Bubba 'n' Stix
Bubba 'n' Stix is a side-scrolling platform game for the Sega Genesis, Amiga and CD32 developed and released by Core Design. The Genesis version was released in the United States and featured a promotional tie-in with the Bubblicious bubble gum brand.
The player controls Bubba, a redneck character, who is accompanied by a sentient stick named Stix. Stix can be used in various ways to help Bubba defeat enemies and get past obstacles: for instance, Stix can be thrust into a hole in the side of a platform so that Bubba can climb higher.
Development
According to designer Simon Phipps, originally Core Design had wanted a "moody, dark and atmospheric" game featuring an adventurer wielding a multipurpose stick. It became apparent to him that a realistic approach to the design was not feasible. As a result, Phipps, along with collaborator Billy Allison, sketched out a large number of mostly outlandish uses for the game's central tool. After reviewing the drawings, Core subsequently gave the go-ahead to develop the game.The game's protagonist started out as a green long-necked alien and went through several iterations until the developers settled on Bubba.