resolution graphics and a somewhat larger field of view, in addition to featuring the cartoon pilot episode as a bonus. The only downside is that the music is done with MIDI, so its quality is heavily dependent on your sound card.
49	* PopularWithFurries: It'd be more accurate to say "Mostly only furries un-ironically like Bubsy". After getting past his personality, a few furries do find his design interesting. He's not ''popular'' exactly but he is popular enough for a MascotWithAttitude (most of which are forgotten as "Sonic clones").
50	* ScrappyMechanic:
51	** Fall damage in the first game is by far the biggest complaint that most gamers have about it, as the game seemingly encourages players to go all-out, ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' style, which will likely end up getting Bubsy killed the first time they come to any sort of drop.
52	** Bubsy is a OneHitPointWonder in the first game , and, unlike [[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic]] or [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario,]] he doesn't have any power-ups or items that can allow him to take more the hit. This is especially problematic considering his hitbox is a fair amount larger than Sonic or Mario's, and oftentimes [[EverythingIsTryingToKillYou even seemingly innocuous objects are fatal to touch.]]
53	** Bubsy's top speed in the first few games. Definitely the biggest sign of his Sonic-inspired MascotWithAttitude status, Bubsy takes seconds to reach a full sprint, which also results in him coming very close to the edge of the screen... only Sonic has ways to harm enemies while moving, especially post-''Sonic 2'', levels designed to accommodate his speed, and rings to save him when taking a hit. Bubsy has none of those things. Consequently, you have two choices: either stop moving every time it looks like Bubsy is going to start running and inch your way along, or die repeatedly from Bubsy sprinting into enemies that you couldn't see because they're only visible for about three frames before he hits them. The second game downplayed this with a health meter, though given its even more random and hard-to-predict obstacle placement than the first one, it's still pretty easy to lose a life.
54	** Arnold the Armadillo's bonus levels in the second game. He must be guided through a truck's engine from top to bottom, flipping switches that guide him to the right path. The fans that control his movement are either too powerful or barely responsive which make for an aggravating experience. Only the middle exit will reward the time bonus; it's negated if he exits over a wheel.
55	* SequelDifficultyDrop: ''The Woolies Strike Back'' is much easier than previous games in the series, thanks to the camera being zoomed out more, {{One Up}}s being more common and a lot of the FakeDifficulty that plagued the previous games being axed entirely.
56	* SequelDifficultySpike:
57	** ''II's'' level design was more complex, and Bubsy begins with less lives
58	** ''Fractured Furry Tales'' managed to be even more of a pain in the ass because of [[GoddamnedBats hornets coming here and there]] and because of how Bubsy is even faster.
59	* {{Sequelitis}}: The first game might be passable enough for the time, but things swiftly went downhill in the following entries:
60	** ''Bubsy II'' suffered from the developers seemingly not having any clear idea what they were going for, resulting in level designs and themes that felt derivative of other popular franchises, and a bad case of GameplayRoulette with none of the gameplay styles feeling properly developed. Add to that mediocre graphics and the game running shockingly poorly for console standards of the era, and the result is something that feels more akin to a half-finished tech demo than an actual game.
61	** ''Fractured Furry Tales'' was criticized for its forgettable level designs, massive amounts of FakeDifficulty, and somehow being the least graphically impressive of the pure 2D entries despite being released on the Platform/AtariJaguar.
62	** ''Bubsy 3D'' was where the wheels fell off completely, with its incredibly clunky early 3D platformer design, and the most annoying aspects of Bubsy's personality being turned up to the point where they became near-unbearable.
63	* SoOkayItsAverage:
64	** The first game is sometimes considered this, if [[NintendoHard a bit difficult]] (though that was far from unusual back then).
65	** Going full circle, ''Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back'' is considered this by most due to addressing the prior issues of the series, but retaining other issues and being extremely short for its price.
66	* SpecialEffectFailure: We could spend the entire page talking about the graphical style of ''Bubsy 3D'', but let's keep it brief. Unshaded and untextured polygons, animations having ''single-digit frames''. It's telling when the ([[TechnologyMarchesOn at the time]]) high resolution of 480i60[[note]]Which, on the [=PS1=], was almost ''always'' reserved for [=FMVs=] given the immense processing power it required.[[/note]] is the most it can brag about
67	* SurprisinglyImprovedSequel: While [[BrokenBase people are divided]] as to whether or not this actually makes the game ''fun'' to play, ''Bubsy: Paws On Fire'' was this to many people, with some considering it to be the best game in the series.
68	* TaintedByThePreview: The trailer for ''The Woolies Strike Back'' took a significant amount of flack for making the game look like a generic and unimpressive platformer. Which might not have bothered that many people, if not for the fact that the trailer also contained a TakeThat aimed at the ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' series... which had just made a hugely-acclaimed return to form with ''VideoGame/SonicMania'', making the trailer's timing ''incredibly'' poor and ensuring that ''The Woolies Strike Back'' would face even more of an uphill battle to win over gamers.
69	* TearJerker, [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot They Wasted A Potentially Good Franchise]]: The series could have been a decent franchise (Potentially might be even the One Piece of video games!), but his devs fucked him over and his creator abandoned him, the sequels kept getting worse, Accolade's decision on rushing Bubsy 3D is when things took for the worse, which shattered the franchise, JonTron did the final blow, and now the series won't go back to where it was, especially that the fact the first game almost became redeemed if it weren't for Sonic fans mocking Bubsy for Sonic Forces.
70	* TookTheBadFilmSeriously: Creator/RobPaulsen has admitted that the only thing he liked about voicing Bubsy was that [[MoneyDearBoy he at least got paid for doing so]]. Nevertheless, he still does stellar voice work in the second game and the cartoon.
71	* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The PunnyName levels from the first two games reflect pop culture from the late 80s through the mid 90s. Among the spoofs: ''Film/DancesWithWolves'', ''Film/PoliceAcademy'', ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'', ''Film/BigTroubleInLittleChina'', Music/HueyLewisAndTheNews, Music/TwoLiveCrew, ''Film/CrimsonTide'', ''Franchise/MortalKombat'', ''Film/DaysOfThunder'', ''Film/BrightLightsBigCity'', and ''Film/EscapeFromLA''.
72	* VindicatedByHistory: The first game has gained a reputation as average (as well as better than a number of the other ''Sonic'' clones, if not by much), and Bubsy himself has fans, with some even giving him sympathy and making him out as a Woobie. A teaser image from ''VideoGame/SonicForces'' (specifically [[http://i.imgur.com/pmm4pbT.jpg a teaser image for the customizable character]], which looked an awful lot like a Modern-esque Bubsy) pushed the character back into the forefront, as did the announcement of his new game.
73	* TheWoobie:
74	** Arnold the Armadillo from the second game so very much.
75	** The Woolies' Professor Nylon from ''3D'', as he's constantly interrupted in his speeches.
76	** Bubsy himself can be this, since most of his lines in the first two games imply he's a struggling actor who can't catch a break. Given what happened to his series, it's oddly prescient.
77
78	!!YMMV items for the cartoon:
79	* AudienceAlienatingPremise: As if a show about Bubsy wasn't enough to turn people away, they also added his equally annoying niece and nephew, and all three constantly torture poor Arnold.
80	* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: The kid's first creation with the helmet is a rollercoaster that they ride on. At one point, the coaster seems to go through some sort of wormhole or something (not unlike the thing at the opening of ''Series/DoctorWho''), then it suddenly is back on the rollercoaster track and there's no explanation.
81	* BileFascination: An animated cartoon based on one of the most annoying video game characters of all time? What could paw-sibly go wrong?
82	* DesignatedHero: Bubsy is a self-absorbed {{Jerkass}} who is so idiotic that he frequently treats his sidekick [[ButtMonkey Arnold]] like an inanimate object (he even ''mistakes him for a wrench'' at one point; showing how moronic he is), making it very, very, ''very'' hard to root for him but for him to lose instead, mainly because of his stupidity.
83	* DesignatedMonkey: Arnold Armadillo, the only sympathetic character in ''the entire episode'' who is not only one who is [[ShyShelledAnimal very fearful]], but suffers throughout from getting a '''HECK''' of a lot of {{slapstick}}-induced abuse throughout (because of Bubsy most of the time) that it's honestly hard to laugh at his accident-prone nature, especially without deserving it ''at all'' where he just wanted to have nothing to do with being around [[InsufferableImbecile Bubsy]].. The fact that his fear of trucks (which seems to be post-traumatic stress) is PlayedForLaughs and being a [[ShyShelledAnimal very fearful]] [[ShrinkingViolet character]] only makes it more cringeworthy.
84	* DrinkingGame: Take a drink every time Bubsy says, "WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong"
85	* EnsembleDarkhorse:
86	** Arnold is one by default, due to being [[OnlySaneMan the one relatable]] [[TheWoobie and sympathetic character]] in the entire pilot.
87	** Oblivia and Ally Cassandra, mainly for their designs.
88	* FridgeHorror: The armadillo-killing truck has a picture of an armadillo with a circle and slash through it, meaning who ever is driving is running them over ''on purpose''. Even worse, armadillos seem to be fully sapient in this world, meaning there's basically a SerialKiller on the loose, ''and nobody cares enough to do anything!.''
89	* JerkassWoobie: Sid may be a bad guy, but he's tormented by a HorrorHunger, is [[MinionWithAnFInEvil so dumb he barely counts as a villain,]] and goes through almost as much misery as Arnold.
90	* HilariousInHindsight: The idea of a helmet that can shape reality through the user's imagination would later be used in ''Fanfic/CanYouImagineThat'' (and to a lesser extent in ''Fanfic/TroubleIsland'').
91	* MemeticMutation: Bubsy's iconic (or infamous...) line from his pilot, "What Could Possibly Go Wrong?". It's become a popular reaction pic and often has the "Po" replaced with [[IncrediblyLamePun "Paw"]], which is pretty much par for the course for the franchise.
92	* SpecialEffectsFailure:
93	** In one shot Bubsy's head looks about [[YourSizeMayVary three times its normal size]] due to the perspective being way off.
94	** There's a very odd part where Buzz is talking and Sid is standing next to him. Even though Sid's mouth is very clearly moving, we don't hear any of his voice, which almost makes it seem like he's lip-syncing or something.
95	* TooBleakStoppedCaring: Almost all of the characters are unlikable assholes, and the few that aren't tend to go through a lot of undeserved suffering, particularly poor Arnold.

Context YMMV / Bubsy