Bubsy in Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind is nostalgic for me. I played it several times at a friend’s house, but its unforgiving difficulty never let us beat it. I streamed it recently and found myself once again charmed by its severe cheese factor and challenged to master its movement mechanics.

Bubsy, the character and the game, are the butt of many jokes in the gaming community. Sure, it’s a blatant Sonic ripoff with even more cheap difficulty, but come on. The giraffe is wearing sunglasses. And the music never fails to bring a smile (as long as you choose SNES over Mega Drive).

Yes, it’s frustrating, and I save scummed mightily, but I think Bubsy (yes the character and the game) have genuine worth. The fourth wall breaking is endearing! And that’s why I like Modern Bubsy, it’s respectful and has fun with its ideas, and gives us a reason to celebrate Bubsy again. For more rambling, watch the stream. ;)