Bubsy in Fractured Furry Tales Review (Atari Jaguar)

[@fearanger1]

Oh god, this takes me back. Really good vid, the editing keeps getting better!

[@NALTOHQ]

Love your vids. Hope you make something again soon.

[@ItsCoolFromSaturn]

Thanks, I really appreciate that. I've got more in the works, don't you worry.

[@NALTOHQ]

@@ItsCoolFromSaturn good to hear.

[@myhandleiswhat]

Remember when back in the day, companies made their games extra difficult to hide the fact the game was actually really short in terms of number of levels? Bubsy they seemed to do it out of pure spite for the player, and judging by some of the stories that haven't been verified, the dev team HATED this fictional bobcat. I can't believe it took them until Bubsy 2 to almost get it right. Even after you have adjusted to the awful feeling controls and the die in one hit, and of course, die when you touch water... the game still isn't all that short, unless you're a speed runner and you know all the exploits and memorized the levels. I seem to recall Bubsy 2 made the gameplay tolerable but I haven't played it in decades. You could easily mod Bubsy and this game to be more forgiving/fun depending on how far you wanted to go. My favorite part was having a single pixel projectile you couldn't possible see on a CRT kill you.

[@ItsCoolFromSaturn]

That is so frustrating. I would sometimes die for seemingly no reason. I seriously couldn't figure out what was happening then replaying the footage I realized things were hurling weapons at me from off-screen. It's just baffling.

[@myhandleiswhat]

@@ItsCoolFromSaturn There's a reason Sonic only dies if he has no rings. (assuming not falling into a bottomless pit) but even then, the Sonic games take into account player visibility typically with their level design. You'd think since the team apparently played Sonic a ton before developing this game, they would have taken note of that, but it also sounded like the development of the original game was pretty rushed. I heard a story that they had some promotional plushes made and one of the devs stabbed it with a pencil and had it hanging from something with the pencil going through it during development. I haven't heard any verification on if that's true or not, but I wouldn't be surprised. WIthout cheating in the original game (it has a level select code) I have made it to the Canada levels, which means I made it to just before the final stretch of the game, like 6 levels left. The Canada levels include some doors you can go through and some are like Mario Maker levels and take you back to the beginning of the level. I will give the person who did the music some props, the music is the best thing about the games, and even then, not all of them hit.

[@ItsCoolFromSaturn]

Thanks for such a well-informed and interesting take. I can agree with everything you said there. They did seem to *want* to improve the formula and you can see glimmers of it while playing, which I mentioned, but they just couldn't tap into what made platformers like Sonic, Tiny Toon Adventures on Mega Drive and Kid Chameleon so fun to play.

[@orderofmagnitude-TPATP]

Never got to see this one... i guess this is the rarest bubsy out there. I too rented bubsy and found it very difficult lol

[@ItsCoolFromSaturn]

You and me both dude!

[@dad7275]

Yeah Ive watched videos that is in line with your opinions on this game. I can't remember ever playing this game, but it doesn't look like im missing much. I think Zool might be a better pick for a platformer on the Jag. I will give credit on it being colorful though.

[@ItsCoolFromSaturn]

Zool is way better. I will get to that one day as I was surprised at how solid it is even if it is just an Amiga port.

[@greenkoopa]

Rob Paulsen voiced everything in the 90s

[@ItsCoolFromSaturn]

I remember hearing him in everything from commercials to almost every cartoon in some kind of role even if it was just a supporting one!

[@greenkoopa]

@@ItsCoolFromSaturn Raphael and Buster Bunny

[@ItsCoolFromSaturn]

@@greenkoopa You're right he was indeed. He also did a lot of commercial work. Everything from Pepsi to Dominos and beyond!

[@CasperEgas]

I had Bubsy 2 as a kid. I thought it was okay, but nothing great. This Jaguar game gave a very bad first impression, but once I learned to play it a bit better, I ended up liking it a bit. I like the presentation. Never ended up completing it though. I prefer it over Bug on the Saturn, but it still isn't too great. Bubsy 3D is far worse. 6/10.

[@ItsCoolFromSaturn]

That's a perfectly reasonably take on the game! Man, luckily I don't do PlayStation games!

[@ressljs]

I picked up Fractured Furry Tales in about 1997 for probably $5. By then I realized I had bet on the wrong horse by buying a Jaguar, but the late 90s were the poorest phase of my life and I couldn't afford a new console. At the time, I convinced myself it was an OK game, actually beat it (took a long time though), and managed to get some enjoyment out of it. But I think there was a lot of willing myself to like it because, again, I couldn't afford much else. I actually still have it, but to go back and play it now is painful! With the massive, sprawling levels, and the enemies that pop in a kill you unless you have their locations memorized, it's not something you can play casually. I agree, it's not trash and I think it gets dunked on more than it deserves, but it's definitely not a hidden gem either.