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I'm reporting for 'Variety' magazine, April 2035. My assignment is a rare interview with Bubsy Bobcat, legendary variety video games entertainer in the last decade of the twentieth century. Arriving early, I wait for him off-stage, as he takes one more encore from the eager crowd. He shuffles off into the wings. Spying me, he smiles, "Come to my dressing room, it'll be more comfortable to talk there".

He relaxes with a tipple and listens to my questions, about his early days as a video games star.

"Ah! I'm glad you asked me about that. I remember those early games with such fondness. I made my debut with Accolade in 1993, with 'Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind'. It was fun to do, the sort of frothy platform-actioner that was popular with the youth of that time. I very much enjoyed the wise-cracking role I had. But some said I ran too fast, and hit enemies off-screen too easily.

"I think we've sorted those problems out with the sequel Bubsy II - In the Amazatorium. I play myself again, but this time as the tour guide of this fabulous building called the Amazatorium. It was a kind of 'Die-hand' video game for fluffy animals, as the building was set on three floors, each filled with horrible denizens, and lots of impossible leaps. I did all my own stunts, you know."

At that, Mr. Martin-Cruz, Bubsy's faithful time-served agent knocks on the dressing room door. The entertainer sighs wearily, puffs his make-up and bids me adieu.

Accolade's follow up to Bubsy, the 'interactive cartoon' that typifies many a Megadrive plaform game.

Make your way through 30 levels of the Amazatorium: jumping, shooting and playing sub-games for points.

Dr. V. Reality's architectural wonder, the Amazatorium has been hijacked by porcine terrorist Oinker P. Hamm. More unpredictable than a Pepperami on chilli powder. Oinker has turned all three floors of te Amazatorium into a death trap. The only hope lies in mild-mannered janitor, Bubsy Bobcat. The building's three floors are divided into two wings, each and west. Each wing has a series of five rooms, decorated distinctly in the style of the Amazatorium's five themes. By basic arithmetical processes, six wings of five rooms comes to a grand total of 30 levels.

Could be retitled 'Pyramid of Fear'. Bubgy faces cursed hieroglyphics which come to life, underground waterways and the warming flames of papyrus torches.

Bubsy goes boldly where someone has definitely gone before, because the place is filled with Oinker's minions, plus electrified barriers. However, there's a neat scrolling shoot-'em-up section incorporated within the level.

It's bum notes or golden passages, as Bubsy faces some crotchety musical instruments. Hitching rides on quavers, staves and the big bass drum. Bubsy can get the horn and prove chords are back in fashion.

Washes whiter? Who knows, but this airborne level is a departure from the rest of the game. Oinker's minions take to the air in their magnificent flying machines: flying pedalloes, dirigibles and bi-planes. Luckily, Bubsy is armed to his feline fangs with front-mounted cannon and bombs.

In days of yore... so the ale-song goes. Bubsy steps into the spurs of your knight errant, exploring the castles, pleasant woods and parapets of the Middle-aged countryside.

Bubsy II, like its predecessor has dark recesses on every levels! Walking into these shady doorways is taking a bit of a gamble. Some whisk you to another part of the same level, while others are the portals to three bizarre sub-games that give Bubsy a break from the left/right action:

1. Frogapult
   A shooting-gallery game played out over a target-filled pond. Catapult the hapless amphibians as they trundle into range.
2. Armadillo Drop
   Set in the inside of a juggernaut's engine cooling system, featuring a terrified armadillo, this is too bizarre to express adequately in words!
3. Liquid Lunacy
   A sub-aquatic platform sojourn, but one crammed with bonus bubbles - and the threat of whirlpools. Entered by diving into water.

Our star has picked up a few 'props', shall we say, that he didn't have before. The most commonly employed is the 'Nerf Ballzooka', a furball fire-arm that proves most effective. Smart Bombs are self-explanatory, while the portable hole allows him to make a Python-esque exit from any level. The diving suit is useful for water sports, and Bubsy looks lovely in rubber.

One bonus mode on the cart is the two-player game. Playing either the 'friend' or 'feisty' option, the main character is joined by a flying companion. Walking cooperatively, they can use banana shots to clear enemies out of the way. However, playing mischievously, the bananas can be used to trip big Bubsy up!

As Accolade put it, "Bubsy never shuts up" with his selection of soundbites, quotes and quips, especially when he cops it. This is a bonus or an aggravation, depending on your comic taste. Also the programmers have attempted a system where the music changes mid-level to match the action. If not totally successful in practice, it is at least an original idea.

There are those who dismiss platformers as being too alike in content and action. Certainly this is the case among many of today's offerings. Yet Bubsy has a certain edge over the rest of the competition, and that edge is called fun. Sure there are faults, some of them irritating - the scrolling coming to a sudden halt after a good sprint and the untimely deaths - but the characterisation is so charming that these faults are soon ignored. Bubsy 2 is what a platform game should be. The levels are immense and stacked high with goodies, and the baddies are nicely stompable.

This is not to say the sequel is a tired and traditional platformer, because innovation is present. The level select presentation is beautifully done, but I do have a problem with the experimental music section. If it's platform bobcat action you're after, you can't go far wrong with this offering.

The original Bubsy was just about as frustrating a game as you could find on the Megadrive. Although the character was capable of speed, the game didn't allow you to get up a pace, and accidental deaths were a constant hassle. The sequel has cleared up all the problems in the playability stakes - Bubsy is given a chance to show us his tricks.

Overall, this is a lot more involved than the original, 'crammed' is the word I would use for 30-plus levels, three sub-games and a dual player mode. There's a good variety in the graphics, and the stages are huge, much in the same vein as Sonic 3. Although it's enjoyable exploring and using the items, I sometimes think quantity has taken precedence over quality, with some rather bland layouts.

That said, there's always some feature to crop up and surprise you. Bubsy isn't exceptional, but it is solidly entertaining, and if you liked the original, you'll be very satisfied with this.

Graphics 83%
P. Inventive themed backgrounds, that work best on the Mediaeval and Musical worlds.
N. Scrappy sprite-handling in places, and some colour clash.

Sound 74%
P. Bubsy talks a lot. A nice range of FX.
N. The experimental changing music system does not work well.

Playability 86%
P. Fluid, fast and nice to handle. Bubsy has a good feel.
N. Not taxing in the brain department at all.

Lastability 80%
P. A load of levels, and the sub games aren't to be sniffed at.
N. Too many extra lives and credits than are required.

Value For Money 85%
P. A lot of development work, at the typically competitive Accolade price.
N. There is a lot of platform competition out there.

Overall 84%
A firm sequel, even a fine one. Filled with meaty chunks. Will be most appreciated by the hardcore of platform addicts.