Bubsy: Paws on Fire

Bubsy: Paws on Fire!, developed by Choice Provisions and published by Atari, is a rhythm-based auto-runner that seeks to reinvigorate the Bubsy franchise with a fresh gameplay twist. As the sixth installment in the series, it combines the franchise’s signature humor and quirky character design with mechanics inspired by the BIT.TRIP series, offering a unique take on platforming and rhythm gaming. Released in May 2019, the game attempts to balance nostalgia for long-time fans with accessibility for new players, though reactions have been mixed due to repetitive gameplay and occasional control frustrations.
The story centers on Bubsy, the titular bobcat, as he races to stop his nemesis, Oinker P. Hamm, from capturing animals for his nefarious "Amazootorium." The narrative is self-aware and humorous, filled with puns and tongue-in-cheek references that long-time fans of the series will recognize. While the plot is lighthearted and straightforward, it serves primarily as a framing device for the fast-paced action rather than a deeply engaging storyline. Players seeking complex narrative depth may find the story minimal, but the humor and cartoonish scenarios align well with the game’s playful tone.
Gameplay is defined by its rhythm-based auto-running mechanics. Players guide Bubsy and three additional characters—Virgil, Woolie, and Arnold—through levels filled with obstacles, enemies, and collectibles, timing jumps and actions to maintain momentum. Each character possesses unique abilities, adding some variety to the experience, but the core gameplay loop remains largely repetitive. While the rhythm elements inject energy and challenge into the auto-running format, some players report occasional unresponsive controls that can make precision timing frustrating, especially during faster sections or more complex sequences.
Visually, the game embraces a colorful, cartoon-like aesthetic that captures the whimsical spirit of the franchise. The environments are vibrant and full of playful details, and character animations convey personality and charm. Despite the lively presentation, occasional background stuttering or minor graphical inconsistencies can momentarily disrupt immersion. Overall, the visuals succeed in maintaining a fun and lighthearted atmosphere that complements the game’s gameplay style and tone.
The soundtrack, composed by Stemage, is a standout feature, with energetic tracks that synchronize with the rhythm-based gameplay and enhance the sense of speed and excitement. The music effectively supports the pacing of levels, though repeated exposure to the same tracks can feel monotonous over extended sessions. Sound effects, such as character exclamations and environmental cues, further reinforce the playful, cartoony atmosphere, making the audio experience consistent with the visual style.
In conclusion, Bubsy: Paws on Fire! delivers a quirky, fast-paced rhythm-based adventure that revitalizes the Bubsy franchise with modern gameplay mechanics while staying true to its eccentric roots. Although it suffers from repetitive level design and occasional control issues, the combination of humor, character variety, colorful visuals, and a lively soundtrack makes it an enjoyable experience for fans of the series and rhythm-based platformers alike. While it may not redefine the genre, the game provides a nostalgic and entertaining journey that captures the charm and chaos that Bubsy is known for.
Rating: 6/10

Just a typical auto-run game with Bubsy theme. It's good to hear his voice and cheesy one liners, along with the other characters. It's not a great game, but isn't bad either. It bring some nostalgia, feel free to pick it up if you enjoy these types of games.

my computer sounds like it's going to explode when i play this. I LOVE IT!

I mean it's kinda fun

300 Hours, so many regrets

“Run my baby run my baby run~ 🎶”
~Garbage
So, uh... I guess it's time for us to talk about Bubsy again? Because apparently, Accolade really wanted to bring the franchise back and did all sorts of things to test the waters. First, they've released Bubsy: Two-Fur. A compilation of two SNES titles in a Snes9x environment (changed to Mednafen in later updates). It was a downright crappy release (I'm not talking about the games here; those actually aren't nearly as bad as some people say; I'm talking about the way they took a free emulator and called it a day), yet it sold. The next one was the so-called The Woolies Strike Back. And that's where things started to get funny.
Obviously, I don't have any inside information, but it looks like they called Black Forest, the creators of Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams, and asked them to do the same thing. With Bubsy in it and with the coffee and donuts as payment. It wasn't... completely unplayable (wasn't unplayable at all), but it did turn out exactly like that – rushed, dull, and slightly unfinished (a Bubsy game being rushed and unfinished? NO! ). Now, here comes our next thing, and at this point, it's hard not to notice the pattern. Exactly like with Black Forest before, it looks like Accolade contacted Choice Provisions (creators of Bit.Trip Runner), who had just released their Runner3 and, well, asked for the same exact thing. Again, with Bubsy in it. So... yeah. For the very first time in the series, we've got ourselves... a runner.
You know, a runner. One of those games in which your character runs all by themselves and you're just... pressing the buttons to jump? That bloody thing that was extremely popular when Apple released its second iPhone and everybody was playing Wii. Those games. Personally, I thought that the whole genre was, like, dead at this point, but apparently, it isn't. So... wait a second, I need to check on my Tamagotchi. Alright, cool. Where was I? Ah, yes, right. It's time for us to finally take a look at the shiny new runner game we've got.
And you know what? Count me surprised. Unlike The Woolies Strike Back, Paws on Fire! feels like the real deal. A proper commercial product without lots of technical difficulties. I mean, I'm not trying to say anything bad about Black Forest (it does look like there was a story going on behind the curtains, since the guys don't even include The Woolies Strike Back in their portfolio), but the fact is a fact – unlike them (and those nasty f*ckers behind Two-Fur), Choice Provisions actually did manage to deliver real product. But of course, while being real, the product itself is arguable. Like I said, it's just a Runner3 “re-skin.” Well, a bit more than a re-skin, I can give it that, but still, the resemblance is so striking that it feels offensive.
Exactly like in Runner3, we've got 23 levels across 3 worlds. Which doesn't sound that impressive (again, Super Mario Bros. 3 had 90 levels in 1988), but there's some replayability. With the biggest difference from Runner3 being the fact that, aside from Bubsy, there are also three new playable characters. We can play as one of the Woolies (those funny-looking aliens that served as enemies in previous Bubsy games), and we can play as Dr. Virgil Reality... Now, wait, wait, wait! Who the f*ck is Dr. Virgil Reality?
That's another interesting thing about Paws on Fire!. Unlike The Woolies Strike Back, which followed the original Bubsy formula, it follows characters from that canceled animated series. The pilot episode of which you can find in The Purrfect Collection. Which... wasn't even a thing at the moment Paws on Fire! was released. Heck, it wasn't released until much, much later (Paws on Fire! and The Purrfect Collection are years apart). Yet the game leans into those characters. Then again, that's exactly what Bubsy II did, so... yeah. The twins are back, we've got Arnold Armadillo (who's our fourth playable character)... That's just how things are here. Lots of the names who are only familiar to the fans (are Bubsy fans even a thing?).
Anyway, back to the game itself. Like I said, we can play as Arnold Armadillo. But to unlock him, we must first clear the level with all three other characters. Sounds terrible (personally, I hate doing things I already did, makes me feel like I'm wasting my time), but it actually isn't. The thing is – every character in this game plays differently. Which is exactly that big difference from Runner3 I mentioned. I mean, in Runner3 there are quite a lot of characters, much more than in this game, yet characters here change, like, the entire gameplay. Bubsy can glide (there are parts, where solid ground won't even be a thing), Virgil can slide (again, Runner3 anyone?), while the Woolie's levels are... pretty much a SHMUP. For whatever reason. Finally, Arnold's levels look and feel almost exactly like the bonus stages from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Which actually makes sense when you think about it (Bubsy started as a Sonic rip-off, while Arnold's levels feel very similar to what we had in, say, bonus levels from Sonic the Hedgehog 2).
That's pretty much it. That's the entire game. Different characters will collect different kinds of currencies, which can be used to unlock skins, while a certain amount of levels is required to unlock what lies ahead. The end. Well, there are also three bosses for us to fight (Bubsy only), but honestly, that's it. Paws on Fire! is a pretty generic 2.5D runner with nothing really special or groundbreaking about it. And if you've played Runner3 before it? As long as you're not a die-hard fan of the genre (or Choice Provisions' series in particular), it actually makes things worse. Just because of the whole “been there, done that” effect.
Still, it doesn't mean that Paws on Fire! is bad. Exactly the opposite. As funny as it is, it's the best Bubsy game we've got since forever. Which... doesn't even feel like a proper Bubsy game, which is ironic as heck, but still... It's a solid runner? OK? It's nicely made (it's not perfect, but I actually played the official Mario games less polished than this; I guess it says something), and it has some replayability (unlike The Woolies Strike Back, you, most likely, won't be able to finish everything in one sitting).
The only question is why? It may be just me, but honestly, the time for runners is long gone, and so is the time when using a well-recognized franchise's name as an excuse to make yet another one was a good idea. Tomb Raider: Relic Run, for example, came out, like, what? Four years ago? And it felt like something that missed the popularity train spectacularly. Then again, if you do feel like you can do with one of such games? There's absolutely nothing wrong with Paws on Fire!. My only real complaint is the price. I mean, seriously? $24.99? For this? Sounds like a joke to me. And having Two-Fur as a free bonus is not an excuse. Because, like I said, Two-Fur is a crap. Dixi.